(no subject)

Every time another student plagiarizes, cheats, or copies, it really gets me down. I feel so disappointed in them. Even if they don't have the ethics to do what's right... why don't they look around them and see how many students have been caught already? Do they WANT to get expelled?

I don't know what to say. I really don't.

bah humbug

Long meeting about cheating problems at the school today; at least I'm not the only teacher who is dealing with a lot of this. The principal is having similar problems in her history class; likewise in at least one english class.

Apparently one of the reasons why the students are so confused by my assignments is that they don't get assigned any papers, projects, etc. until ninth grade. Isn't that crazy?

The education this school is currently providing is so spotty, its a travesty. I only hope that I can help change that in some small measure.

Sunset and Port
I have until Friday, possibly until Monday, to grade ~40 papers (unless some students didn't hand theirs in).

I just don't think I can afford the time to go to S&P tonight, which is a shame because I think I could use some relaxation time among friends. love you all, but tonight is, alas, another home night.

Homosexuality -- nature or nurture?

Two articles of note:

Mothers' genetic skew linked to gay sons

and

Homosexuality is biological, suggests gay sheep study

Nothing conclusive so far, but it is looking to be genetic at this point.

What does this mean for our future, as queer people? Is being queer a defect? I personally don't see how it is in a modern world, although it is arguable that queer subcultures have not stabilized adequately to be a stable element in society (although, much of that is because of the persecution we suffer).

Inevitably, though, there are those who will wish to preemptively screen out children affected by genetic skew which will lead to them being gay. There are those who would love to live in a state where such filtering were mandatory. And at that point, what would it take to immigrate to such a state or country? Borders have been slowly becoming less and less meaningful. I feel, perhaps naively, that there is a growing feeling of international brotherhood and community which would be destroyed by a country which routinely alters certain genetic things.

Regardless of all that, I do feel a prick of concern. Will we be hurt by the progress of science in this category (not that we can stop it)?

Also, what do their findings mean for bisexuality?