Public Education Failure(s)

I just learned something about South Carolina public high schools. I was checking to see if school has been canceled for tomorrow. We got 2" of snow today and the whole district is closed. With low temps around 14° F tonight and wet roads, no school tomorrow. While on the local school district website I discovered this little tidbit of information:

Instruction

• Act 155 (H.3919) passed by the General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Nikki R. Haley on April 14, 2014, states in part "Beginning with the graduating class of 2015, students are no longer required to meet the exit examination requirements set forth in this section and State Regulation to earn a South Carolina high school diploma."

   

  A person who is no longer enrolled in a public school and who previously failed to receive a high school diploma or was denied graduation solely for failing to meet the exit exam requirements may petition the local school board to determine the student’s eligibility to receive a high school diploma. The elimination of the exit exam (BSAP, HSAP) requirement is retroactive to the graduating class of 1990.

   

  In order to facilitate the requirements of Act 155, Greenwood School District 50 has created a form that can be filled out by a petitioner who meets the requirements mentioned in the above paragraph. Please read the guidelines document and if you meet those qualifications, fill out the Petition form below and follow the directions for submission.

   

So it is now possible, with no checks on the system, to graduate from high school in South Carolina being functionally illiterate and innumerate. This does not bring me comfort.

No, I don't have any kids, or any connection to anyone employed in the school district. I check because I want to know if I'll run into school children when out and about. I saw some kids in our neighborhood today out running through the snow, looking for enough snow to build some kind of snow creature or make snow balls. They looked like they were having a blast. Makes me happy, as long as they aren't my kids, you know?

I took Superman to the doctor's office this morning. He's got some kind of non-flu virus cold thing and an ear infection. Snow on the trees, fences, fields looks so lovely. And the way snow (gentle snow, anyway) falls so silently - it's beautiful. The roads were clear, everything was fine. Most of the snow melted today, but with overnight temps so low, it'll be more dangerous tomorrow.

On my way back out the door to pick up Superman's medicine I slipped on the bottom step of our front stoop on the fluffy snow that had been packed down and iced over by our earlier tromp to the car. Slipped and fell on my ass, hit my mid-upper back on the brick step hard enough to give me a touch of road rash, and oh, my back! It's very twitchy. If I'm stationary it doesn't hurt much. If I move in certain directions, twist just wrong, Ouch! Have just taken another muscle relaxant and analgesic. Took some earlier and had a lovely nap. I'm tired anyway, so as soon as this stuff hits me I'm a goner.

Superman helped me get up off the ground. He recommended I come in to change clothes, but I was just going to the drug store and I don't give a shit. Also was already in the yard and didn't want to go back up the steps to try again. But while I was at the drug store I bought myself a red heart-shaped box of all dark chocolate covered assorted candies. Because poor poor pitiful me. Haven't opened them yet, and I just brushed my teeth, so I'll save 'em for another day.

Tired. Going to bed now. Goodnight.