spina bifida a developmental disability

[angel]

Ok i was just watching horders and on this show the daughter in one of the families has spina bifida. They said on there it was a developmental disability. For some reason that just seems wrong to me. I don't really see how SB can be linked with Down syndrome and autism (i googled and it said that SB was one of the 4 major developmental disabilities along with autism, CP, and down syndrome but it also listed mental retardaton.) They just seem like COMPLETLY different things to me.
Someone please explain to me how these can be linked into the same catagory, because it doesn't make sense to me.

Angel

[LisaJoy]

I think it is considered a developmental disability because the physical development of the fetus is interrupted, resulting in the birth defect. "Developmental disability" sounds "wrong" to us because it has become sort of a euphemism for intellectual disability - what used to be called mental retardation. This is kind of touchy for us because people with spina bifida are often misrepresented, even by medical professionals, as being intellectually disabled. There IS a higher rate of intellectual disability among people with sb than the general population, but the vast majority of people with sb, as you know, have normal or above average intelligence.

[angel]

you said exactly how i feel. I really feel misrepresented. I usually don't get outraged very often but my jaw just hit the floor when i saw that. My husband looked at me funny and we both agreed that doesn't sound right at all.
I hope i don't sound horrible but what i told him was it really pisses me off that I, as i am sure everyone here at some time or other, has had to work circles around "normal" people to be seen as almost as good or almost as smart. And now they are putting this crap on TV without any explination and it makes us sound like we aren't as smart as the "normal" people. That really doesn't do much to dispel the myths out there about us. I can see why this is a touchy subject because i am not generally a touchy person but i have to admit that i was really bothered by that.
Not being judgmental at all about other disabilities, i just feel it should be classified correctly and i feel that classification is incorrect.

Angel

[dahliafaolan]

I have to agree with you Angel, but to the governmental and medical communities out there, Spina Bifida is considered a developmental disability. I always hated this moniker growing up. Especially when I had to get my periodical "cripple testing" for school and waiver and what not. The only place in my area that did that sort of testing was an "institute for the developmentally disabled" (read the home where parents who didn't want their babies who weren't physically or mentally perfect threw their kids away) What's worse was that the classical definition of developmentally delayed didn't apply to me. I hit all my physical milestones above the waist either early or on time. But yet, I was stuck in the developmentally delayed category because I never could walk.

[jellolegs23]

I think most people misunderstand what developmental disability really means as the focus has been on cognitive disabilities in this category. Developmental disability really means that one has a delay in physical OR cognitive development. Obviously those in the Spina bifida community have a delay in the Physical development and NOT in the cognitive way.

The dictionary definition of Developmentally Disabled from the Merriam-Webster dictionary online states:

Having a physical or mental disability that becomes apparent in childhood and prevents, impedes, or limits normal development.

I don't think the definition is incorrect I think the way people interpret the definition is incorrect.

I hope this clears things up!

[Ziggy]

I agree with Jellolegs... but I hate that people hear "mental" in developmental, and focus on that.

[Gymp]

One would think it should be divided into two sub-groups then to avoid the confusion.

I too remember growing up and having to prove that I was as good as your regular Joe upstairs.

Gymp

[Justy Me]

Regardless of what title/name it's given, most people assume an intellectual deficit is a given when they see a person with a disability. Sad but true

[eng188]

According to my IQ, which was disclosed to by my mother a while ago, I am nowhere near "mentally retarded", however, I do have a speech-related learning disability called dysnomia. I also have had a history of profound organizational difficulty, but this was never put alone into any LD diagnosis.

I'll also say that I am certainly a bit socially off. I have trouble around people, especially when around my parents. But I do try, often too hard, which is a problem in itself.

I've never felt like I fit in with the Downs people or other such subsets, but I will say I don't know the difference between a learning disability, and mental retardation, especially since MR is now called "intellectual disability".

Very interesting convo.

[sean]

Developmental disability..ouch. Indeed a lisence for the wider community to.....generally, shout at the blind man. It should be seen as a syndrome in its self, misguided assumptions of catagorisation, boxing people in!

