Meet Brian

canucklehead,
Just show off that beautiful body and she won't be insubordinate anymore.

Lisa,
Budgeting and 'No Child Left Behind' are huge political considerations in the Denver Metro Schools. I can't say for sure that these apply the same way in every school district.
Last year when I taught I had about thirty kids with no para-professional support (like secretarial support) for most of the year. This was due to budget considerations.
Standardized testing upon which schools are graded has become paramount. However it's just one little snapshot. Sadly, some intelligent kids just don't test well for various reasons.
What's most ironic about testing in Denver is that the results don't come back till the next fall - and this makes it impossible to help your class body based on the results.
Schools are graded with the tests and purse strings can be tied. Worst case scenario for staff is that they are removed.
What supporters of these measures don't understand at all is that there's a teacher shortage. So, the policies don't remove bad teachers and staff - they simply enable staff to play musical chairs.
The worst thing I encountered, and it was at more than one school, was administrators pitting themselves against teachers rather than supporting them. I think mostly it has to do with insecurity and time constraints.
I could probably go on and on about education... I became very sad about people being pitted against on another and that was what burned me. I think moving on is helping me to forgive.
Kids are incredible and deserve so much more than our society gives them in urban areas (I can't speak for everywhere). As a teacher, once one has there class management down - then they can focus on instruction. But, class management is huge and dynamics change every year.

Donny,
Why don't you tell me what you disagree with point by point and give detailed justifications for your stances? I think most people would tell you your current approach only allows you to preach to the choir and not the unconverted.
I'll break down some of my beliefs and you can respond point-by-point.

(*I'm really interested in knowing what the entire Kuo-Community thinks of the following points, even canucklehead in his speedos!*)

1. The primary mission of Jesus was love in this mixed up world expressed via forgiveness. Jesus didn't follow the written law tit for tat and was persecuted by religious authorities as a result (e.g., performing miracles on the Sabbath).
2 Cor. 3:6 states "The Spirit gives life, but the law kills." Interestingly enough the apostle Paul didn't advocate physical circumcision nor a strictly kosher diet, both of which were in accordance with the written law.

2. My favorite books like the Bible - Science of Mind and A Course In Miracles - are uncompromising in that GOD IS THE ONLY REALITY THERE IS. Illusions decay and change.
As the book of 1 John states, "God is love and those that abide in love abide in God." Love is the only thing that motivates correct action. As the apostle Paul states, "We love because we are first loved." Spirit is unconditional love given and received regardless of background, opinion, race, etc. Any requisite to give or receive love cancels it's unconditional aspect.

3. Jesus implored us in Mathew 22 to love, and said that love fulfills all requirements of the Law. We've had the written law, which preceded Christ, for thousands of years now and it's never solved anything. 2 Cor. 3:6 states "The Spirit gives life, but the law kills."

4. All the Jews I've ever met (it's not a wide sample) believe the Old Testament is full of midrash (i.e., allegory/metaphor). Being that the Jews are the forefathers of our Monotheistic faith, it's very worthwhile to consider what they think.

5. I believe the Bible was inspired. I also believe the official Biblical New Testament cannon was politically motivated by the Romans.
As I don't fully accept the Holy Roman Church today, it seems like a leap of faith to believe Constantine wasn't just trying to unify the Empire via creeds and an official Biblical cannon that is lacking (much like George W. Bush used people like Dobson, Robertson, Bob Jones III to get himself elected).
Unfortunately we can see how nasty politics is in our own time and what a corrupting influence it is on the Body of Christ.

6. I firmly believe the Gospel of Thomas should have been included in the Biblical Cannon.

7. I've heard people say the Bible's been changed significantly. I disagree because the Gospel narratives have several contradictory points the Church fathers left in (See modern authors like John Shelby Spong, A.N. Wilson, Karen Armstrong, Paul Tillich, etc.).
The vast majority of Biblical scholars do not think that any of the Gospels were eye-witness accounts, but were handed down orally and were colored by the needs and perceptions of different people.
Church fathers deserve credit for keeping the integrity of the documents.

I go back to points 1 and 2: Even the Beatles knew that all you need is LOVE.