Monday, April 16, 2007

WHY?

One of the best parts about working as a journalist is that anything can happen. The most banal of days can suddenly be turned upside down with a big story. The downside is that those stories can be so devestating and sad, all of sudden, you're wishing that normal workday was back again. That's what's happening today. Rick mentioned this school shooting in Virginia about an hour ago and now officials say at least 22 people are confirmed dead.

WHY?

Police are saying there was one shooter and that he's been killed. It's just an incredibly sad story.

Again, I have to ask: Why?

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Life is all about balance, so on a MUCH lighter note, the generosity of Metro was in full effect on Friday night. I was at the wrap of the AM 92 CJCH/C100 Radiothon for the IWK where over 400-thousand dollars was raised!! Thanks to everyone that phoned in with a pledge. The stories heard over the three days were incredible and inspiring, and the Change Bandits alone raised over 80-thousand dollars! Congrats to everyone involved and a big thank you as well.


One of our favourite guests is on the show tomorrow -- an hour with David Rodenhiser is always a good one! I told Rick he and Dave must have been brothers in a past life because they just get along so well! It's always fun to listen to, so I hope you tune in.

On Wednesday, our Hotline education expert Gary Carson will be in studio. I remember when I met Gary for the first time last year and I was listening, but I heard him say something about how some students in N.S. don't have textbooks for some classes. I asked him to clarify during the break, because I thought, "that can't be right!" Turns out, it is! Unbelievable!! Not to compare, but going to school in Ontario, I always had a textbook for each class and I asked my youngest brother, who is 10 years younger, and despite budget cuts etc., he says he always had textbooks too. It's pretty sad that when people go to Cuba or the D.R. they bring books and school supplies for the students who don't have those essentials. It's pretty sad that travellers coming here could do the same thing and have it be beneficial. Talk about ridiculous.

Well, that's it from me today. I'm sure the Virginia situation will be one of the topics on tomorrow's show, sadly.

Take care on this cloudy, cold day.

Amber

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

The province has to regain control of schools, and that should start with the Teachers Union. The union should be put on notice. Just because you have a teaching degree does not mean you can teach. Also, if you do not have a discipline in a specific field, then your are not hired. Math teachers should have a degree in math, chemistry teachers should have a degree in chemistry. If the province needs 30 teachers, and 10 are for math, then those without degrees should not apply. Also, it's time the province went through the teachers now employed. If you do not have a degree for the discipine you are teaching, you go back to school at your expense and obtain the degree or find somewhere else to work. It may take a few years to correct the problem, but it will be worth it over the long haul. GMH

Mr.k said...

Let me try this again.

A Physical Education teacher as Premier

A man of the cloth as Min of Environment

An airline employee as Min of Tourism

A blueberry grower as Min of Transportation

A lawyer as Min of Finance

A teacher as Min. of Service & Municpal Relations

An insurance agent as Min of Nat Resources

A real estate agent as Min of Health Promotions & Protection

A construction worker as Min of Economic Development

An Applied Arts grad as Min of Health

Another teacher as Min. of Community Affairs

A bank teller as Min. of Energy

A machine operator as Min. of Fisheries

And finaly, another teacher, which makes sense as Min of Education

So anonymous shouldn't be so critical of teachers being un-qualified. After all, there must have been some un-qualified teacher who taught him how to read and type.

He should be more concerned about un-qualified politicans running this province into the ground.

Richard

Anonymous said...

Rebuttal to Richard's comments,

Yes, Richard, I am concerned about un-qualified politicians running this province, however, if you had taken the time to read the original blog from Amber, to which I commented, you would have known that the topic I was commenting on was "Gary Carson and the teaching that goes on in the classrooms of Nova Scotia today. Yes, you are correct, many ministers in this province are in over their heads, however, that was not the topic.
GMH