I manage farmining operations for absentee landlords in the southern US. I
also teacher HS science whenever a school needs a science teacher, since I
have a master's in biology and science educators are hard to find. The past
three years I have been at a small country school (and I mean deep in the
woods) that has some remarkably talented academic students. I have played
at Chess for 42 years, though never good enough to rto make an impression on
the outside world. Nonetheless, I feel as though Chess has contributed
greatly to my life and I started letting some of my students play at breaks,
when we finished work, or on their off day (off day is lab day. My lab is
small so only half the students can do lab at one time. Therefore the
others work on other subjects or tasks of their choosing). The game has
caught on and us is immensely popular. Their biggest thrill is to beat me
(though they dont realize how minor an accomplishment that is). Some of the
older students want to start a club next year and one parent bought 5 sets
for my classes to use.

Last week the administration sent a school policy admentment forbidding all
forms of board games. I went to the next school board meeting and brought
the set I bought for $3.99 in 1972. I placed it on a table and gave a five
mintue talk on what value I placed on the game and why. I then pointed to
the set and told them I have played at least 4000 games on that set alone.
I asked them how many of their kids would be playing their $40 video games
30 days from now, much less than 30 years from now.

I knew what I was up against when one of the do-gooder's (board members)
voiced her objection. Chess, she pointed out, was not appropriate under the
new No Child Left Behind Act, because there were definite winners and
losers, and educators needed to see that everyone succeeded!!?? Talk about
a scholar's mate, she used one of the best arguements for the game against
me. Well, I picked up my set before they finished and told them next year's
football season would be interesting under that philosophy. The president
of the board asked me if I had anything else to say and I replied that it
was really no use, ignorance never loses an arguement and in this case I was
definitely on the losing side. I dont know if they have figured out what I
meant by that yet.

Hopefully this is an isolated case, but it would be interesting to hear if
any others have run into this type of resistance (I dont mean the
traditional chess players are nerds vs. the jocks, etc.)


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On Sun, 6 Feb 2005 14:21:09 GMT, wrote:

If you can't post the name of the town and school, we have to assume
you're making this up.

Chess, she pointed out, was not appropriate under the
new No Child Left Behind Act, because there were definite winners and
losers, and educators needed to see that everyone succeeded!!??

It seems to me that if they learn to play chess then they have
succeeded.

---
Replace you know what by j to email

This was not in the local papers, it is at a small private school in nw
Louisiana (that should tell you enough). There will be an article about it
in the school newspaper, wish I had kept the office memo to scan for you to
see.

However, I understand why you would think this is fake, but it is true.


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x-- UNLIMITED DOWNLOAD

"Harold Buck" wrote:
.... private schools are much MORE likely to have
chess clubs and are LESS likely to be influenced ....

Unless, perhaps, the private school is run by a bunch of religious
fundamentalists.

Bill Smythe

wrote:
I manage farmining operations for absentee landlords in the southern
US. I
also teacher HS science whenever a school needs a science teacher,
since I
have a master's in biology and science educators are hard to find.
The past
three years I have been at a small country school (and I mean deep in
the
woods) that has some remarkably talented academic students. I have
played
at Chess for 42 years, though never good enough to rto make an
impression on
the outside world. Nonetheless, I feel as though Chess has
contributed
greatly to my life and I started letting some of my students play at
breaks,
when we finished work, or on their off day (off day is lab day. My
lab is
small so only half the students can do lab at one time. Therefore
the
others work on other subjects or tasks of their choosing). The game
has
caught on and us is immensely popular. Their biggest thrill is to
beat me
(though they dont realize how minor an accomplishment that is). Some
of the
older students want to start a club next year and one parent bought 5
sets
for my classes to use.

Last week the administration sent a school policy admentment
forbidding all
forms of board games. I went to the next school board meeting and
brought
the set I bought for $3.99 in 1972. I placed it on a table and gave
a five
mintue talk on what value I placed on the game and why. I then
pointed to
the set and told them I have played at least 4000 games on that set
alone.
I asked them how many of their kids would be playing their $40 video
games
30 days from now, much less than 30 years from now.