I see, imagine how SB is considered developmental, and the connection to the likes of CP and downs. People with CP, I think, are intellectually all there. The guys I've met, sharp as a tac (given a moment). I guess the perception of this label is torcher for them.
Similar for downs "given the opportunity!" they can be intellectually sound.
Autism I don't know.
Us with SB as developmental, I'm not feeling it!
But....sorry guys...but I reckon for every one of us here on this site, there maybe dozens of folk with SB who are dealing with various developmental, intellectual, cognitive on going issues.
Is it possible that we here are a minority of people living with SB, the ones with the intellectual where with all to be here online?
Reckon it is the 'mental' in developmental that irks me, and misleads others.....????chronic..ouch....developing....hate it all!!!!

Story of my adult life, trying to shake off the 'one size fits all' SB = dumb, character assassination of my young life.
Think I've mentioned how I have allowed the perception of me as being intellectually challenged....because I have SB....der!, to gain and maintain employment. (at no point, agreeing or actively pretending...whatever!, let me work, give me money......)
Now, going back to Uni, I feel the need to prove something? to myself?



ps the problem is....shit sticks.

[teengirl]

Well, look at the bright side! Because spina bifida is considered a development disability, you might qualify for more funding and benefits than you think you deserve.

In my high school, kids that are considered to have a developmental disability or are "special needs" get a 1:1 aide to do everything for them, some free equipment, first dibs on lunch before everyone else even gets their lunch break.

[Dodger67]

That is not always a "bright side" thing!
Having too much help teaches one to be lazy and passive. It also creates life-long dependency issues.
Angel tells horror stories about her experiences with adults who couldn't (or were not allowed by their parents to) speak for themselves or even order their own lunch at an SBAA conference.

[NerdaliciouS]

That is not always a "bright side" thing!
Having too much help teaches one to be lazy and passive. It also creates life-long dependency issues.
Angel tells horror stories about her experiences with adults who couldn't (or were not allowed by their parents to) speak for themselves or even order their own lunch at an SBAA conference.

Not only that, it becomes vexatious to the one experiencing it, and in some cases, embarrassing. It shouldn't be embarrassing, but it can be.

Going back to sixth grade, I had surgery that year and NOBODY would leave me alone. "Here, let me get that for you." ...Do you know how irritating that becomes? Then if you insist on doing it yourself, everyone considers you to be an evil (w)itch who won't accept help when it comes along. :connie_mini_lalalal

Also, unfortunately, because we (sometimes) qualify for extra things, it makes people look at us differently. Careers for example. Why go to school or even bother looking for a job if you can have the government pay you? It's demeaning. Or at least, it definitely feels that way at times! Lol.

[angel]

That is not always a "bright side" thing!
Having too much help teaches one to be lazy and passive. It also creates life-long dependency issues.
Angel tells horror stories about her experiences with adults who couldn't (or were not allowed by their parents to) speak for themselves or even order their own lunch at an SBAA conference.

horror is right i was horrified at some of the things i have seen over the years not just at the SB conference but in other places as well. I think to much help hurts those with SB more than the SB itself. I never thought about that aspect of it until i saw it first hand.
Speaking of school my son (who does not need an aid at all) can qualify for one, i was told the aid would carry his books to and from all classes, hand his homework in for him and whatever else during the school day. My only thought was "why even bother sending him to school if someone is going to do everything for him?" He didn't need an aid, he doesn't need an aid, he will never be getting an aid. I got through school and that kid is way smarter than i ever dreamed of being. My son has SBO, you can't tell by looking at him that there is anything "wrong" with him. He is extreamly intellegent, he just has an orginization problem. This is what prompted all the talk about all the special help he can get. We passed, and of course i got a lot of dirty looks because i didn't get him all the help he had available to him. I don't care though because we have been working hard on this problem and I am thrilled to report that this school year is going VERY WELL!
When i was in school i was offered to go to lunch early, get out of class to get my books early. I always declined, i did what everyone else did, when everyone else did, and made it fine.

Angel

[dahliafaolan]

I had the same offer when I was in school. I never understood that. Yes, I'm a full-time wheelchair user. Yes, I was shorter than every other kid in the school until I got to high school (there was one other little person in the school who was actually smaller than me). But my hands and mouth worked just fine!

And boy do I know what you mean, Nerdalicious! I've actually had other friends ask me why I bothered get a college degree if the government would just pay me to sit on my butt all day long. Needless to say, we didn't stay friends much longer after that. Yes, I appreciate the help that SSI has given me during these difficult first years, but my goal is to be self sufficient and have a job where I won't need SSI or Medicaid any more.

