this post was submitted on 01 Mar 2025
542 points (99.3% liked)

Not The Onion

13784 readers
1425 users here now

Welcome

We're not The Onion! Not affiliated with them in any way! Not operated by them in any way! All the news here is real!

The Rules

Posts must be:

  1. Links to news stories from...
  2. ...credible sources, with...
  3. ...their original headlines, that...
  4. ...would make people who see the headline think, “That has got to be a story from The Onion, America’s Finest News Source.”

Comments must abide by the server rules for Lemmy.world and generally abstain from trollish, bigoted, or otherwise disruptive behavior that makes this community less fun for everyone.

And that’s basically it!

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

A former student, Aleysha Ortiz, is suing the city of Hartford and the local board of education. Ortiz alleges she graduated without learning how to read or write. She claims it was due to negligence and lack of proper support for her developmental disabilities.

The lawsuit claims Ortiz was denied necessary testing for dyslexia. It also claims she was removed from special education curriculum and only tested for developmental disabilities on her last day of school, revealing significant unmet educational needs.

top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] [email protected] 58 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (3 children)

People dismissing this really don't understand how terrible the attitudes by administrators are towards special education and disability education. It's entirety believable that the district would dismiss her needs in order to up their graduating numbers.

(Special education teachers are great, this is not aimed at them)

I'm also not familiar with "Straight Arrow News", though, that's the only thing that gives me pause

[–] ryathal 6 points 1 day ago

This should only be surprising to people who don't know the stats. It's almost 20% of graduates are functionally illiterate. There's almost no schools where the bottom 5% of students are are close to competent in any subject.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

You can read this one from CNN. I posted the SAN article only because of the headline.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 days ago

Thanks! I wasn't trying to be negative, I just hadn't heard of it before!

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 days ago

im not surprised, they do this to NORMAL struggling students too,. witness my school passing people with ds or Fs, just to keep the funding going. what did you expect trying to force students to go to school at 7:30am(must wake an hr earlier to prepare) and this is a blue area too. if they do this to normal students, its not surprising SPED also suffers. also the fact they keep sped an extra 2+years in hs system, which probably costs them even more.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 2 days ago
[–] [email protected] 91 points 3 days ago (3 children)

Standard republican play book: Break shit and when called out wonder why it's broken.

The school to prison pipeline is malfunctioning because Ortiz was smart enough to sue.

[–] [email protected] 42 points 3 days ago (7 children)

"Republican play book" dude it's Connecticut. And none the less Hartford. That city hasn't had a Republican mayor since 1971.

The issue is that educational funding is predominantly on the municipal level, rather than the state level.

The only mention in the article about Republicans is the CT Republicans being outraged about how the schools have failed this child. Which is entirely justifiable.

But rather than look at the underlying system issues lets resort to flinging mud at people who had zero impact in the current situation.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I'm entirely convinced that Republicans are just using this as a wedge issue anyway; they don't care about Aleysha one bit.

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (6 replies)
[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 days ago

Dude you know Hartford, CT is about as DNC as it gets right?

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] [email protected] 65 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (3 children)

I hope she wins.

I was pigeonholed holed into the remedial track and stonewalled whenever I tried to get out of it. They graduated me without the basic state requirements.

I recently called them just asking for a piece of paper saying that I did not fulfill the requirements and did not properly graduate. They refused me and insisted that I was fine. I did get them to admit that I tested Advance Proficient for science even though I was placed in remedial science.

I just want this piece of (legal)paper so I have one less brainworm while I fix my education for real.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 days ago

I don't doubt she will. CT's Constitution's Article 18 provides for a free public education. She seems to have been denied that here.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 days ago (1 children)

You're better off. Just getting a GED

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I have one. It's exactly the same as a HS diploma. Just a path to community college.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Honestly, I wish I'd just dropped at 16 and gotten my associates. I could've gotten into a city where there are jobs and education opportunities by the time I was 20 and have been positioned a lot better.

I wouldn't actually recommend anyone reading this to drop out, but hindsight is 20/20 and I think it would've worked for me.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 days ago (1 children)

If it's just about employability, sure. You can also just get your GED without dropping out of high school. You can probably just start CC as a summer student with the GED without dropping out of HS. There's no national database of student transcripts and colleges don't have the resources to call every HS to see if you may have been a student. A lot of this shit runs off of assumptions and the honor system.

