Monkeys on Parade

• 15 July 2008 - In the news

As I do everyday, I was reading through the news that Yahoo deems noteworthy and had to post about a couple of articles that I read today.

Chilean President Michelle Bachlet commented on a recent incident involving a student's protest against inadequate education reform. Apparently quite a few people are blaming the teachers. This is not what I find surprising. It is her comment that got me. I actually laughed out loud.

"What seems incomprehensible to me is that those who have the duty and responsibility to impart values and principles in classrooms every day could endorse an attitude that goes against the values and principles I'd like a child of mine to adopt."

She and I apparently have a very different idea about what teachers ought to be teaching. I think what amazes me the most about this comment is that someone in her position would expect all the teachers in her country to hold her same values. I would bet (if I were the betting type) that there is likely someone in her FAMILY that endorses an attitude that goes "against the values and principles" she would like her children to adopt. Surely it can't really be a surprise that some of the teachers in her country don't hold her same values.

All I can say is, "Horray for homeschooling, where I KNOW the teacher attempts to impart the values and principles I want my kiddos to adopt."

In an entirely different vein...

This article is about a poor koala that was hit by a car, got its head stuck in the car's grill, rode that way for 7 miles or so, and survived. What I really found interesting about this story though comes in the last sentence...

Lucky will stay at the hospital, set up by the late television wildlife and crocodile crusader Steve Irwin, for 45 days to recover from his experience and receive treatment for a chlamydial infection.

Say WHAT? Koalas can get chlamydia????? Who knew.