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The frustrating plot hole in the Superman movies that seems to fly over everyone's head.
07.17.14
Her viral video sparked a debate as to whether or not providing school supplies should be mandatory for parents.
The debate as to whether or not parents should supply classroom supplies is not new. But as prices continue to rise, parents are growing more baffled as to how they can be expected by teachers to provide all the various glue sticks, colored pencils, rulers and other various items the incoming students might need.
What’s even more perplexing, however, is penalizing the children of parents who won’t (or can’t) provide them.
This was the case for Shanitta Nicole, who discovered her son received a zero grade in his new school for not bringing school supplies for the entire classroom.Nicole was especially surprised by this reaction since she had already gone through the effort of making sure her son had every supply he needed from the school’s list, which was slightly different than the one they previously had.
And yet, the 7th grade teacher informed her son that he was still expected to provide for the classroom, not just himself. And, thus, a zero grade, for failing the assignment, so to speak.
Even though Nicole thought the rule was “weird,” she went out and bought the bulk items, which included tissues, Clorox wipes, hand sanitizer, pencils, Expo markers, and red pens.
And yet, the next week—her son still has a zero. Concerned, Nicole emailed her son’s teacher.
“I’m like, ‘hey…my student has a 83 in the class and everything else in the class is 100s and 98s and he still has a zero for something called ‘classroom supplies.’” she said in a video.
“‘We bought the supplies anyways, but I don't feel like it's the parents' responsibility to supply your classroom. And I definitely don't think it's appropriate to assign a grade to students based off of whether or not they've supplied your class with supplies. That doesn't make any sense.’”
@shanittanicole Am I doing too much? #fyp #school ♬ original sound - Shanitta Nicolee 💖
And while Nicole’s email did get the teacher to reconcile the grade, there was no mention to her other concern regarding the responsibility for parents to provide the entire class with supplies.
“So, I emailed the principal because I just, I might be extra, but I just want to see what's going on. Why do I have to buy supplies for the classroom?” the frustrated mom concluded.
Nicole’s video quickly went viral on TikTok, and several weighed in to agree that the teacher’s actions were misguided.
“That is so unfair!! Especially for the kids whose parents CANT afford groceries let alone classroom supplies,” one user wrote.
Another added, “You are not wrong. It is 100% ok for [the teacher] to ask for supplies, but mandate it for a grade? Absolutely not.”
And this point is truly what Nicole took umbrage with, as she noted several times in the comments. It has less to do with being asked to help and more to do with her son’s grade depending on it.
In a follow-up video, Nicole shared that the school principal did end up reaching out, notifying her that while, yes, teachers are allowed to ask for donations, it should never be mandated.
@shanittanicole Replying to @yafavv._.dancer😍😘💞😍😍💞 Graded Supplies Update #fyp #school ♬ original sound - Shanitta Nicolee 💖
“What the teacher was trying to accomplish, but it definitely wasn't appropriate,” the principal told Nicole.
While the teacher might have not handled this situation in the best way, it goes without saying that this is a larger systemic issue—one that isn’t exactly fair to parents, teachers and students alike.
Most public school teachers spend a significant amount of their own money on classroom supplies, to an average of $673 per year, according to a recent survey of more than 1,100 educators by the Association of American Educators (AAE). That number only goes up for teachers in high poverty schools.
At the same time, according to a 2022 survey with Savings.com, the typical parent also spends nearly $600 on school supplies. Plus things like clothes, backpacks, haircuts etc.
In the grand scheme of things, there’s no use placing full responsibility or blame onto teachers or parents. Because either way, students get caught in the crossfire. This is clearly a universal burden that needs attention.
This article originally appeared on 10.5.23
It's good to get them all out in the open.
The massive changes to the American workplace caused by the COVID-19 pandemic invited many to reconsider their professional lives. This reevaluation has led people to push for improved work-life balance, and many now are looking for work to provide a greater sense of meaning and purpose.
When the world returned to work after COVID, many believed they deserved to be treated better by their employers. This resulted in many taking a break from the workforce or changing professions altogether. It also helped usher in a more comfortable culture for calling out companies that don’t treat their employees respectfully.