I knew what I was up against when one of the do-gooder's (board
members)
voiced her objection. Chess, she pointed out, was not appropriate
under the
new No Child Left Behind Act, because there were definite winners and
losers, and educators needed to see that everyone succeeded!!?? Talk
about
a scholar's mate, she used one of the best arguements for the game
against
me. Well, I picked up my set before they finished and told them next
year's
football season would be interesting under that philosophy. The
president
of the board asked me if I had anything else to say and I replied
that it
was really no use, ignorance never loses an arguement and in this
case I was
definitely on the losing side. I dont know if they have figured out
what I
meant by that yet.

Hopefully this is an isolated case, but it would be interesting to
hear if
any others have run into this type of resistance (I dont mean the
traditional chess players are nerds vs. the jocks, etc.)



Years ago (maybe 1978), when I was playing at a U.S. Open in Columbus,
a bunch of us were sitting in a bar/restaurant, playing 5-minute,
having finished our meal. The owner/manager told us to quit, or kicked
us out, I don't remember, because he assumed we were gambling, and he
was afraid he would get into trouble for that.

*******

Of course, in retrospect, if you get to the school board meeting, and
you don't already know what the objection(s) to chess is (are), it's
way too late. You get taken by surprise and you have to think of an
answer on your feet -- who knows what you'll say and how they'll react.
Also, you heard from one lady, but who knows why the other board
members or the administrators didn't like chess.

What you want to do is to talk to each board member privately (on the
phone or at his or her home or office), find out why he or she voted
against you, and talk to each one about the things he or she cares
about. Then by the time the actual meeting rolls around, it's just a
matter of counting heads, and if you're lucky, you'll have enough heads
on your side. Also talk to the administrators.

Another important thing might be to get parents, etc., to speak out for
you. See if some of them are in a better position to twist arms than
you are.

Bruce Leverett

A message to the original poster bounced.

We know that chess has been banned at some schools for loony reasons. If this
story is true, why can't the poster provide his name or at least more details?

Why didn't the parents who brought chess sets to the class make their voices
known?

Is it likely the board will reverse itself?
__________________________________________________ ______________
"FIDE has made its decision. Players who refuse to be drug tested will not be
able to play chess." -- Dr. Press, co-founder of the FIDE Medical Commission.

Isn't it obvious that the original poster doesn't want to publicize a
stink between himself an en employer? It could affect an ongoing
relationship or impede future relationships in the area where he lives.

Perhaps the parents weren't invited to a meeting where the teacher was
being corrected. Such meetings should perhaps not be corrected.

And why should the board reverse itself? On whose initiative? The
board has ite own decision already.

Did Parrthenon's questions need to be asked? Sheesh.

David Ames

Parrthenon wrote:
A message to the original poster bounced.

We know that chess has been banned at some schools for loony reasons.
If this
story is true, why can't the poster provide his name or at least more
details?


Isn't it obvious? He doesn't want to publicize a stink between himself
and an employer, because it might affect an ongooing relationship or
impede future relationships.

Why didn't the parents who brought chess sets to the class make their
voices
known?


Perhaps the parents weren't at that meeting. The teacher was being
corrected. Should the parents have been asked to such a school board
meeting?

Is it likely the board will reverse itself?

On whose initiative might that occur? The board has its own decision
already.

Sheesh,
David Ames

On 8 Feb 2005 03:50:07 -0800, "David Ames"
wrote:

Isn't it obvious that the original poster doesn't want to publicize a
stink between himself an en employer? It could affect an ongoing
relationship or impede future relationships in the area where he lives.

If this is true, his post contains enough information to identify
himself to any locals who might see it.

If the poster really wants to shine the light on an idiotic board
decision, an anonymous tip to something like the Drudge Report would
do it.

Perhaps the parents weren't invited to a meeting where the teacher was
being corrected. Such meetings should perhaps not be corrected.

And why should the board reverse itself? On whose initiative? The
board has ite own decision already.

Did Parrthenon's questions need to be asked? Sheesh.

David Ames