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>> Katie: WELL, THE DAYS OF
CUDDLING AMERICA’S KIDS COULD BE
OVER.
INTRODUCING A BILL THAT WOULD
BAN PARTICIPATION TROPHIES FOR
CHILDREN IN SPORTING EVENTS.
IT READS "AWARDS PROVIDED SHALL
BE BASED ON IDENTIFIED
PERFORMANCE ACHIEVEMENTS."
BUT IT SEEMS DEMOCRATS WANT TO
PAMPER STUDENTS EVEN MORE.
CHECK OUT THIS CLIP ABOUT
TALKING ABOUT ABOLISHING
HOMEWORK AND F GRADES.
>> TO BE QUITE FRANK, I DID NOT
ISSUE A LOT OF HOMEWORK.
THAT WAS MY WAY OF REBELLING
AGAINST THE STRUCTURE.
I DON’T THINK I EVER GAVE THE
KID AND F.
I DON’T KNOW HOW A STUDENT SITS
IN FRONT OF YOU AND FAILS.
I KNOW SOME PROFESSORS MAY FIND
THAT SLIGHTLY TROUBLING.
>> Katie: I THINK THERE IS A
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PARTICIPATION
TROPHIES AND THE TROPHIES FOR
WINNERS.
MAYBE YOU CAN HAVE BOTH FOR
KIDS.
>> Dana: I AM FOR A LIMITED
GOVERNMENT, AND I THINK THIS IS
NONSENSE AND RIDICULOUS HERE YOU
DO NOT NEED TO LEGISLATE
ANYTHING.
THAT PARENTS MAKE THE DECISION
SPIRIT OR SCHOOLS, TEACHERS,
HOWEVER.
IF IT IS 5-YEAR-OLDS AND YOU ARE
TRYING TO GET EVERYBODY TO
PARTICIPATE, I GET IT.
BUT I THINK WHEN WE MAKE FUN OF
PARTICIPATION TROPHIES OR
ACTUALLY SAY THERE IS CONCERN
ABOUT IT IS WHEN THERE IS NO
ROOM FOR COMPETITION AND MERIT
AND WINNING THAT WAY, WHICH IS
WHAT HELPS DRIVE INNOVATION, AND
THAT’S WHERE WE GET INTO A
PROBLEM.
AS FOR THE NO HOMEWORK AND THE
Fs, ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO,
THERE WAS A REPORT OUT OF
CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS THAT
NOBODY COULD READ AT GRADE
LEVEL, AND NOBODY COULD DO MATH
AT GRADE LEVEL.
WE CALLED FOR A REPORT ABOUT THE
COMMENT, AND THEY SAID WE ARE IN
LINE WITH EVERY OTHER MAJOR
URBAN SCHOOL DISTRICT.
AS IF THAT WAS THE DEFENSE.
SO I IMAGINE THAT CHICAGO PUBLIC
SCHOOLS ARE NOT GOING TO DO MUCH
BETTER UNDER THIS NEW MAYOR WHO
IS REALLY TIGHT WITH THE
TEACHERS UNION.
>> Katie: GERALDO, BRAGGING
ABOUT THIS, HE IS NOT GIVING A
Fs, SAYS THAT THEY ARE
SUCCEEDING WHEN THEY ARE NOT
DOING THE WORK.
>> Geraldo: IN THEIR DEFENSE,
GENERALLY SPEAKING, A KID
GETTING AN F IS FROM A
DYSFUNCTIONAL HOME.
THEY ARE TRYING TO BE REMEDIAL.
I GET THE OBJECTION TO
PARTICIPATION TROPHIES, BUT YOU
WANT TO KEEP EVEN THE MARGINAL
KIDS ENGAGED AND MOTIVATED.
YOU DON’T WANT TO TELL THEM THEY
ARE GOING TO BE FAILURES IN
LIFE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT.
IT’S ALWAYS A COMPROMISE.
I DON’T KNOW THIS GUY, THE NEW
MAYOR OF CHICAGO.
I WISH HIM WELL.
HE’S GOT HIS HANDS FULL.
HE IS DEALING WITH THE REAL
SITUATION WITH CITIES, CANCER.
IT IS THESE POCKETS OF POVERTY
AND DYSFUNCTION WHERE YOU DON’T
HAVE A MOM AND DAD AT HOME.
THAT’S THE ROOT OF IT ALL.
I DON’T KNOW THAT GIVING THE KID
A PARTICIPATION TROPHY IS A BAD
THING.
