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Show Page AI2 THb DAILY HLRALD. HarkTheHerald com), Proo, Utah, Monday, May 7, O0l The Secret School Hey, parents: Time to cover up this problem A few weeks ago, a couple of teachers suggested that some of the girls at their school "dressed like hookers." Must have been a slow news day since the article drew a circus of media attention. It made the 5 and 10 o'clock By AVI THE STORY SO FAR: The Children have been running their school with Ida as teacher. Now Mr. Jordan of the School Board has found out the secret and closed the school. NOTES FROM THE CLASSROOM news. It made the papers. The school administrator, in front of TV cameras, apologized for the letter verbally slapping the hands of the teachers who made the disparaging statement. Hum. All I have to say is the truth is its own defense. Some students these days do dress like streetwalkers ... it's the fashion, after all. Maybe this principal was overdue for his appointment at Pearl Optical. Maybe he was walking a tightrope with the patrons so he could move into that cushy desk job at the district office. I really don't blame him. I probably would have waffled too, if all those cameras were blaring at me. I certainly don't blame the teachers in question. While their letter was probably they told the truth. I really don't blame those kids dressed like streetwalkers. (For me, this is positive proof that Britney Spears, who also dresses like an expensive streetwalker, really does affect the morals of our poor, impressionable youth.) I blame the mothers and the fathers who let these kids out the front door! How can parents let their daughters leave the house looking like they're ready for a shift on 2nd South? When Madison Avenue marketing trends mate with trampy music fashions, we've got a problem. Parents need to take charge at home. one-roo- CHAPTER FOURTEEN No School Rutter Mike or will, mix. I'm opposed to dress codes and school uniforms, but I'm not opposed to good taste. Why would one want to look like a hooker anyway? Or more importantly, why would you let your child dress this way in public? Clothing, or the lack of it, should not get in the way of the educational process. So much for cleavage. Moms and Dads, if your daughter's dress, skirt, or shorts aren't below her finger tips when she stands, it's inappropriate attire as far as I'm concerned. And while I'm on a triad, belly buttons and bellies need to be covered in school. I don't want to pick on girls only. Mom and Dad, look at your son's pants. Do they have a lot of holes in them? I mean holes near the front or back that are inappropriate? If I had a dollar for every e pair of pants that's to dropped the floor, leaving a questionable state of boxers, or a bare butt, I could buy a lot of ultra-loos- pizza. Some mental images you never want to relive. ' Michael Rutter is a Christa McAuliffe Fellow who has Yes, mom, these girls have cleavage. Keep it covered. Low cut tank tops aren't appropriate for public education. Cleavage and thesis sentences never have, authored numerous articles, and textbooks. He teaches English at Provo High School and at BYU. There was no choice. Ida and Felix stayed home. Felix was more than happy to tag along after his father. Ida, however, was miserable, convinced she had failed everyone. Restless, she offered to take care of the baby. Her mother was only too happy to hand Shelby over. Ida took him up to her loft room and tried to entertain him with one of her books. "I could teach you your ABC's," Ida offered the little boy who, studied her with uncomprehending eyes. Reaching forward, he grabbed hold of a page from Ida's book. She just managed to keep him from tearing it. "All right," she said with a sigh. "Let go take a walk." She took the little boy's hand and they made their way from the log Shelby waddling house to their stream. Still hoping to do some reading, Ida brought along her book. At the water's edge, Shelby squatted and placed his hands, ' palm down, into the water and laughed. Ida sat behind him for safety's sake, watching. "Shelby," Ida said, "what if they don't let the school go on?" Shelby slapped the water with his hand, making a splash that wet him. First startled, he laughed and did it