And Rick! Awesome use of calling out Mike on the “Red Herring.”

As I tell students often, is what you are writing something you want your parents to read. Or better, is this what you want your children to read? All this hate. Judging. Name calling. Let’s stick to the numbers. That is the issue.

“Doesn’t play in Peoria” is an allusion!

The horse is kicking is actually personification. Giving human qualities to a non human entity.

They tried to eat the whole horse and the horse is kicking would be what is called an idiom. Meant to express an idea but cannot be understood using a literal translation.

I believe that in this informal setting, spelling lapses will be forgiven.

But misnomers (giving the wrong name to an idea or rule) are absolutely a no-no. :)

Just joking, before anyone tries to black my eyes. But as an English teacher, I am heartened that people do try to get it right.

Or, could I be bitter because of all the knuckle-draggers that lay claim to a moral high ground from their knee high pile of horse manure (just going with the methaphor folks)?!

Re-read what I’ve written and see that I expressed appreciation for Mrs. Cole’s performance at RSES – she inherited a mess and based on what just about everyone else has stated both in blogs and to the board did a very fine job.

I also never opined that her resignation was wrong – knowing this community she had no choice. She’ll be better off getting far away from this brackish mess and all the knuckle-dragging hate mongers in this community that yelled for her stoning and referenced Biblical passages in the same breath.

I could make a case that the district’s selective enforcement of a morality clause is hypocritical. To the folks still applauding the demise of Mrs. Cole: why don’t all you knuckle-draggers now go after all the lesbians and homesexuals in the district’s employ?

Oh, btw, while we’re all getting our panties in a bunch over spell-checks: reggie: righteous is not spelled richeous and #23: you’ve spelled metaphor(e) 2 ways – metaphor and metaphore?

James I hate to say it but you appear as bitter as reggie in this discussion… At least from my vantage point.

Cole resigned, Andersen resigned, Hite stated she is not seeking re-election and I am sure there are a lot of reasons. There is clearly a problem within the district.

I think the problem may be that they are trying to “eat the whole horse and the horse is kicking” (the last phrase is technically called a metaphore – it is a representation of some greater understanding). Perhaps if they killed the horse. Then cut it up into small manageable pieces (discarding the parts that smell bad) they could handle the day to day chewing easier.

for example, if i were very hungry i may say “i could eat a horse”. knowing that there is almost no possible way i could eat a whole horse.

so, in this case, i was using my exaggeration to stress the fact that you (seemed to) support mrs. cole based on the way you wrote, and think that her resignation is wrong.

and by the way, nowhere is spelled NOWHERE. not no-where, and another thing. disagreeing with you does not make me an unhappy soul, demonic, bitter, or chronically depressed, just slightly better looking than you ;)

No where in #2 could anyone with a basic level of reading comprehension twist what I wrote and imply that Mrs. Cole could do no wrong – we ALL fail.
No where in #2 could anyone with a basic level of reading comprehension twist what I wrote to imply that we should worhship Mrs. Cole – expressing sorrow for someone in their darkest hours is hardly a form of worship.

Your grandfather must be a fine man – no one lives that long filled with hatred and bitterness so you may want to try to emulate his outlook on life and you may find peace.