Monday, March 16, 2009
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I just read Superintendent Meg Mayo Brown's letter to the editor. I am not filled with confidence in someone leading our children, in their educational pursuits, who thinks this sentence is ok, "Fall River public schools is at a critical juncture. " Proofread! Work on your grammar and punctuation skills.
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16 comments:
There is something sadly funny about it.
While I agree that she is not fit to lead, you're actually wrong here, and Meg (unfortunately) is correct. The Fall River Public Schools is a singular entity, and is synonymous with the The Fall River Public School System, therefore the proper present simple tense has been used. "Is" is grammatically correct here. Sorry.
But in the Fall River Public Schools Technology Plan, it states...
The Fall River Public Schools ARE committed to the belief that all students will be successful learners and will be prepared
to function as citizens, workers and consumers in a technological society.
http://www.fallriverschools.org/FRPSTechnologyPlan.pdf
"The United States is at a critical juncture."
I see nothing wrong with that sentence as it is also a singular entity.
Also, "United States is at a critical juncture" is clearly incorrect.
She didn't say "The" to indicate it was a single entity. She said "Fall River public schools is..." So, no I am not wrong.
Also, she probably should have capitalized "public schools" if she intended to use "Fall River public schools" as a single, proper noun, entity.
I randomly chose several school districts and all of them use both "X Public Schools is/are" inconsistently.
Also, if the Superintendent wished to refer to the single entity of "Fall River Public Schools," perhaps she should have noted that distinction with the use of capitalization.
When written as "The Fall River Public Schools," (all capitals) the phrase can be considered a singular subject with "is" as an acceptable verb, if, that is, MMB was referring to the schools as a single unit rather than as individual schools. But, MMB wrote "Fall River public schools," which indicates a plural subject requiring "are" as the correct verb. Later, in paragraph four, she uses the phrase "The Fall River Public Schools," so who knows what she really meant to write in the first paragraph.
Boring? Maybe. Nitpicking? Not so much. As the new superintendant of a stunningly failed school system, she should be hyper-vigilant about presenting herself as competent. If she's not going to be careful about the way she presents herself to the public in a letter, how much is she going to care when she thinks no one is looking.
Grammar aside, the letter was devoid of meaning...lots of stock phrases and politically correct promises with absolutely no substance.
Great start, Super.
Does anyone on this blog ever have anything nice to say. Always negative comments.
Yes anon 15:14:
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
It is funny how people continue to read the blog yet complain it is negative, perhaps you should read some good news somewhere. Where that would be I am not sure!
We only have the blogs! the mayor has put a gag order on all city employees so the only info around are the blogs. Well and i must say some people on these sites have had info before the rest of us. Nice work keeping us informed!
Take this test, and see how you do on is or are.
http://www.better-english.com/grammar/sinplu.htm
85%
Me too, with an 85%. I got the fish and chips, athletics, and rest of the staff wrong. I wonder how Meg Mayo Brown would do.
Drat, I got "rest of the staff" wrong. Fun, though. Always good to keep up with the grammar skills!
The question you need to ask: Is our children learning?
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