>> Katie: I THINK THAT FEELING
KIDS IS ACTUALLY A GREAT THING.
ONE OF THE BEST THINGS THAT
HAPPENED TO ME.
THE TOUGHEST TEACHER I EVER HAD.
I TOOK A TEST AND DID NOT DO THE
BACK SIDE OF TEST BECAUSE I DID
NOT TURN IT OVER.
HE FAILED ME.
SO THAT TAUGHT ME A BIG -- JUST
ON THAT TEST.
I MADE IT UP.
BUT THE POINT IS, THROUGHOUT THE
NEXT TEST, I FLIPPED THE PAGE
OVER, AND HE HELPED ME SUCCEED,
GREG, BY TEACHING ME A LESSON
WITH MY FAILURE.
>> Greg: A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE
TO SAY THEY SHOULD BRING BACK
CORPORAL PUNISHMENT.
I SAY CAPITAL PUNISHMENT FOR
KIDS.
>> Jesse: GOOD IDEA.
>> Greg: DON’T GET RID OF THE
PARTICIPATION TROPHIES, BECAUSE
THEN WHAT DO YOU GIVE TO KIDS
LIKE ME?
BACK THEN, IT WAS CALLED MOST
SPIRITED. IF YOU DID NOT LAND A BASKET, I
IF YOU DID NOT LAND A BASKET, I
GOT MOST SPIRITED.
BUT YOU KNOW, THIS IS KIND OF
LIKE A MILD REVERSAL OF
DRAG QUEEN STORY HOUR.
IT IS A PERFORMATIVE THING.
IT IS LIKE AT SCHOOL YOU COULD
NOT FIND ANYTHING ELSE OTHER
THAN DRAG QUEEN STORY HOUR?
IT IS A STATEMENT THAT THEY ARE
MAKING, SAYING I THINK IT IS A
LOUSY STATEMENT.
IT’S A WASTE OF TIME.
IT IS OBVIOUS THAT YOU ARE KIND
OF -- IT IS A THUMB IN THE EYE.
THEY ONLY SEE THESE GOALS, AND
THEY DON’T KNOW HOW TO GET
THERE.
I DON’T WANT MY STUDENTS TO GET
Fs.
THAT IS A GOOD GOAL, SO HIS
SYSTEM AS I AM NOT GIVING THEM.
YOU ACTUALLY BECOME A REALLY
GOOD TEACHER, AND YOU TRY TO
HELP THEM.
YOU DON’T JUST SAY I AM NOT
GOING TO GIVE OUT Fs.
THAT IS IDIOTIC.
THAT’S THE PROBLEM.
THEY’VE DECIDED NO MORE
DETENTION.
YOU CANNOT EXPEL PEOPLE.
IT IS LIKE WHEN THEY ELIMINATE
CRIMES.
THEY SAY CRIME IS DOWN.
THAT IS NOT A SYSTEM.
>> Katie: TAKING CHALLENGES
AWAY FROM KIDS DOES NOT HELP
THEM, NECESSARILY.
>> Jesse: I FAILED SHAKESPEARE
AS A JUNIOR, AND I THINK THAT
GUY IS SO OVERRATED.
>> Katie: SHAKESPEARE?
>> Jesse: HE IS IMPOSSIBLE TO
READ.
I’M PROUD OF THAT F.
I WAS REALLY INTO TROPHIES AS A
KID.
I HAD ALL MY TROPHIES SET UP.
ALL MY MEDALS AND EVERYTHING.
IT WAS A BIG DEAL.
ONCE WHEN MEET, I THINK THEY
GAVE OUT A RIBBON.
I GOT FIFTH PLACE, WHICH I’M
STILL ASHAMED OF, IN
BREASTSTROKE.
I COULD NOT EVEN HANG IT.
I TRIED TO HIDE IT BEHIND
ANOTHER RIBBON, AND I THINK I
BURNED IT IN THE BACKYARD IN A
CEREMONY.
>> Geraldo: SUCH AN INTRIGUING
STORY.
>> Jesse: IT MADE ME A BETTER
SWIMMER, NOT BY GETTING BETTER
AT BREASTSTROKE BUT BY QUITTING
BREASTSTROKE AND BECOMING A
BACKSTROKEBACKSTROKER.
>> Greg: YOU KNOW WHAT WE
SHOULD DO?
WE SHOULD GO TO YOUR SWIMMING
POOL WHERE YOU STARTED THE
BACKSTROKE.
DO A WHOLE PACKAGE.
SPEED SWIMMING.