Julie Amero

Awhile back, I posted an article about Julie Amero, a Norwich, CT substitute school teacher who was convicted of “endangering students by exposing them to pornographic material displayed on a classroom computer.” Feel free to read the article for more details.

According to Elizabeth Wood’s excellent blog Sex in the Public Square, Ms. Amero will get a new trial because an examination of a computer hard drive apparently contradicted evidence in court.

This is very good news, as the teacher faced up to 40 years in prison for something she did not do. Click here for an additional post.

Roots and Wings

No, I haven’t posted an article in over a week. Yawn, you’re thinking, figuring this is just another one of those lame posts about “why I haven’t written” and all that. It is. And here is the excuse.

Yesterday, my oldest child, graduated Valedictorian from Anderson High School right here in the eastern suburbs of Cincinnati. Big deal, right?

Not so. The kid has worked hard through all twelve years of his schooling. Taken a lot of grief for being an intellectual and scholarly, while not participating in any varsity sports. Take that back. He received a varsity letter for participating on the Academic Team, competing against other schools in the scholarly arena. It’s great that the school supports and values such competition, contrasted to all the emphasis placed upon other sports such as football, basketball, soccer, and so forth.

Now that I’ve digressed, let me get back on topic. It is a big deal that Joshua graduated! This father is very proud of what my son has accomplished. In addition to making it through school in one piece, to get the kind of grades he got takes a lot of tenacity and hard work, no matter how bright you are.

Josh should get the accolades. But then so should all the fine teachers, karate instructors, piano teachers, coaches, Sunday School teachers and all the people who touched him and others like him along the way. We invited his 6th grade teacher over to our open house last night, a person who really did make a difference with Josh. He was very vocal in his praise of my son, in turn, I commended him on his part in getting Josh to this point.

Truly, it was a day for Josh to shine. It was also a day to for my wife and I to take a quiet bow in the background for a job well done as parents. Along with a lot of other people helping, we gave him “roots and wings”.

And now he can soar.

And I can only watch in awe.

A Father’s Pride

Last night at the Senior Awards Night at Anderson High School, where my children attend, over 100 members of the Class of 2007 received scholarships and recognition for their academic accomplishments. As the last award of the evening, my son, Josh, received the honor of Valedictorian of the Anderson High Class of 2007. This special honor is given to the student with the highest grade point average in his class.

It is very easy to take for granted the excellent grades, when I live with a boy as intellectually gifted as my son. His accomplishment only serves to recognize the hours of study, even for someone as bright as Josh, the pages of reading, the interminable term papers, and answer after answer on all those tests and quizzes given by his teachers.

One night at dinner we were discussing the possibility of him being named Valedictorian.  His comment, age appropriate, of course:  “…and three days after graduation, who will remember who the Valedictorian was anyhow?”

He will.  His family will.  I’ll never forget.

I am proud of my son, Josh! Proud of the gifts he has been given and chosen to use so well. Proud of the kind, considerate, and gentle young man he is becoming.

Next Sunday, as Josh walks across the stage at Commencement, I’m sure there will be tears in my eyes and a smile on my face as he receives his diploma. That boy will soar!

A Beautiful Morning

May in Ohio. The sun is out, the skies are blue and clear. The weather is warm and the air light with that headiness that is spring in the Midwest. Coming out of my iPod is a favorite tune from a band of my own youth; A Beautiful Morning by the Young Rascals.

A flood of pleasant memories come to me, of similar May days 39 years ago completing the final classes of my Senior year at Steubenville High School. The lightness and exuberance of youth with life in front of me, all its possibilities and potential. I was 17, finally graduating high school, with a steady girlfriend to take to the Prom, going to college, and a warm and relaxing summer in front of me.

The rest of this post is not about the regrets of a lost youth. Not at all. More like a celebration of that youthful joy and the dreams we dream.

Two weeks from this morning, on a similar bright sunny morn, my son Josh will finish the last day at his high school. He will join the Class of 2007 for a breakfast, supposedly to discuss graduation two days later, but more likely to give these teens something to do. After that final lecture of the year, the seniors will hop into cars for their traditional parade around Anderson High School. With horns honking, arms waving, and voices shouting, they will joyfully offer their final good-byes to this part of their youth. Then they will depart the school for the last time as students.

Even with tears in my eyes, all I can do is smile.

It’s a beautiful morning
I think I’ll go outside for awhile
And just smile

– A Beautiful Morning by The Young Rascals

Four Dead in Ohio

How many more?

