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General discussion about the nineteen episodes of "My So-Called Life". Note: Our episode guide can be found here.
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Natasha (candygirl)
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Post by Natasha (candygirl) » Feb 24th 2003, 4:37 am

likelife wrote:candygirl - brian does take computer as a class - it's the one he's supposed to be in when he's helping angela hand out the liberty lit.
And in Why Jordan Can't Read, Rickie says he used to pass Jordan (who was going to 5th period shop) on his way to computer.
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Post by Natasha (candygirl) » Mar 3rd 2003, 4:57 am

In Strangers in the House, we learn that Kyle has shop so maybe he and Jordan have class together!

:lol:
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Post by tigerlilly711 » Apr 19th 2003, 2:49 am

does anyone else think its weird that there is no tracking in the school? That brian who scored a 1600 on PSATs is in the same english class as Jordan who can barely read? Seems odd. And also in High School I remember cutting class to be a big deal however, no one seems to get in trouble. This is odd because Patty and Graham are on the show so much to emphasize the roles adults play in there lives so where are the teachers getting these kids in trouble for cutting class?
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Post by TomSpeed » Apr 20th 2003, 11:42 pm

tigerlilly711 wrote:does anyone else think its weird that there is no tracking in the school? That brian who scored a 1600 on PSATs is in the same english class as Jordan who can barely read? Seems odd. And also in High School I remember cutting class to be a big deal however, no one seems to get in trouble. This is odd because Patty and Graham are on the show so much to emphasize the roles adults play in there lives so where are the teachers getting these kids in trouble for cutting class?
There is some tracking, but it's not made clear in the show how it's done. Brian says to Angela in "Pressure:" "Do you know how hard it is to be in accelerated?" Also, in "Life of Brian," Brian tells Delia that he has a triple minor. I agree that it doesn't make much sense for Brian not to be in an advanced English class if he's taking calculus.

Miss Lerner threatens to have Jordan kicked out of school for skipping English in "Halloween." You are right though that there don't seem to be too many consequences for skipping classes.

In reality, some teachers really don't care or don't notice if students are not in class. I remember that when I was in high school my attendance record in my classes varied widely, but I hardly ever skipped. One teacher had me missing 0 days. I really skipped that class 3 or 4 times. Another teacher had me missing 8 days. If you missed 9 days, you failed the class. I skipped that class maybe twice. Having accurate attendance records did not seem that important. I know from my experience as a teacher that teachers tend to concentrate on the students who are in class.
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Post by Natasha (candygirl) » Jul 13th 2003, 7:29 pm

TomSpeed wrote:Miss Lerner threatens to have Jordan kicked out of school for skipping English in "Halloween." You are right though that there don't seem to be too many consequences for skipping classes.
That part of the scene always bothered me (Miss Lerner says, "Tell him he better quit ditching class. I want him in here tomorrow or I'm going to have his butt kicked out of school. There are too many good kids. I mean, I just don't have time for the bad ones.") for a few different reasons.

First of all, most teachers do not have the power to expell a student (especially a teacher who is subbing). Ditching one class is usually not enough to merit being kicked out of school, especially if the student is under the age of 18. Given that Angela says Jordan was "left back...twice" he is probably 17, so he is still entitled to a public education. The more realistic thing would be to track him down, have him meet with Miss Kryzanowski a few times, and then maybe put him in the alternative school/continuation school/home schooling.

Secondly, her statement "I just don't have time for the bad ones," seems kind of silly - if Jordan isn't in class, she doesn't have to deal with him at all, meaning she isn't spending any of the time she should be using on her good kids.

:D
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Post by TomSpeed » Jul 13th 2003, 8:10 pm

It's more than likely that the writers want to introduce something to the story line to make Angela and Jordan come closer together. Having Angela being told to pass a message to Jordan is a good way to accomplish that goal. The content of the message isn't that important.

Also, I get the impression that Miss Lerner cares about her students. A student ditching her class is a bad student. Ultimately, she feels responsible for them. She doesn't want to let Jordan simply skate through her class. If she lets him get by, she will fail.

I agree that she doesn't have the power alone to kick someone out of school. But she could recommend that something be done to remedy the situation. We must remember that she isn't a substitute teacher. She is a regular teacher (she teaches math) who is covering Miss Mayhew's classes. I'm sure that Mr. Foster would listen to her if she has a suggestion. It's entirely possible that kicking someone out of school to her might mean some of the alternative educational programs you describe in your post. Miss Lerner probably believes that threatening to remove Jordan from the classroom might make him shape up. Who wants to be forced to leave his friends? Jordan says he doesn't care about school. But he cares about the people in school, including Angela. A plan like the one Miss Lerner employs doesn't always work. But sometimes it does.
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Patty: If Rayanne's not seeing you, and we're not seeing you, who is seeing you?
Graham: And how much of you?
Angela: Dad!
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Post by Natasha (candygirl) » Jul 14th 2003, 1:02 am

I didn't mean that Miss Lerner wasn't a permanent teacher, but since she had only taken over Angela's class a few weeks earlier, it seems a bit much for her to be throwing kids out of school.

I think that the content of the message IS important though - given that Angela and Vic are two of the only people who realize the truth behind Jordan's academic problem, having Angela deliver Miss Lerner's message to come to class carries even more impact (since as Jordan says, "sometimes it's like she knows too much about me").
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Post by TomSpeed » Jul 14th 2003, 8:13 am

I probably should have written that the message is important, but the reasoning behind the message isn't important. I agree that it would be easier for Miss Lerner to look the other way while Jordan skips class. But the writers needed a reason to make Angela and Jordan closer at this point in the series.
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Patty: If Rayanne's not seeing you, and we're not seeing you, who is seeing you?
Graham: And how much of you?
Angela: Dad!
Graham: Oh, I'm sorry! I asked a question about your life, didn't I? Woah, what came over me?
http://www.last.fm/user/TomSpeed/

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Post by dolphinsfan » Aug 5th 2003, 12:54 pm

when did high school students have majors?

My high school had two different sets of schedules...my first two years of school we had two semesters, a fall and spring. each semeseter we had 4 c lasses that meet for an hour and a half or so. That changed in my junior year, and we went to a rotating schedule. We had seven classes, but we had only four per day...the first period class was the same every day of the week, and the other six rotated based on the date..either odd or even.
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Post by Megs » Aug 5th 2003, 1:49 pm

My small-town PA high school didn't have majors, it had curriculums. So you can pick College Prep, Advanced College Prep (which you had to be chosen for), Business, or you could go to Vo-Tech.
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