[angel]

Dahlia,

I was told the same thing when i started working. One of my co workers asked why i would take such a shit job when i already had money coming in. He said you don't have to be here. Some don't understand that after you are grown SSI don't give you enough to live on. I mean i could eat or pay rent and maybe one utility.
I could not see my life like that. I enjoy working, i am not working now and doing the stay at home mom thing and honestly i don't really care for it at all. My husband makes enough where i don't have to work right now and i am trying to be there for my kid like i couldn't be when he was little (when i was working 8 to 16 hours depending on the day. The way i figure it is he will be 18 in 4 years and after that the first thing i am going to do is join the workforce again.

Angel

[teengirl]

Not only that, it becomes vexatious to the one experiencing it, and in some cases, embarrassing. It shouldn't be embarrassing, but it can be.

Going back to sixth grade, I had surgery that year and NOBODY would leave me alone. "Here, let me get that for you." ...Do you know how irritating that becomes? Then if you insist on doing it yourself, everyone considers you to be an evil (w)itch who won't accept help when it comes along. :connie_mini_lalalal

Also, unfortunately, because we (sometimes) qualify for extra things, it makes people look at us differently. Careers for example. Why go to school or even bother looking for a job if you can have the government pay you? It's demeaning. Or at least, it definitely feels that way at times! Lol.

Some disabled people are very able!
They may be getting government aid, but they may also be working under the table to supplement the aid they receive.
With what I have learnt in school, I have the ability to work and been hired under the table (tutoring little kids and babysitting) even at 13. I have no doubts that most adults with spina bifida have endless opportunities to what they can do on the side.

With regards to schooling, some parents treat school like free daycare. If they don't send their kids to school, then they will need to pay for daycare or take the burden of looking after their kids 24/7.

[NerdaliciouS]

Some disabled people are very able!
They may be getting government aid, but they may also be working under the table to supplement the aid they receive.
With what I have learnt in school, I have the ability to work and been hired under the table (tutoring little kids and babysitting) even at 13. I have no doubts that most adults with spina bifida have endless opportunities to what they can do on the side.

With regards to schooling, some parents treat school like free daycare. If they don't send their kids to school, then they will need to pay for daycare or take the burden of looking after their kids 24/7.

You completely missed the point of my post.

The point is, why should we HAVE to live off of the government? Let me tell you, WE SHOULDN'T! Plenty of us are fully capable, and we still get looked down upon and aren't able to do what we want. Under the table? Why would I want that when I could have a career? Sure, it's easy money, but the thing is, I'm entitled to an education too, as well as a career of my choice. Believe it or not, the disability money we get (if we get it at all) is barely enough to survive. If you're lucky, you'll get $900 a month. Most rent is 900 or higher. Now add in utilities, food, etc, and you've gone over budget. Of course, they only allow you to use a small sum of that for housing, which really means you'll either be living in a horrible part of town/house (most likely), or you'll need roommates.

I love to learn, I WANT to continue my education, but it's expensive as all hell, and without a job, how're you going to afford that? PLUS! If you're on disability and you work, money is being deducted from that which the government pays you.
So really, it's like yelling at a deaf person, telling them they're an idiot because they were in the war and blew their ear drums. Does it make them any less of a person? NO! But apparently it does, according to other people.

Think of somebody pestering you 24/7, and not wanting you to do anything yourself. Imagine yourself as a baby with the brain that you have now. Would you enjoy it? I doubt it.

Also, the only thing I took advantage of, was getting out of class early. My hallways were HORRIBLE, and the kids hated me. So that was a blessing.

[teengirl]

You completely missed the point of my post.

The point is, why should we HAVE to live off of the government? Let me tell you, WE SHOULDN'T! Plenty of us are fully capable, and we still get looked down upon and aren't able to do what we want. Under the table? Why would I want that when I could have a career? Sure, it's easy money, but the thing is, I'm entitled to an education too, as well as a career of my choice. Believe it or not, the disability money we get (if we get it at all) is barely enough to survive. If you're lucky, you'll get $900 a month. Most rent is 900 or higher. Now add in utilities, food, etc, and you've gone over budget. Of course, they only allow you to use a small sum of that for housing, which really means you'll either be living in a horrible part of town/house (most likely), or you'll need roommates.

I love to learn, I WANT to continue my education, but it's expensive as all hell, and without a job, how're you going to afford that? PLUS! If you're on disability and you work, money is being deducted from that which the government pays you.
So really, it's like yelling at a deaf person, telling them they're an idiot because they were in the war and blew their ear drums. Does it make them any less of a person? NO! But apparently it does, according to other people.