Tin soldiers and Nixon’s coming, we’re finally on our own.
This summer I hear the drumming, four dead in Ohio.
Gotta get down to it, soldiers are cutting us down.
Should have been done long ago.
What if you knew her and found her dead on the ground?
How can you run when you know?

Gotta get down to it, soldiers are cutting us down.
Should have been done long ago.
What if you knew her and found her dead on the ground?
How can you run when you know?

Tin soldiers and Nixon’s coming, we’re finally on our own.
This summer I hear the drumming, four dead in Ohio,
Four dead in Ohio, four dead in Ohio, four dead in Ohio,
How many more?
Four dead in Ohio, four dead in Ohio, four dead in Ohio,
How many more?

– Ohio, written by Neil Young and
Performed by Crosby Stills Nash and Young

Commemorating the murders at Kent State University on May 4, 1970.

A Story Twice Told

The story has been told before, about eight years ago in Colorado. It was told again on April 16 in Virginia. Young people with a bright future struck down before their time by their very troubled peers.

Before going further, please read this passionate article, Virginia Tech, written by teacher and author Paula Reed, with the heart and eyes of a person who has seen these depths.

How many more times do we have to tell this story? When do we learn that it’s time we start taking better care of each other? When do we stop pointing fingers and begin listening?

I cry for the parents who have to bury their dreams along with their children. I can’t help shedding a tear for myself, a father having dreams for his son and daughter, one of whom will be leaving for college and his own dreams in the fall.

When do we learn that violence is never the answer? When do we learn that reaching out and loving each other can truly bring us peace?

Let me end with the verse of a song I often sang during my youth.

Where have all the flowers gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the flowers gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the flowers gone?
Girls have picked them every one
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?

– Pete Seeger, Where Have All the Flowers Gone?

 

Paying for College II

On May 27, 2007, my son Joshua will graduate from Anderson High School, very likely first in his class. Unless he really screws up AP English, not his strong suit.

Allow me, as the proud father, to brag on my son. Probably #1 in his class of 379, National Merit Scholarship Finalist, top SAT scores, perfect 800 on his Physics SAT, and simply an amazingly bright, gifted, and personable young man. In the fall he will attend either Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh or Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. Both are great schools and a good fit for Josh. He will likely soar in either academic setting.

But holy moly, Batman! Annual tuition and expenses upwards of $40,000 and rising. And were we surprised to discover that no matter what the academic credentials, no scholarship money was available. Sorry, nothing for being a National Merit Scholarship Finalist. And thanks to my wonderful clients, Watzman Associates had one of its best years ever! Good for the business, good for Uncle Sam, bad for paying for college. Seems that I don’t need any money to cover those kind of college expenses.

So, since business has been good, we’ve saved for college, not spent all our money on stuff, and have little debt, we’re going to pay, and pay serious money for college. Not to worry, give us a couple years, our family as well as Joshua will be much further in debt. Like most of the rest of those living in our “consumer society”.

Something is wrong here. We figured our son would get some type of scholarship money, but it didn’t happen. Certainly, Josh could have picked more affordable schools. But he will thrive on either of these campuses. And being a National Merit Scholarship Finalist, he’s one of about 15,000 students in these United States to achieve that status out of over a million taking the test. Were he not a top scholar, and a top athlete, it’s likely he’d get a free ride at a school of his choosing. But his gifts are intellectual, and not nearly as desirable to the college of your choice as those with athletic prowess.

It’s a tough decision. Wanting our son to spread his wings and thrive without breaking the family piggy bank or loading a 21 year-old college graduate with enough debt that he’d be paying it back for the rest of his life. Tough call, folks.

Stay tuned…

Writing About Nothing

I haven’t had a lot to say recently, at least in written topics for this blog. My focus has been elsewhere, with lots of things going on at home and at work. And between tennis a couple times a week, spending a few spare moments with my wife, and watching the endless array of college basketball games on the past weeks, I’ve not taken the time.

