| Fairness 'D'clined The Grapevine-Colleyville School District changed its grading policy after learning that the district's method of converting numeric grades to their letter counterparts hindered one senior's chances for a college scholarship, The Dallas Morning News reported Thursday. The school board voted Jan. 31 to eliminate the grade letter "D" to allow student-athletes to compete for scholarships. This decision was just in time to beat Thursday's NCAA deadline for reporting grades. How convenient. "Students are still earning and receiving the same grades they were before the board took this action," said district spokeswoman Jeanne Guerra in The Morning News. That is, of course, unless they were supposed to make a "D." In that case, their grade gets bumped up to a "C," they make a higher GPA and then they get handsome scholarships to play in college athletics. When these students get to college, they'll be in for a rude awakening when grade time comes. It's unfair to raise a student's grade. It's unfair to the student, who won't learn to be responsible for making grades. It's unfair to other students who worked harder and made higher grades, only to be at the same level as someone who is scraping by. What will happen when John Q. Athlete doesn't make the grades in college? Will TCU change its grading policy so athletes can continue winning games? They already have many privileges - why not add one more to the list? Let's hope these student athletes learn their lesson before they come to college. Grades should not be given out freely.
Silent misconceptions My mother was ashamed of me. I was an embarrassment. At social gatherings, instead of enjoying herself, my mother would spend her time making excuses for me. "She doesn't feel very well," she'd say. She'd then pull me into the corner and command me to "shine." This was the routine throughout my childhood and all my young adult life as my mother refused to accept the bitter truth. Her only daughter was shy. Most of us have experienced some feelings of shyness at some time in our lives. For instance, if you've ever cursed a class in which half of your grade was based on participation, if you've ever painfully failed to fill a whole elevator ride with comments on the weather or if you've cringed at the thought of giving a presentation in your media class, you were probably feeling shy. What many people do not realize, however, is how deeply shyness can dominate and affect a person's life. This is mostly because those who suffer from shyness aren't talking about it. At its worst, shyness can limit friendships, stagnate more intimate relationships and even hinder advancement in the workplace. Shyness can leave one feeling awkward, inhibiting him or her from trying new things or expressing feelings. I've been running from shyness all my life. I thought I had escaped it in high school until I was named shyest senior girl. I thought I had beat the rap when I came to TCU until one day in class when I overheard my professor caution her dog about my impairment. It was then that I realized I'd never escape the prison of shyness - not the isolation of my social inhibition but the social stigma associated with shyness. There is a definite stigma associated with shy people or, if you'd care to be politically correct, "non-talkers." We're often called weird, strange and even crazy. We are thought to be unfriendly and rude. One of the biggest misconceptions about shy people, however, is that we're scared to speak - so terribly afraid of opening our mouths that it pains us to talk. In most cases, however, these things simply aren't true. Looking back, I realize my mother was trying to protect me from this stigma. Sending me to parties against my will or making casual "suggestions" to talk to the girl across the street was not her trying to punish me. These things, however, did not make me into a more sociable person. Instead, I simply began to resent my mother's intrusion and believe that there was something wrong with me. What my mother didn't realize is that I was comfortable in my silence. It wasn't until she began pressing me to "come out of my shell" that I began to feel awkward and often angry. This still holds true for me today as I find that when asked the horrible question "Are you shy?" I simply want to scream, "No. I just don't feel like talking to you!" As for us non-talkers, I have discovered some benefits to being quiet. I've found that because I don't speak, people seem to think they can gossip around me, and I won't repeat it. Also, people are often scared of me. This can be very useful. Even better, I was often acquitted of minor infractions at school and at home because no one believed I could commit them. "Not Shavahn," they'd say. "She's so quiet." When it comes down to it, however, shy people are just like anybody else, only quieter. As for me, I've finally gotten to the place where I can say I'm shy, and I'm proud. I'd say it loud but, well ...