Recently, a group of thousands came together on Reddit to expose the common mistruths that people often hear at the workplace. It all started when a Redditor named PretenstoKnow asked: "What's the most common lie employers tell their employees?" And over 2,600 people responded.
People shared great examples of office developments that may signal a company being sold or future layoffs. They also exposed how employers may manipulate employees to work more hours or do a job that isn’t theirs by dangling a promotion in front of them. While some took the thread as the opportunity to complain about American corporate culture, the post was an excellent way for people to educate each other about common workplace pitfalls they may not know about.
Here are 13 of the most common lies that employers tell their employees.
"If you just do this extra work until the other position is filled, you will be rewarded later." — MightyAtom13
"Any form of delayed comp should be treated as a lie." — Mirbatdon
"You may have heard some rumors that [insert bad thing here] is happening, but I'm here today to tell you that this isn't the case." — UnfinishedThings
"Nothing is ever true until the company officially denies it." — Big-Problem7372
"You aren't allowed to discuss your pay/salary." — Meestrdg
"Any company that tells you not to discuss pay, you should immediately start discussing pay with as many people as you can find. Hell, put your job title (or something similar) on a post-it note with your pay in the employee bathroom that the managers never use." — BlackMoons
"That you owe them loyalty. You don’t. You are a number in SAP that costs money. Once you are replaceable or your skill set is no longer required, you’re done. No matter your situation in life." — JustAnotherS**tposter.
"I’ve seen enough layoffs to know that they would cut me without a second thought if it benefited them. I feel obligated to perform my job in good faith, but I’m taking my vacation days, I’m taking my sick days if I need them, and if I come across a clearly better job offer, I’m taking that too." — Provocotive_Bear
"Honestly, if an employer invokes families or sports teams analogies, you had better avoid them." — A CaffeinatedWandress
"Yes! We are like family until we say you can’t take a day off to see your biological family." — 77 Tassells
"On rare occasions, this can be true. It most likely isn't coming from owners or execs though. It's usually middle managers who actually give a sh** and fight their nonsense constantly." — The_Bitter_Bear
"My last boss tried to emphasize this and then come review time I was criticized for not putting in 'extra' time to help the team (was told not to work past 5 pm and family came first)." — Zoap3256
"This one is so true. When most job postings say “flexible hours,” it usually means that they need you to be flexible to work nights and weekends even if you need them off." — 1991195
"We’re changing healthcare providers in order to benefit you, our valued employees <cough>." — Kismet237
"The next job/promotion will pay you more. We are planning to expand." — vArrowhead
“The future is bright. We can’t give you that raise now but Just hang in there and your hard work will pay off.” — Friend-of-thee-court
"Your anonymous employee feedback surveys are 100% not anonymous." — SarenTenet914
"When I first started taking employee feedback surveys, it would lead off with questions if you were male or female, what department you worked in, how long you've been in the department, and how long you've been in the company to 'validate' you as being an employee and to serve up the right set of questions. I realized how very easy it was to track people back based on how those questions were answered." — wetwater
"Unlimited vacation days really means minimal vacation days." — IlIIlIIIlIl
"We went unlimited. I track my use on a spreadsheet that is in line with legacy policy before the change. So, if questioned, I can produce documentation I, in fact, have not abused it. That hasn’t come up. But just in case." — Sharpedoweek
"Once you hear the rumors, there is a 100% chance it is going to happen." — Andos4
"In software jobs, the most common lie is 'We are using the latest tech' or 'We are upgrading to the latest tech right now!'" — Propostor
"My job is to manage the tech, cloud, and software strategy, and this is pretty much never true. Aside from random startups playing with massive startup capital from angel investors, no established company works with the latest technology, because it carries too much risk and too many unknowns. No actual technical manager will claim otherwise. Only non-technical people like executives, sales, marketing, and HR make ridiculous claims like that." — Maitreg
Can't stop, won't stop.
If there's any dog breed that encapsulates "good doggo" energy, it's the Golden Retriever. Friendly, gentle, good-natured and oh-so-affectionate, Goldens have come by their reputation honestly. Even "I'm not a dog person" people tend to find themselves taken by Golden Retrievers, and a post on TikTok demonstrates why.
The video shared by @hugoandursula is captioned "my dog getting cuddles from strangers on the train," and that's exactly what it shows in the most adorable montage ever.
