Replicants

In what can only be lauded as truly flexible government, China has responded to the death of 65,000 of its citizens in an earthquake by relaxing restrictions on the one-child rule.

Yes, that's right, if you're a Chinese citizen and your child has just been crushed beneath rubble, you'll be pleased to know that you are free to manufacture a replacement without having to pay the usual fines. This is the kind of gift the Chinese government generally reserves for more severe tragedies, such as one's first-born child being female.

Blur Had the Right of It

I somehow found myself sucked into a looking glass conversation about gender-separated public education. Here's what I had to say:

I teach in an urban high school in Southern California. In my classes of 40 or more human beings, I have teens who are Latino, white, black, Asian, English learners, recently declassified English learners, students with learning disabilities, students from military families, students from single parent households, Catholic students, Jewish students, secular humanist students, gay students, straight students, students with physical disabilities, and yes, students who are male and female.

The notion that simply separating males and females would remove the need for me, as a teacher, to employ every education technique (sensory, social, or otherwise) in my extensive arsenal is patently absurd. Nor would such a separation create an environment wherein students' most fundamental needs are being met; I find that the education needs of many of my students are far less defined by their gender than by any number of other factors comprising their unique situations and identities.

There are any number of ways we could divvy those students up "for their own good." But as I teach them world history, I think it's ever so valuable to have all of their wonderful voices and perspectives in our conversations — and make no mistake, a good teacher makes sure all of those voices are included. Period.

In earning my MAE, my coursework included extensive study of neurology as it pertains to adolescent learning, and I am more than familiar with the bio-essentialist arguments. They have many grandfathers, all equally well-intentioned, and all equally specious. I fundamentally object to the notion of pedagogical biodeterminism based on "the latest research" (which is always inevitably revised by even latest-er research). I do not object to the usefulness of science in honing education; I do object to rendering it as the only criterion.

Being a teacher means teaching every mind in the room, regardless of which of the myriad subgroups of humans each student happens to fall into. It is a noble task which can — and ought — to be done.

Death by Domesticity

Today's favorite headline: "Men Create More Housework for Women". According to the article, married women today spend an average of seven more hours per week on housework than single women. Conversely, married men spend an average of one hour less per week on housework than their single counterparts (although apparently they do more housework than they did in 1976 — hurrah).

As I sit here typing this, I am looking at not one but two empty glasses and a half-consumed can of Coke left scattered on the coffee table by either malicious gnomes or my husband.

Being liberated sure is awesome.

That Whole Liberals Eating Each Other Thing

According the New York branch of the National Organization of Women (NOW), Senator Ted Kennedy's endorsement of Barack Obama rather than Hillary Clinton was "the ultimate betrayal" and "hit women hard." Furthermore, "He's joined the list of progressive white men who can't or won't handle the prospect of a woman president who is Hillary Clinton."

So if Kennedy is sexist for endorsing Obama, one assumes that the (supposedly) progressive NOW would be screaming "Racist!" with equal fervor had he endorsed Clinton? No?

This kind of inanity is why I cancelled my subscription to Ms. magazine several years back. To NOW, I offer a world of "get off my side."

Sick, sick, sick.

I'm really glad I don't live in this world:



Except I kind of do:



And yet I really like these shoes:



My head is a broken machine.