Well, I'm going to try to keep this short. Y' just never know though! I read Netcrime's blog and some recent posts have been about an online harassment case. What got me thinking was how the parents of the high schooler who is the defendant are selectively blind to the actions of their "darling child". I won't go into all the details. You can read about it here. (I hope the link works) If my child had done what this young man admits to doing, my child would be begging for the punishment of the courts rather than being subjected to the punishment at home. I don't get it. Why do some people think that they are so special and deserve "more better" than anyone else? Yeah, I know, here I go again with "some people". Anyway, it reminded me of an incident over 25 years ago.
It was my second year as a full time high school photography teacher. We had 10 35mm cameras that the students could take turns borrowing. One young man managed to leave the camera in a stranger's car. He'd been hitching a ride somewhere. It was never returned. Now we were down to 9 cameras. This made it more difficult for all the students to share those remaining cameras and get their coursework done. The department head and I discussed the options and decided that the student should not be allowed the use of the 35mm cameras, but instead finish the work using a cheaper "Instamatic". The coursework could be done just as effectively with the cheaper camera. The semester progressed as the students worked independently on 10 assignments. Reminders were issued periodically to those that were falling behind...including the young man who lost the camera. Grade time came and the young man turned in only 2 out of 10 assignments. The grades on those two photos combined with his test scores gave him a total grade of 21 (out of a possible 100).
Guess what?
His parents filed a greivance against me! Seems he had to have a passing grade in all his subjects to stay on the basketball team. I was called to the principal's office for a private meeting. Of course I was required to bring the grade book. Thankfully, the principal was a reasonable man. Especially when presented with the grades, the lack of effort, and the question...how can I justify changing a grade of 21 to a passing grade of 65? No one failed my class as long as they DID THE WORK. Two assignments out of ten isn't any effort. That was the last I heard of it and the basketball team was missing one student.
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And now TMSSTS (Part 2)
The GD Times had another big write-up outlining all of Mr. Tech P's financial problems from 2004 until the present. Seems there have been 10 lawsuits (one of which is pending) totaling approximately $80,000 in settlements against him. Three or four of those were piano related.
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And finally. Remember when I commented, last Fall, that I was getting key work from the customer rather than their technician? Well, as of today I am initiating a new policy. NO MORE.
Just got a box of keys (not all the set) from one of those customers. It's actuially the one from FL that I was suspicious knew RC. He seems to think that there was a bit of "touch up" work needed. He marked all the spots with a bit of blue painter's tape. Honestly, folks, I've taken a magnifying glass to these keys and can't for the life of me see the problem. So...I did replace a couple key fronts that look like they were chipped in shipping. I double checked the squareness and filed edges. All seems fine. They be shipped back to him next time I head for the shipper. I'm not making a special trip. His delusions will cost me $25 in shipping fees. Oh well, reputation and all...ONLY FOR THE TRADE FROM NOW ON!
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