My issue is that this has nothing to do with employability for me.

At one point, I was so desperate to get out of the remedial track, I told the guidance counselors I would drop out and enroll the next year if the classes were "filled up". They thought I was bluffing and stuck me back in the shit classes. They gave me the shit classes, so I dropped out and before I went back, I got a GED and tried CC. It was terrible. The exact same "Cs get degrees" mentality that made remedial classes so depressing. I went back to HS and got one year of the more advanced classes and got exactly the same grades. Turns out that when you're not getting bullied by kids with probationary officers, you can handle the more advanced material just fine.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

POur cc had UC level courses so students are extra screwed for stem and paper writing at least 10% are guaranteed to not pass the class every semester doesn't mention how many are getting D and Cs. Math not so much, but people are graduating hs being ill prepared for algebra even. In a blue area, people are graduating with barely a arithmetic skill level of math, let alone algebra is too advanced for these people . I know people had made fun of people with algebra in college, but it's becoming a growing problem, also goes same for writing

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 days ago

And if you try to backup, the CCs block you. I got sick of dealing with my local CC, so I tried applying to one a bit further away. The made me take a placement test and refused to let me take a class because I apparently tested out of it. I do not respect placement tests.

I recently tried the local CC again after being assured that I could retake any class at the 4-year that I took at the CC. This time, they required that I declare a major as a freshmen. I did my own research and know which classes I would need for various majors. I was going to select ones that were requirements for a broad selection of majors so I wouldn't feel like I was putting myself on a rail so early, but they weren't going to let me do anything without declaring something. It's such a stupid requirement when you can just switch later anyway, but it feels like it's designed to cause a sunk-cost fallacy. There's at least one much better school that refuses to let their incoming students declare a major until after their first semester because they want their students to try various things before deciding on a path.

They need to stop trying to be my life coach and just sell me the classes I want to buy.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] [email protected] 31 points 3 days ago (2 children)

Well, the picture is showing German words, I suppose many US students would find it hard to read those correctly... Did they not have enough time to actually look at the stock photo they chose?

[–] [email protected] 12 points 2 days ago (1 children)

She was the one who chose the stock photo

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 days ago

Case closed.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

yes, because she was unable to read and write in German

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 day ago

Being unable to read and write after finishing highschool is what should be known as skill issue

[–] [email protected] 23 points 3 days ago (6 children)

I hate to go 'Boy, I don't buy it' but, uh, I kinda don't?

This is one of those things that COULD happen, as long as every teacher, every administrator and the state itself were all intentionally trying to make it happen.

CT has standardized tests that are required to be taken to progress through school, so how can someone who can't read or write pass those?

And EVERY teacher she had from first grade on just accepted the fact she clearly was unable to read or write, and thus was almost certainly not doing any work, and just decided that's a-ok and we'll just pass her along anyways without doing anything?

Somehow feels like there's a lot more to this story than just her side as presented by that article.

[–] [email protected] 44 points 3 days ago (3 children)

As a teacher, admin will not listen.

“Hey this kid cannot read. Hey this kid smells like shit and has been wearing the same outfit for the past two weeks. Hey this kid is telling her classmates which gas stations will sell vape carts to minors.”

load more comments (3 replies)
[–] jubilationtcornpone 37 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Me: "My kid has a learning disability. Can you give her some reasonable accommodations?"

My Kids School: "But does she really though?"

Me: "Uh, yeah. She has a diagnosis. From a psychiatrist. Also, you have noticed her grades are abysmal, right?"

School: "They're not that bad. She's actually doing pretty well."

Me: "She has mostly D's and F's. Is that seriously what you consider 'pretty well'?"

School: "..."

I'm doing some major paraphrasing but this is the gist of actual conversations with my daughters school administration. I'm not saying I believe it's very likely that someone could graduate without being able to read and write. I'm just saying that in some school districts, there's a greater than zero percent chance of that happening.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] [email protected] 16 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

I graduated many years ago now, but I did graduate with someone who could not read or write. He was a sport prodigy, so they lied to keep him playing. It definitely happens.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 3 days ago (5 children)

(without looking into it to verify) isn't this likely because of "no child left behind"?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

No, more complicated.

We stopped teaching phonics (which is something that we had already tried in the 70s, to similar disastrous results). The “whole language” approach just does not work for the vast majority of children.

