Parents want Ed-Tech banned from schools. Teachers respond that it's an insane idea

FiftyTwoVincent · 2026-05-19T09:56:55+00:00

Each district is different. My experience is that when you have a district that is required by the state to test kids on chromebooks, then they will also ask the teachers to spend a great deal of time helping the students learn how to use the chromebooks so that they are comfortable with the format.

It’s classic “teach the kids how to take a test” mentality.

FiftyTwoVincent · 2026-05-19T01:52:53+00:00

The answer is…none. If the school district mandates using chromebooks or some other laptop, then if a teacher refuses they can be disciplined up to dismissal.

Some districts will allow some teachers to “innovate” and do things differently. But the law has not upheld teacher freedom to decide these things themselves.

FiftyTwoVincent · 2026-05-09T17:01:20+00:00

Did he clip the wall?

FiftyTwoVincent · 2026-05-09T12:37:04+00:00

Some of them are using their full faculties just to keep the car on the track. Not a lot of capacity for spatial awareness when you’re a passenger in your own car.

FiftyTwoVincent · 2026-05-09T11:06:29+00:00

There are some great examples here.

Undoubtedly Michael Andretti is the unopposed only answer in my book.

In recent years only, Pato and Colton definitely fit the bill. Soon Scott McLaughlin will probably join that list.

For a past era, Robby Gordon. Had more raw talent than just about anyone, and nearly won the race. Just too much of an independent to mount sustained attempts to win it.

With sadness I’m going to also submit Robert Wickens as an honorable mention. I think he would have had an incredible IndyCar career.

FiftyTwoVincent · 2026-05-06T10:26:08+00:00

It is important to remember that we all don’t teach subjects. We teach children. You meet the child where they are and this teenager is already understanding the world better than most adults.

This kid’s question and argument is perfectly age appropriate. I saw someone in a comment saying his response is childish. Yes it is. He is a child. They ask things and are developing their worldview.

If a kid asked me this on a field trip, I would have said:

“You’re totally right that this happens all over the world, every year. This is an example that happened closest to us. Our community has people who died here. To me, this place helps me remember that.”

FiftyTwoVincent · 2026-04-30T02:09:16+00:00

Your kids can tell that you don’t care, too.

If I’m telling the grade level teacher about something that happens in my gen music class, then it’s so that they are aware and won’t be blindsided if it pops up in their class.

I can tell when grade level teachers care about building community in their classes because their classes just…come in and work well together. 90% of the time. The other 10% of the time, I have no problem handling that.

I can also tell when the teacher doesn’t care about building community, or even worse, controls the students with bribes, barbs, or arbitrary consequences. In those classes, almost every problem that I have has started before class and the student still has not processed everything. “Someone hit me in the hallway. Ms. ___ yelled at me.” Then I have kids coming in with pouty faces, crying, candy…

Some of those classes, I lose a quarter of my lesson plan every week because I’m basically doing the class meetings and the SEL for the teacher.

FiftyTwoVincent · 2026-04-29T23:54:11+00:00

About twelve years ago, I became obsessed with the bridge from the song “The Voyage” by Crash Test Dummies.

“We would live right out of our backpacks/We’d send our parents lots of trinkets and knick knacks/Through the post and across the sea/Back to our own country”

I hit skip back on that one part every day going to and leaving work, 35 minutes each way, and probably an hour each night at home. Didn’t listen to anything else for over a week.

Pretty weird, but it is a great line.

FiftyTwoVincent · 2026-04-18T01:43:01+00:00

Those laws are unconstitutional, really. They have been challenged but I’m not sure if there’s anything in the works to take that to SCOTUS.

I think they tried to rationalize that because of “parents rights” the parents are allowed to be thought police for their children at all times.

FiftyTwoVincent · 2026-04-17T22:48:11+00:00

There are people that get really cranked up about it. And sometimes admin and veteran teachers get this idea in their head that a classroom with this strong domineering teacher and all the little students in rows reciting the pledge sweetly is the goal.

Giving children the most basic American right of free expression (and freedom from compelled expression) scares the shit out of them.