again. "Slapping the water won't help me," Ida said with a sigh. She leaned back against a tree and opened her book. Constantly glancing up to make sure the boy was safe, she read by bits and pieces. on learning." Ida felt her anger melt. I know you didn't mean it," she said softly. "How'd you know I was down here?" she asked. "My ma tell you?" "Naw. She don't know I'm here. I just watched till you showed. Followed you here. Don't mind do you?" "No," she said. "And you can sit. You've walked a long way." "Don't mind if I do." Shelby splashed and laughed. "Wish I were like that," Herbert said. No one was there. She turned back to her book. Herbert was I. Illustrated by Brian Floca After a while she felt a poke her left shoulder. She turned. standing in front of her, grinning. "Fooled you!" he cried. "How'd you get here?" she ' asked, knowing he lived down on the other side of school, seven miles away from her farm. "Walked," he said. "You Ida or Miss Bidson now?" he asked. "Guess I'm nothing but Ida," she replied. "What are you doing 6 here?" said. he "Just "Nothing," thought I'd come by and say howdy." "Herbert Bixler," she replied, "don't tell me you walked all the way up here just to say hello." Herbert grinned again. "Maybe I did. Maybe I didn't. That your baby brother?" he "Why?" "I suppose he don't know much of anything. Knowing things can worry you deep." Ida studied him. "Like what kind of things?" "Well," Herbert drawled, "suppose a fellow knew there was going to be a School Board meeting? And suppose that meeting was to make sure school stayed shut? And suppose that meeting was going to be held, not exactly secret, but quiet like so people wouldn't know except for folks like my dad who don't like schools? And suppose, even, my dad bragged how there wouldn't be any school for me to go to anymore, cause; see, no one who liked schooling would show up at the meeting?" Ida's heart started hammering. "Herbert, when's a body to suppose that meeting would take "That's Shelby all right." "See you got a book. Trying to teach him now?" "Can't use the school, can I?" Ida suddenly felt cross. "Which probably makes you happy." "Why me?" don't like school." Herbert looked at his feet. "Hey," he said, "no kid is gonna say they like school," he said. "Cause if they do, other kids will rag on him." "But you don't like it," Ida said "You accusingly. Herbert still didn't look up. "Come on, Ida. There's lots of work on my dad's spread," he said. "Just him and me, you know." "I know," Ida said more softly. Herbert was quiet for a moment. Then he said, "See, my Dlace?" "I guess he'd suppose it'i tomorrow evening, seven s At the school house. That's what." "Herbert Bixler, is that what you suppose?" dad, he never had much learning. Sometimes, I think he gets fretted up about me knowing more than he does. Worries I'll get uppity. Figures if I knew too much I might take off. Lonely cuss, he is." "That why he told Mr. Jordan about our school?" Herbert looked up. There was no grin on his face now. "Guess he did. Sorry I told him. Didn't mean no harm. Dad was telling me how stupid I was, and I just let him know about all my "I do, Miss Bidson," Herbert returned with a grin. "I surely do." " Next Week: The School Board Meets 2000 by Avi 2000 Text copyright Illustrations copyright by Brian Floca Reprinted by permission of Breakfast Serials The Daily Herald Newspaper in Education A special to our thank-yo- u A subscribers who have made a recent vacation donation. 2i bci child s textbook to the world The Daily Herald supplies over 70 local schools with the most current textbook possible. To learn how you can be a partner in Education, call 375-- 5 103. www.heraldextra-nie.co- 0) A MM SIM M-f- l 3 m ic r ii n s m . A ft (t nfflnri m iu i- - a Vi M p. B ' o O ' ' a JO O t Dromaeosaur was a swift and agile hunter that probably hunted in packs. A toe on each hind foot was equipped with a large sickle- like claw used as a weapon to tear the flesh of its prey. It is in the same family as Velociraptor. "" r Museum s AMnPMTl.PP- - Jj Jf ft j) j' Iv :, S, t f uraer-iounscn- i Suborder-Theropod- o - ML , f I m J a Family- - Dromaeosauridae Size- - 6 feet long ii M - - 3 I i a.A i ; a Is O o i S f JUfU Artwork, Kelly Pugh, CCopyrlght WPl 2000 3 2 |