Digital devices and the instant gratification machine/shot attention spans also make it so less children are reading for pleasure, so that way that some failed children would at least “make it” through interest and passion is less common too.

The NCLB/ESSA aspects are pulling time from social studies and science, which hamper the ability to think critically about what is read. The focus on state testing also means that literature instruction rarely involves reading entire books, but instead excerpts and passages in high school English classes, which more explicitly mirror what is assessed on the ACT, etc.

load more comments (4 replies)
[–] [email protected] 10 points 3 days ago

CT has standardized tests that are required to be taken to progress through school

I don't know about CT, but I deliberately failed one of my state required tests in NJ and they passed me anyway. It's all theater.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I absolutely buy it. I know someone whose job it is to teach kids in grade 6-8 how to read. Some can't read three letter words. This is in a blue state. This teacher I know frequently talks about most of her colleagues being grossly negligent in a variety of ways.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

i can confirm, in my hs in a very blue cali area, tons of people were struggling the courses, and they just passed them for the most part. once they get into Community college, you can see a ton of them struggling in the most basic courses( of course students are from all over the us) but more or less they come from the same HS system(pass all D- high F grade earners). the professors themselves also notice this trend, at the time i was in CC, they said people were only getting a 9th grade math education, and a 10th grade reading writing essay education), it has gotten worst since then.

our CC also had university level stem courses, and you can imagine most dont do well in the class(C isnt really considered a good thing), in terms if you want to transfer to a UNIVERSITY(NOT A non-low level tiered one)

[–] [email protected] 20 points 3 days ago (3 children)

US in last fucking place in 1st world in Education, life expectancy but the number one in war. This teen needs to join the army, lose a leg and become a hero if he wants to be somebody. Thank you for your service sucker.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 3 days ago (3 children)

Except she's a woman, so very likely to be sexually assaulted in the military (and that's if she even gets in, DEI and all that), and vets get shafted as well. Her losing a leg to an IED will be ruled "not service related," and she will be denied any funds related to care or issues resulting from said injury after she leaves the military.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 days ago (2 children)

I hate that this holds any truth. It is really sad to see all of the mismanagement in the military

load more comments (2 replies)
load more comments (2 replies)
[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

they wont be able to join if they cant even pass the asvab for the military, i heard alot of graduates struggling with that. what helped recruitment in the last 1-2 years was military propaganda(like top gun maverick). Having untreated dyslexia makes you ineligible for the military nanyways

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] [email protected] 13 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

its underfunded for sure, even in blue areas, or its being mismanged. even in my blue area the hs just passes people with a failing or D grade in thier classes to graduate hs. not enough funding goes into struggling students that is not in the SP.ED group, often times these students get dumped into "remedial classes that are not part of the normal curriculum of a HS", just filler classes. the problem is they are willing to sacrifice students education just to maintain funding,(hence the participation grades) which sets up students for failure, and is a disservice that they cant even pass community college courses, even more disadvantaged when it comes to community colleges that has to have "certified courses with universities(typified by the increased difficulty of the course when compared to other nearby schools). when i was hs in 2000s, there were only a handful of really successful students, how did we know the administration thought it was a good idea to rub in the faces of the rest of the student body, they framed the meeting in a way that "look at these bright people, and look at you in the audience", everyone just sighed out of annoyance.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 days ago

While there are many problems with standardized testing, I think this is where people say we need standardized testing.

If a school is pulling that shit, there needs to be a way to catch it and do something about it

[–] [email protected] 20 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (2 children)

Holding kids back & provide extra support costs the school money. A large percentage of schools either don't have the money or their bloated bureaucracies are siphoning off the money. Where I live the average pay for teaching is like $22/hr. but people in admin easily make upwards of $100/hr. Additionally, the admin staff is many times larger than the staff at multiple schools.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 days ago

Why would you want to support some one who is considered retarded? When my Grandpa went to college his parents were upset because he was the dumb one.

As it turns out he was way more successful than any of his siblings. He just was dyslexic and probably Autistic.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Yea district admins earn 100k/year on average, it all goes to them. i had a co-worker in a retail job, said the blue district here only offered 25k-35k/year as a starting package but you must commit to a 5-7 year locked in contract, additionally you will have to teach in the most sketchy neighborhoods too. she refused, and this was before the pandemic. last i heard she doing better in TECH. theres even more fuckery with being a private school teacher.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 3 days ago
load more comments
view more: next ›