Think of somebody pestering you 24/7, and not wanting you to do anything yourself. Imagine yourself as a baby with the brain that you have now. Would you enjoy it? I doubt it.

Also, the only thing I took advantage of, was getting out of class early. My hallways were HORRIBLE, and the kids hated me. So that was a blessing.

oops... sorry, don't take me too seriously. I was partly kidding!

Well $900 isn't too bad! One can live by sharing rent with maybe 3 others in an impoverished neighborhood, refrain from using the air conditioner, eat McDonalds everyday. Double cheeseburger/McChicken only cost $1 and change. Eating 3 cheeseburgers/McChickens a day is sufficient. For a change, instant noodles isn't a bad option. Walk/take the bus everywhere. I bet you still have some to save by living this lifestyle! <again don't take me seriously> but I would be happy if my mom lets me eat McDonalds everyday!

Like you, I love to learn! I don't know how the system works in Canada. Here in the US, those who can't afford in terms of income qualify for financial aid (both grants and loans). If you go into education, then serve as a teacher in an impoverished neighborhood public school for 5 years, your loans are forgiven.
Compared to the US, I have always thought that education is much more affordable in Canada due to Canada's relatively socialistic nature.

[LisaJoy]

Teengirl, your youthful optimism is refreshing. Unfortunately, us old fogeys have a pretty realistic grasp of things -- living with 3 roommates in a slum and eating 3 cheeseburgers a day to survive might sound like a fun adventure to you, but trust me -- it would get OLD in about 3 days! Not to mention the fact that eating at McDonald's all the time will put you in an early grave. There's a reason your mom won't let you do that!

I very much appreciate your positive outlook on people with disabilities, and with spina bifida in particular. I hope your generation succeeds in changing the attitudes that keep disabled people from fully reaching their potential for education and work!

[NerdaliciouS]

oops... sorry, don't take me too seriously. I was partly kidding!

Well $900 isn't too bad! One can live by sharing rent with maybe 3 others in an impoverished neighborhood, refrain from using the air conditioner, eat McDonalds everyday. Double cheeseburger/McChicken only cost $1 and change. Eating 3 cheeseburgers/McChickens a day is sufficient. For a change, instant noodles isn't a bad option. Walk/take the bus everywhere. I bet you still have some to save by living this lifestyle! <again don't take me seriously> but I would be happy if my mom lets me eat McDonalds everyday!

Like you, I love to learn! I don't know how the system works in Canada. Here in the US, those who can't afford in terms of income qualify for financial aid (both grants and loans). If you go into education, then serve as a teacher in an impoverished neighborhood public school for 5 years, your loans are forgiven.
Compared to the US, I have always thought that education is much more affordable in Canada due to Canada's relatively socialistic nature.

Oops. I was in a bad-ish mood when I wrote it. I read what you wrote over and over again and it just made me go all asugubnsigb. Remember, this is text, sometimes it's hard to take emotion out of it. I'm only 18 and I know what I want, and I know what I don't want. And I don't want to live with 3 people I don't know (I don't have many friends), and I want a career, to eat good food that I like, lol. There's a sense of accomplishment if you can do things yourself. And for some of us, it's just what we want to do, and there's no reason that we shouldn't do it.

And just a pointer. The bus system isn't always the best system. To those in wheelchairs (ask Dodger about this!), it's often difficult to find one that will actually pick you up (unless you're registered for a special thing). And they don't always go exactly where you need to go. And for most of us, we have difficulty walking, so that's not good. I once got left on gravel beside the highway! Ahhh!

And no, education is expensive here, just as it is in the US. Just as, everyone considers Canada to have free this and free that, and we don't. But then again, the US only really teaches about themselves, so I have no problem telling people what's right. And also, I don't want loans. I know there are student loans, but why get them if you don't need them? If you have a job, you can easily set up a payment plan, whereas with student loans, chances are you'll be in debt for a really long time, if not life. And no, I'm not joking. You can qualify for grants and scholarships, but that doesn't always work.

Honestly, Canada is not all that different from the US.

Teengirl, your youthful optimism is refreshing. Unfortunately, us old fogeys have a pretty realistic grasp of things -- living with 3 roommates in a slum and eating 3 cheeseburgers a day to survive might sound like a fun adventure to you, but trust me -- it would get OLD in about 3 days! Not to mention the fact that eating at McDonald's all the time will put you in an early grave. There's a reason your mom won't let you do that!