Shavahn Dorris is a junior English major
from Joliet, Ill. Better to make smiles, not controversy I am going to let you in on a little columnist secret. This is something that may be painful to admit, but I am afraid I have to. Contrary to what you may have heard, I am not some big writing genius. Now, I know it's hard to believe, but I'm not. Really. I am just some guy who sits down at his computer every Sunday and bangs away at the keyboard until 700 words come out. (609 to go, if you were wondering.) Other columnists may be big "controversial issues" people, writers who like to write about "hot topics" and "create a stir" and "use quotation marks," but I'm not like that. I just write what I know. Or what I thought I know. Apparently, some people feel that they know what I know isn't really what I think that I know but what they know better. (Read it out loud, and it will make sense). And boy, did they let me know that last week. In case you missed it, last week I ran what I thought was a happy little column on spending time with my friends at Krispy Kreme. At least, that's what I turned in to be published. But it was about doughnuts. Who knew that little pieces of pastry would be such a hotbed of controversy? Abortion I would understand. School prayer, sure. Capital punishment, gun control and sports teams are all the topics I stay away from. The Skiff has plenty of controversial columnists, and I try to just be the nice, normal, easygoing guy. Well, no more. You want controversy? I'll give you controversy. I have tasted the fruits of being the hotbed of scandal, and I could get used to them. After all, if people are going to get offended by an innocent little funny column, I might as well work to be offensive. That way, I might not feel so bad about the hate mail. And controversial writers do get more mail. Very rarely do people write just to say that you are doing a good job. Oh no, it's only when you make them mad do you hear from them. It is very easy, being the "funny columnist," to be overlooked. Even my editor hasn't said anything to me all semester. But if I'm controversial, people will listen, and they will respond. And maybe when they do, it will help me to develop the tough, uncaring demeanor so necessary to survive in the world today. And maybe if I'm controversial, I'll be respected. Maybe instead of being the "oh, you're that funny guy" guy I'll be the "you're that guy I hate but ultimately deep down respect because you have the guts to take a stand" guy. I could be that guy. I could - why are you laughing? But the truth is I like being the funny little freshman. I enjoy bringing humor to the opinion page, and I'm proud of not taking myself too seriously. So I guess I'll continue to be the funny guy, if that's OK with you. I have a feeling if it isn't, I will be hearing from you.
John-Mark Day is a freshman religion and
news-editorial journalism major from St. Joseph. Mo. Letter to the editor I read Priya Abraham's article (Thursday) on increasing staff wages with great interest. It is, after all, a subject that affects me directly. I must say that the comments of John Weis, director of human resources, left me baffled. Is he saying that if a person has to work another job or depend on the income from a spouse to rise above the poverty level, that they don't deserve a raise? I think TCU would be better served by trying to employ the best staff possible. Raising salaries is a good start toward this goal. Daniel Zeitz Facility Services Students speak out
"Sitting at home all alone, wearing all black." -Ben Haggard, sophomore psychology major
"Whatever comes up. I would like to go to dinner or a movie or something nice. Hopefully, somebody will be thinking about me." -Kelli Turner, freshman criminal justice major
"Hang out with friends and make fun of all those lovey-dovey couples out there." -Grace Ellis, sophomore deaf education major
"I'm not quite sure yet actually. I think we're going to go do something alone. ... I'm just going to surprise her throughout the day by leaving things for her wherever she is going to be that day and go out and do something that night." -Michael Emerson, sophomore finance major
"Hopefully, we'll be doing something together and alone. He wanted to see 'Macbeth,' but I kind of nixed that and told him that we had to do something romantic. I'm hoping to spend an intimate night together, ... I don't mean intimate in a bad way." -Jennifer Jost, sophomore English major
"Well, I just got engaged, and it's not going to be too romantic because I already did that with the ring. We're going to have a nice dinner and hopefully, a little romance. Flowers definitely, or she'll kill me." -Ryan Cox, senior ad/pr major |
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