But let’s just make a list of items worth noting:

• A few days ago, I was pretty well “blessed out” by a client who claimed I had not added some requested features to their FileMaker solution. I haven’t heard from them since I sent them screen shots of those particular features-previously completed and working-a couple hours after their tirade. As I wrote this I was giggling, thinking about adding a hyperlink to their web site. Nah!
• Normally, I don’t run into issues like the one mentioned above, as I get along quite well with most of my clients. I pride myself in understanding that “it’s the relationship, stupid”, to paraphrase a President of the US.
• I’m doing pretty decently in the one NCAA Tournament pool I entered. I had 27 of 32 first round and 7 of 8 down to the Elite 8. As of this writing, my picks of Florida and Ohio State are in the Final Four, with Georgetown still playing UNC in the first half. Kansas is out. Sorry Bari and Martha, friends of mine who have been known to wear Jayhawk clothing to church on game days.
• Note: Georgetown took charge in OT, winning by 12. This sets up Ohio State vs. Georgetown next Saturday at 6pm.  Three of four for this boy!
• Our family is waiting for my son’s college selections to respond. We’re still waiting to hear from two of the four to make a decision. Josh is probably calmer about it than we are, any day.
• Meanwhile, Josh also retains top spot in the Anderson High School Class of 2007. If only he can maintain through AP English, not his strong suit. Once again, Josh is much more calm about his class rank than Mom or Dad. His thoughts: “In 3 or 4 days after graduation, who’s going to remember the name of the #1 student anyhow?” Good point.
• Spring has come full force to the southwestern corner of Ohio, with days of 70F and lots of sun. Needless to say, the top is down on the Miata more often than not, and shorts and a t-shirt of the uniform of the day. And I can wear them to work, since I make the dress code.

Humvee

Occasionally I drive my daughter to school in the morning. On my return, in front of me at the traffic light was this huge Humvee. There are several of those humongous vehicles out here in the suburbs of Cincinnati and they get me to wondering.

Why in the world would anyone want a gas guzzling, wallet emptying monster truck to navigate the wilds of suburban Cincinnati? I suppose it’s a tough trek down that long smoothly paved driveway to the shopping mall or latest and greatest new theme restaurant. Or maybe such a mighty vehicle is required to haul the designer dog to the veterinarian or that flat of flowers from the hardware store. Or just maybe, it’s just a tough world out there and a strong tough ride like a Humvee is just the thing.

When my father was alive, we’d be out driving somewhere and he’d spot one of these monsters. Being an Army vet, he’d just shake his head, wondering “why in the world would someone want to drive a jeep?”

A Travesty of Justice

The sad story of Julie Amero has been all over the ‘Net. If you haven’t read about the Connecticut teacher, you can read the Washington Post article or similar coverage from USA Today.

Ms. Amero was a substitute teacher in Norwich, CT back in 2004, recently convicted of “endangering students by exposing them to pornographic material displayed on a classroom computer.”

According to The Post…

On the morning of Oct 19, 2004, Amero said she reported for duty at a seventh grade classroom at Kelly Middle School in Norwich, Conn. After stepping out into the hall for a moment, Amero returned to find two students hovering over the computer at the teacher’s desk. As supported by an analysis of her computer during the court proceedings, the site the children were looking at was a seemingly innocuous hairstyling site called “new-hair-styles.com.” Amero said that shortly thereafter, she noticed a series of new Web browser windows opening up displaying pornographic images, and that no matter how quickly she closed each one out, another would pop up in its place.

“I went back to computer and found a bunch of pop-ups,” Amero said. “They wouldn’t go away. I mean, some of the sites stayed on there no matter how many times I clicked the red X, and others would just pop back up.”

Here’s a substitute teacher in a class not her own, using a computer, not her own. Apparently, she is pretty much of a technophobe, and quite out of her league on this one.

Let me add some of my own comments to this travesty.

• Consider that this was in 2004, the operating system was Windows 98, and the browser was Internet Explorer 5 (outdated and quite insecure). There was no filtering software on the school’s network, no anti-virus software that might check for invasive malware. Malware of the type that generates pop-up windows was found on that computer.
• Ms. Amero knew little about computers or what to do to stop the hundreds of pop-ups that were appearing. According to the story, she asked for help in the teacher’s lounge and received little support.
• Think back to 2004. Ever know anyone whose computer was totally inundated by pop-ups, pornographic or otherwise? Yes, there are pop-up ads for items other than porn.
• Due to technicalities, supporting defense arguments were not allowed.
• Why was this case even prosecuted? What did this poor lady do?
• For a different take on this incident, here is the story from The Norwich Bulletin. I may be biased, but I don’t buy their self-righteous viewpoint.
• This woman could be sentenced to as much as 40 years in prison on March 2.
• Can children really be “endangered” by viewing “pornographic material? Why aren’t they “endangered” by viewing violence at home or on television?

Let me leave you with this last word. If you think this is wrong, take a look at the Julie Amero Defense Fund blog. At that location, you’ll find a way to contribute to her fund as well as the addresses of the prosecuting attorney, school district officials, and other governmental muckity mucks.