It seems to me the cartoonist is making Obama look like a monkey, which is a horrible racial slur.

Can anyone tell me what this represents?

This is the first Pitts column I have ever disagreed with. Furthermore, I think the vast majority of black people would, too.

Ah, the irony. Universities don't pay a penny to their retired human employees, but chimps...?

Case thrown out because the judge didn't think he had a precedent for changing a grade.

http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/bethlehem/index.ssf/2013/02/northampton_...

[quote][b]Jaki[/b] - @scooper47: I only disagree if the purpose of her attending class was to disrupt it on a regular basis. I have been in class with people like that, they get off on trying to challenge the instructor on every point or create an atmosphere of conflict. Simply for kicks.......................who knows, maybe the judge will figure it out and let us know.
[/quote]

How could a teacher possibly determine a student's reason for going to class? If the student's participation is not on point, the teacher could give a low grade for participation, but a zero sounds punitive to me, and the teacher's comments (among the dumbest I have seen and fodder for a separate lawsuit) bear that out. I repeat: you cannot legally punish a student's classroom behavior with a low grade. You report it to the appropriate department and they hold a hearing to correct the behavior or remove the student from the class. It's called "due process."

All in all, I think the most important thing to say about this article is that there isn't enough information for anyone to draw conclusions.

[quote][b]capecod[/b] -
I earned my Bachelor of Science degree in the 1970's. Retaking a course, getting a better grade, and the original course and grade not appearing on a student's transcript was unheard of back in those days. It should be unheard of now, because this manner of handling grades does away with the integrity of the grading system. To demonstrate: Let us assume that you take a high level math course and make an A the first time you take it. I take the same course three times. I make a D the first time, a B the second time, and an A the third time. The first two grades do not show up on my transcript. Then you and I apply for the same job. Math aptitude is a needed skill in that job. I am one of these people who has the "gift of gab." Because I can talk my way through and out of anything, I get the job. If the employer could see my real transcript, you would have been hired.
This method of grading may be one reason that the US ranking, compared to the ranking of other countries, has fallen since the 1970's.
[/quote]

I wasn't defending the practice; just saying it exists. For the sake of brevity, I did not mention that all grades figure into the student's GPA at UGA, so your example wouldn't be quite as bad as stated. Plus, I doubt most people hiring have the time or make the effort to go beyond the GPA.

[quote][b]Tripollo[/b] - @scooper47: What part of the "due process of the Constitution" did the instructor deprive the student of? The instructor testified that she was given a zero in class participation because... "She said Thode had outbursts in class, did not participate appropriately, was emotionally unstable and failed to heed a warning letter." Sounds to me that the instructor had clear reasons why the spoiled brat kid (my assessment) earned the zero.
[/quote]

Gave her a zero for class participation because she was "emotionally unstable." And you don't see a problem? You have got to be kidding me.

[quote][b]Tripollo[/b] - @scooper47: Thanks for providing the classic example why the world of academia is not rooted in any reality.
[/quote]

Well, if the US Constitution is not reality, then yes.

As a long-time college teacher, I have to say that all you commenters are selling this story short. There is a lot missing here. First of all, what kind of therapy was the topic of the course? That is crucial in determining how logical it is to have a substantial (25 points out of 100?) part of the grade be based on class participation. (Although that is the teacher's choice as long as it is spelled out at the beginning.) Second, it is likely that the college has a way of appealing a grade. If it does, and she didn't pursue it, her suit will be thrown out. Third, it appears the zero grade was used as punishment for bad behavior in class. This is clearly illegal. A grade has to reflect knowledge and skill. If the student was disruptive, then the teacher should have worked with the administration (some sort of judicial program as at UGA) to stop it. Using the grade to punish behavior is a denial of due process (fifth amendment to the Constitution) as any competent college administrator could tell you.

Fourth, what about retaking the course? AT UGA, if you do that and get a better grade, the original one doesn't show up on your transcript. Of course, if that teacher is the only one teaching it, that could be a problem. At most she would be entitled to compensation of a few thousand dollars. It would be nice to know how many of the 25 points she would need to pull her up to a B-. And I agree with the father; a zero for a student who attended all the classes is unheard of and demonstrates malice on the teacher's part.

It might be funnier if I could tell who the four people are.

Lake seems to be named pretty appropriately.

Automatic weapons have been banned for years. Obviously, all rights have limits. Religion: no handling snakes, no denying children medical care (most states), no marijuana use. All have been practiced. Speech: no yelling "Fire!" in a crowded theater, no disruptions, no slander or libel, etc. All rights have limits.

Conservatives have always used the classic "straw man" fallacy in their argumentation. Create something (person, position, activity) that doesn't exist, then argue against that instead of what is actually on the table since it is much easier.

@harrumph: Spoken like a true Christian!

As once practicing linguist, I would like to weigh in on the "appreciate" discussion. As pointed out, the lawyer used the word in a semantically correct way. In other words, it does mean what he intended it to mean. However, lawyers' primary concern when speaking publicly should be the effect their words have on potential jury members. Given the cross section of Athens society that will be called to serve on that jury, we have to assume that many of them will not grasp the intended meaning, which is somewhat intellectual, and think she enjoyed it. The lawyer should have known this.

Forest Gump? I'd be a lot more worried about Michael Sullivan in "The Road to Perdition."

I think it's sad that the Associated Press thinks it's necessary to explain that Reconstruction occurred "at the end of the Civil War." Is that to distinguish it from all the other Reconstructions-with-a-capital-R that have taken place in the South? If you have given up on education, at least have the word be a link to the Wikipedia page.

Is there something missing from this story? Did he end up marrying Nancy Pollack? If not, what is she doing in this story?

@Simple Man: Amen.

@skull: As anyone who reads and writes English correctly would.

I know you're entitled to a jury of your peers, but this guy wants a lawyer of his peers.

[quote][b]cyou299[/b] - @OldStevens: I think that's what the reporters were trying to do...get some real information from Romney instead of the 24/7 Obama attacks.
We know what Mitt is against...we don't know specifics about what he is for. At what point will he take an actual stand on something? [/quote]

AND stick with that opinion for more than 24 hours.

It appears that the law is designed to protect the young from being forced into this type of psychological abuse. It plainly states that adults can choose it if they wish.

"The fish, which have been a part of the city’s history since it was built in 1949 with the City Council meeting for decades in a bait shack, will be shocked and removed."

I defy anyone to explain the syntax of this sentence. Doesn't the ABH employ ANY editors?