I very much appreciate your positive outlook on people with disabilities, and with spina bifida in particular. I hope your generation succeeds in changing the attitudes that keep disabled people from fully reaching their potential for education and work!

That's pretty much how it works, lol. You can have fantasies, but the older you get, you definitely need to start looking at the realistic side of things. And believe me, I hate it! Haha.

But I appreciate it too. You don't find many younger people who're even okay with it, let alone interested by it. Also, I don't do this often, but I want to compliment you on your writing skills! I'm glad to know I'm not the only teen who can use proper grammar! :Banane21:

[teengirl]

Those of you who don't use proper grammar deserve a good spanking! :)
Poor grammar and misspellings are my mom's pet peeves. I would sometimes get spanked (in a joking way) for my mistakes.

When I become an adult, eating McDonald's everyday and living with 3 others are far from my ideals Nerdalicious! I love McDonald's, but I also want to stay under 100lbs throughout high school.

Thanks for the info on schools in Canada. I have to agree that the US only teaches about themselves. That's why schooling in the US (up to 12th grade) is generally a piece of cake. I know you want to be independent, but how about killing your parents with kindness to pay for you? Then you could pay them back after you are done. If you have been good these past 18 years and believe in filial piety, don't be afraid of asking your parents' help.

Don't worry about not having many friends. I personally prefer to hang out in a small circle, rather than with a bunch of hypocritical individuals. Love your screenname Nerdalicious. I enjoy playing bakugan cards with nerdy boys.

[Dodger67]

I'm a bit of a grammar nazi too, but I'll be the first to admit that I do occasionally make spelling mistakes and don't always catch my typos.

My particular pet peeves are:
Using "there" instead of "their" and "they're"
"then" for "than"
"your" and "you're" are totally different words.

"Ur" is a ancient Sumerian city - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ur - the word doesn't sound anything like "your" or "you're". I hate "txt spk"!

[LisaJoy]

Nerdalicious -- I teach in a college history department. History majors here are required to take at least two classes in "global" history -- "global" = non-US and non-Europe. Anyone getting elementary ed certification has to take world history too. However -- we had a discussion in a department meeting the other day about whether we should offer a class on Canadian history, and the main question was "would anyone take it"? (Partly we were teasing one of our colleagues who is Canadian).

It is not true that American schools (at any level) only teach about themselves. My friend who teaches 6th grade social studies just finished up a unit on Ancient Egypt! My biggest beef is that not ENOUGH American history is taught. Most universities don't require it any more. The University of TN doesn't even ALLOW you to take American history to partially fulfill the general education social studies requirement.

Most Americans are as ignorant about their own history as they are about the rest of the world. Sometimes I feel like Sisyphus.

[teengirl]

Lisa,

I am currently taking World History (it is a mandatory subject for 9th graders in California). 5 weeks have gone by and we haven't even completed one chapter. Half the class time is play time. Do you think we will learn a lot by the end of the semester?

[NerdaliciouS]

Everyone gets world history, though!
I think it may just depend on where you are? It seems as though that's all they learn about, lol. Everything else is censored. I've talked to so many Americans, and I'm shocked when they don't know what's going on here (example being us going to the middle east to help out), and some can't even tell me where a CONTINENT is on the map (of course, that's geography, BUT IT FITS! What's the point of learning something historic, if you don't know where it happened!?) Not to say all are stupid (because you're not! People are people, no matter where you go!), but it gets pretty irritating.

I don't know if it's because people don't pay attention or what. That's pretty lame about it not being required in Uni, though. I think you should be allowed to take that class AND have it fill the requirement. Then again, my psychology class is more extra-curricular too, and I'm not even in university yet! ...School systems are very strange.

Anyway, all I know is, it makes me step back and go "wooooooowwwwwww!" You'd just kind of think it'd be included, you know? But it's like there's a feud going on! STOP HATING US!!! Lol. I've decided I'm going to come down and have a class by you. I love history, lol.

EDIT: Now that I think about it, history isn't one of those "required to graduate" classes here either. It's like an extra class if you want it, and (at least the one I was going to go into) was only about Canada, with some England and US thrown in as well. So... I now remember why I say "if I'm going to learn anything, I'm looking it up myself."

