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Post by TKennedy on Mar 5, 2024 20:50:47 GMT -5
... it originated in Singapore and has been floating around the internet since 1914. Wow, Singapore was an early internet adopter. Ha ha, 2014😊 |
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Post by james on Mar 5, 2024 20:51:15 GMT -5
Bit more Googling suggests the parents being asked by the Principal may have been those of kids at the International Indian School in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Not Singapore.
More Googling might throw up other leads.
I think the Principal advised the parents well.
One purported source -
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Post by howard lee on Mar 5, 2024 20:54:58 GMT -5
Old ad that used to be posted in the NYC subway:
"If yu cn rd ths, yu cn gt a gd job."
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Post by james on Mar 5, 2024 21:03:06 GMT -5
Something like that also used to be on ads on tube trains in London, Howard.
(I think they also said "u cn bcm a sctry")
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Post by epaul on Mar 5, 2024 21:39:13 GMT -5
Bit more Googling suggests the parents being asked by the Principal may have been those of kids at the International Indian School in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Not Singapore. More Googling might throw up other leads. I think the Principal advised the parents well. One purported source - I am unfamiliar with the education system in India, but hazarding a pretty good guess, there is a lot of pressure inflicted on kids early in their school life by exams administered by the school as these exams, early in life, determine the educational track, and subsequent professional opportunities, that will be available to the kid. Don't hit the 90% percentile in biology and chemistry on your 6th grade exam? Then the scientist and doctor career path is out the door and you are put on the trade school track with no way off. Get a 50% percentile score and it's following elephants as a street sweeper for you. There is no messing around in many school systems across the world. Competition is brutal and school test results are unforgiving and final. Pressure is intense and the winnowing severe. It is a strength of the U.S. educational system that a kid can be a compete screw off in school and drink his way through college yet find that doors to success remain open. We got the late bloomer thing going for us in spades. It is our strength. India would have tracked the thirteen-year-old Steve Jobs into the sweeping up after elephants trade with no way out. We don't appreciate the gifts, and advantages, our lax and lamentable educational system have given this country. |
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Post by TKennedy on Mar 5, 2024 22:09:58 GMT -5
That’s like the guy that had the job of cleaning the elephant pen at the circus. A bystander saw him covered with shit and asked him why he didn’t get a less revolting job.
He replied “Are you kidding? Get out of show business?”
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Post by epaul on Mar 5, 2024 22:42:10 GMT -5
Oh, and if I'm even close about the pressures associated with these early-in-life exams administered in the Indian educational system that are used for school placement and subsequent career options, then the principal's words to the parents are good words. And his words, and intentions, have no context whatsoever in our domestic educational debate. This letter is ruled inadmissible as evidence in our courtroom. It could just as well be from Mars, and what the hell does Mars have to do with our schools?
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Post by james on Mar 5, 2024 22:59:23 GMT -5
The Indian International School in Dammam, Saudi Arabia is very big. They have a YouTube channel. There’s a promotional video. youtu.be/jnU4WhqPgnU?si=z28DpWUTlw_FjxTc Private school kids in hot and dusty places dress so smartly! I've often felt quite a scruffy bugger as I've encountered them. Apologies for increasing irrelevance.  |
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Post by millring on Mar 6, 2024 6:34:30 GMT -5
I can bcm prsdnt
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Post by millring on Mar 6, 2024 7:11:06 GMT -5
Dear Parents,
The exams of your children are to start soon. I know you are all really anxious for your child to do well. But, please do remember, amongst the students who will be sitting for the exams there is an artist, who doesn't need to understand Math... There is an entrepreneur, who doesn't care about History or English literature... There is a musician, whose Chemistry marks won't matter... There's an athlete... whose physical fitness is more important than Physics... If your child does get top marks, that's great! But if he or she doesn't... please don't take away their self-confidence and dignity from them. Tell them it's OK, it's just an exam! They are cut out for much bigger things in life. Tell them, no matter what they score... you love them and will not judge them.
ps. Of course, it occurs to me that I might add:
There's a one in a million chance that your child will make a living as an artist or a musician. Even smaller chance (infinitesimal?) that he or she will make a living as an athlete. And any entrepreneur who doesn't understand history or know how to write well?
Actually, the tests they are about to take already took into consideration the social well-being of your child where education is concerned. His or her emotional well-being is up to you, but you might consider a back-up plan for your musician, artist, athlete, dreamer children. And a room in the basement.
Sincerely,
Your principal
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Post by howard lee on Mar 6, 2024 7:19:45 GMT -5
A sign on the door of a classroom in my daughter's middle school a few years ago:
"Close the Door Behind Yourself."
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Post by John B on Mar 6, 2024 21:02:58 GMT -5
Dear Parents, The exams of your children are to start soon. I know you are all really anxious for your child to do well. But, please do remember, amongst the students who will be sitting for the exams there is an artist, who doesn't need to understand Math... There is an entrepreneur, who doesn't care about History or English literature... There is a musician, whose Chemistry marks won't matter... There's an athlete... whose physical fitness is more important than Physics... If your child does get top marks, that's great! But if he or she doesn't... please don't take away their self-confidence and dignity from them. Tell them it's OK, it's just an exam! They are cut out for much bigger things in life. Tell them, no matter what they score... you love them and will not judge them. ps. Of course, it occurs to me that I might add: There's a one in a million chance that your child will make a living as an artist or a musician. Even smaller chance (infinitesimal?) that he or she will make a living as an athlete. And any entrepreneur who doesn't understand history or know how to write well? Actually, the tests they are about to take already took into consideration the social well-being of your child where education is concerned. His or her emotional well-being is up to you, but you might consider a back-up plan for your musician, artist, athlete, dreamer children. And a room in the basement. Sincerely, Your principle John, John, John... it's the Principal that counts. |
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Post by John B on Mar 6, 2024 21:03:55 GMT -5
A sign on the door of a classroom in my daughter's middle school a few years ago: "Close the Door Behind Yourself."If that bothers you, you might complain to myself or someoe else. |
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Post by howard lee on Mar 6, 2024 21:09:32 GMT -5
A sign on the door of a classroom in my daughter's middle school a few years ago: "Close the Door Behind Yourself."If that bothers you, you might complain to myself or someoe else.
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