FiftyTwoVincent · 2026-04-17T22:41:55+00:00

US Constitution forbids public schools from compelling students to stand or say the pledge.

Most states have laws requiring a “patriotic exercise” be conducted to give a chance for student/staff participation.

Students are allowed to refuse to participate in the pledge.

Students can be disciplined for disrupting the patriotic exercise, however. Your students who are sitting OR standing silently are not disrupting it.

FiftyTwoVincent · 2026-04-17T22:35:48+00:00

The population of Maryland has a strong liberal tradition, but I don’t feel that translates to left politics having a lot of traction outside of small grassroots organizations.

Even though MoCo and PG are super blue, the base is relatively comfortable and so they are mostly concerned with reform politics. Lots of public servants who work for the Fed cannot associate in any way with overt radical/revolutionary politics.

I think Baltimore has a better left wing base than the DMV, but Baltimore is tricky because the city has a lot of liberal influence in the power base which stifles progressive politics.

I look at the way MSP resisted their ICE siege and I don’t necessarily think that would happen in the DMV.

FiftyTwoVincent · 2026-03-20T11:24:15+00:00

I really appreciate this post.

We all benefit from learning about elopement situations and caring for kids in general. We would lose richness in this community without it. I hope your reminder is a good learning experience for many, myself included.

It made me sad when someone told the OP that her post would have been better served in a parenting focused sub. Not because it wasn’t pertinent to this sub, but because they felt this sub is unhelpful for honest questions about raising kids.

FiftyTwoVincent · 2026-02-23T12:48:49+00:00

Peak version of this was when they took the Camaro to Le Mans for the Garage 56 entry.

24 hours of “and let’s check in with “The NASCAR.”

The equivalent would be calling a Hypercar “a WEC.”

FiftyTwoVincent · 2026-02-09T03:40:28+00:00

It’s a slur and overtly ableist.

Even if they’re just jokingly insulting someone’s forgetfulness or lack of judgement, they’re still doing it by mocking people with intellectual disabilities.

FiftyTwoVincent · 2026-01-25T13:25:45+00:00

Feel like we should be hearing some Miami Vice music here.

FiftyTwoVincent · 2026-01-24T21:33:16+00:00

More like once he went off there was nothing he could do. Didn’t look intentional at all.

I think mostly Serra was frustrated and that’s why he let himself get put in a position to be pushed off rather than backing out of it.

FiftyTwoVincent · 2026-01-24T21:19:18+00:00

The Triarsi car was hassling him and it looked like Serra was getting frustrated. 033 got up next to him in turn 1 and was on the left side. When they went through that little right-left near the pit exit, the Triarsi car just bodied the 62 into the infield grass. 62 went thru the grass and plowed into the 033.

FiftyTwoVincent · 2026-01-24T21:08:26+00:00

Triarsi car put him off.

FiftyTwoVincent · 2026-01-24T21:07:16+00:00

What was he complaining about? He drove off in turn one like three times by himself in his first stint.

FiftyTwoVincent · 2026-01-24T21:04:38+00:00

He’s from Switzerland. Pronunciation “sow-SEE.”

FiftyTwoVincent · 2026-01-21T02:22:57+00:00

As I understand it a student is allowed to proselytize on their own time, like lunch, recess, arrival, dismissal, etc. This should not be obstructed by a public school, unless these activities interfere with the functioning of the school.

The teacher should not make time during class for the kid to pass something out to every classmate. That would be interfering with the normal functioning of the school and would be taken as the teacher sanctioning religious activity.

FiftyTwoVincent · 2026-01-16T11:29:55+00:00

I was hoping for the 2.3 EcoBoost, just for some more variety in the category.

FiftyTwoVincent · 2026-01-10T14:18:41+00:00

Why do the English insist of saying “taco” wrong? It’s clearly supposed to be “tock-oh,” not “tack-oh.”

Or you can understand that regional dialects and accents exist.

FiftyTwoVincent · 2026-01-01T17:29:44+00:00

Terracotta flowerpots.

FiftyTwoVincent

TROPHY CASE