[LisaJoy]

Lisa,

I am currently taking World History (it is a mandatory subject for 9th graders in California). 5 weeks have gone by and we haven't even completed one chapter. Half the class time is play time. Do you think we will learn a lot by the end of the semester?

Let me guess -- your teacher is a coach.

I can't stand lousy teaching!

[angel]

My world history teacher was a coach and he spent most of the class talkin baseball. I am not into sports at all so i got a lot of sleeping done in that class.


Angel

[misty]

I know more about football than History or Geography, thanks to my teacher/coaches!

[Dodger67]

They allow teachers to teach subjects they are not qualified in?

[misty]

I think. at my school you had to teach a subject in order to be allowed to coach. I'm not sure if they weren't qualified to teach the subjects, or if they just cared more about coaching. I never learned anything from them either way.

[LisaJoy]

Yes, Roger, they let people teach things they're not qualified in. They have to be qualified in something, but coaches usually qualify in phys ed and most schools only have one phys ed teacher. So the subject they get stuck in most often is -- history. Second most common is government.

I have a friend whose son got hired to coach girls' basketball at a high school -- he's certified in phys ed, but they didn't have a slot for him, so they stuck him in World Civilizations, a subject for which he had never even had a single class.

Except for my 7th grade Texas History teacher, all of my junior high and high school history and government teachers were coaches. The government teacher who was a tennis coach was actually pretty good; I think he may have actually been certified to teach government. He did have a rather strange obsession with the Kennedy assassination, though. All of my other history teachers were uniformly bad - in fact, I was in college before I discovered I like history.

Especially in some parts of the US (i.e., the South!), sports, especially football and boys' basketball are given much higher priority than pretty much any academic subject. That continues at the college level. I could rant about this for hours, but I'll spare you.

[angel]

That is no joke either, in the south the ball players are given a status that no one else can reach. The school revolves around that and the championship games. They let the whole school out every year when our basketball team would go to state finals. If the school was open (depending on how far they got in the playoffs depended on how many days of school missed) if you went to the game it was an excused absence. I haven't noticed it as much since i live up north now but in the south it is an obsession.

Angel

[dahliafaolan]

Dear God, is it an obsession! Every Monday, we would hear on the announcements how this or that sport team did that Friday night, but we NEVER heard how the Quizbowl team did (think sort of like a high school version of Jeopardy broadcast on local TV). And don't even talk to me about college football! I live an hour from Death Valley. The obsession here is so bad that I actually decided not to go to the best school in the state just so I wouldn't have to deal with the insane fans.

And yeah, I've had my share of coaches masquerading as teachers. In my school district, if you were a coach, you were required to teach an actual subject. So I got stuck with one for math and one for world civilization. Needless to say, I still have a lot of trouble with algebra. And the world civilization class was a joke. He printed out our notes and we just had to fill in the blanks and when it came time for reviewing for the tests, he'd tell us what to highlight and the tests were almost in the exact order of what he'd tell us the highlighting day. How he ever had anyone failed the class, I will never know.

[teengirl]

Let me guess -- your teacher is a coach.

I can't stand lousy teaching!

Omg, exactly! My teacher is a volleyball coach.

... the subject they get stuck in most often is -- history. Second most common is government.



I didn't know that. However, it does make sense. In my opinion, a teacher who doesn't really teach History/Government is more acceptable than a teacher who doesn't really teach Math/Lab Science. The former wouldn't bother me, while the latter would. My Geometry Honors and Chemistry teachers are well-qualified and strict. Not a single class minute is wasted.

Dear God, is it an obsession! Every Monday, we would hear on the announcements how this or that sport team did that Friday night, but we NEVER heard how the Quizbowl team did (think sort of like a high school version of Jeopardy broadcast on local TV). And don't even talk to me about college football! I live an hour from Death Valley. The obsession here is so bad that I actually decided not to go to the best school in the state just so I wouldn't have to deal with the insane fans.

And yeah, I've had my share of coaches masquerading as teachers. In my school district, if you were a coach, you were required to teach an actual subject. So I got stuck with one for math and one for world civilization. Needless to say, I still have a lot of trouble with algebra. And the world civilization class was a joke. He printed out our notes and we just had to fill in the blanks and when it came time for reviewing for the tests, he'd tell us what to highlight and the tests were almost in the exact order of what he'd tell us the highlighting day. How he ever had anyone failed the class, I will never know.

Like my world history class, your world civilization class sounds no more than free daycare!