Category Archives: Commentary

Out on a called strike

Update: the Detroit teacher strike continues, and the district has elected to cancel school until the dispute is resolved.  Obviously, nobody is particularly happy about it.  Here’s my current thought: there is no possible way this situation can be justified as being for the good of the students.  None.  It has been a while since I have seen anyone trot out that line (like “this isn’t about money; this is about educating the children”); if anyone tries to say this strike is about the children, that person should be laughed out of town.  This strike lost all student-related justification the moment students became unable to go to school.

It is worth noting that there are other area districts that have not yet settled on a contract, but they have reported to work.  Those teachers have shown that they value students over contracts; Detroit teachers have demonstrated the opposite.

This and that

1)Lucky Strike Makes Fine Tobacco
Today is the first day of school in Detroit; the teachers are still on strike. The schools are being staffed by a minimal crew of adminstrators and volunteer parents. Yes indeed, it’s all about educating the kids … for the people who are in the classroom right now.

2)The University of Michigan announces change of school colors; the new scheme will be pink and white
No, that’s not a real announcement. But at Saturday’s game vs. Vanderbilt, I saw a woman wearing a pink and white Michigan shirt. What is the problem with wearing actual school colors? If you’re going to go to a Michigan game wearing a Michigan shirt, make it blue and yellow. Otherwise, just wear a blank pink shirt.

Related question: do any women’s professional sports teams have pink as a color? I’m curious.

Also eye-catching on Saturday at the stadium was the man wearing an original Buffalo Sabres jersey. Throwback out-of-town hockey jerseys are an uncommon sight at a Michigan football game.

3)The stress makes the day more memorable, right?
Weddings are exhausting, and they can be so even for those who are not deeply involved in them.

And that, as they say, is that.