In clip after clip, the sweet pup snuggles into unsuspecting train passengers, winning hearts and evoking "awwwws" left and right. (If you're on the fence about getting a dog, be careful watching this video because it will catapult you right over the edge.)
@hugoandursula Melts my heart 🥰🥰🥰🥰 #goldenretriever
The video has been shared multiple times since it was first posted in January of 2023, and every time, people can't get enough of it. In March of 2024, it was posted in the r/mademesmile subreddit, and people poured all the Golden Retriever love into the comments.
"Golden's love attention.. our Daisy would politely walk around the benches at softball and stop for anyone who expressed an interest in petting her. She was never rude, just wanted to meet new people and show some love while getting some." – michaeldpj
"They are the most 'hi i’m in the room look at me i'm here' dogs i’ve ever met." – botjstn
"I would ride in trains much more often if I was guaranteed to see an adorably squashed doggy nose in front of me. It's delightful." – Designer-Command1417
"The look on the woman's face when the dog snuggles up her is worth a billion dollars!" – Ok-Sale-8105
Reddit users were also thrilled when a "Schnoodle" appeared in the comments. A Schnoodle on social media is a cheesily heartwarming poem from u/schnoodledoodledo, written from the point-of-view of an animal, and the Schnoodle for our Golden train-riding friend here is perfectly fitting.
Look at me - the Traveler! i get to come along
being with my human is the place that i belong ;@)
am friendly with the passengers, n try n spread the JoY!
(they’re frens i haven’t met yet,
n they tell me i’m Good Boy)
so i will find an empty seat, n sit with them awhile
i get aLot of scritches, n i leave them with a smile
am tired from the journey, but i know i did my part
to leave a golden memory
inside their human heart
"FRESHEST SCHNOODLE!!" wrote one commenter, followed by "OMG a schnoodle!! I haven’t seen one in over a year. I thought they had disappeared! This has made my day!" and "Starting the day with a fresh schnoodle for brunch is highly recommended!!!"
For an extended version of one of these good doggo love fests, check out another video from @hugoandursula:
@hugoandursula Hux making more friends..🥺💕
Again, so much love in the comments.
"Are you telling me a stranger got on the train and received all this love for free?!?!" – kirstygu
"I don’t care where that train is going I’m buying a ticket 🥺" – Angharad
"Did he cry before parting ways? I would be bawling" – Melanin. Queen
"I've never been more jealous of a person before in my life." – Carrie Thompson
One thing's for certain—if the train system wants to encourage more riders, all they need to do is get a Golden Retriever to welcome their passengers. They'd fill up those seats in no time.
It started in the military.
We've all seen people do it. Anywhere from basketball players on television to kids meeting up at the skating rink. Even former president Barack Obama when greeting a mixed group of men gave "DAP" to the Black men in the group, yet switched to a firm handshake when greeting the other men.
It was almost like watching the president code switch, but with body language, in a move that many Black Americans recognize as a gesture of acceptance and comradery. But did you know that there's an actual history behind the DAP that has nothing to do with looking cool? Social justice educator and actress, Amanda Seales, recently re-shared a clip from "The Real" where she was diving into the history of the handshake.
Seales, who has a master's degree in African American Studies from Columbia University, was also admittedly surprised when she learned there was a deeper meaning to the gesture.
On the show Seales explains that the DAP originated in the 60s during the Vietnam War between Black soldiers. "Young African Americans were being sent into combat and the DAP was about unity and survival. There were cases of Black soldiers reportedly being shot by white soldiers during combat and so it was a physical act of solidarity," Seales reads. "It was used to convey their commitment to looking after one another."
The actress says that DAP is an acronym for dignity and pride, but was once banned in the military because people thought it was a secret black power sign. It wasn't. The handshake was so helpful in making Black soldiers feel safe, DAP Therapy was created to help with PTSD symptoms.
The entire history of the DAP gives it so much more meaning. It's quite fascinating how things from the past continue to evolve and grow with society. While the meaning of the DAP may have been lost, the gesture itself is still alive and well.
Over several weeks, the participants felt less loneliness, depression and anxiety.
There are pretty clear cut guidelines on how much screen time kids should have, but for adults…not so much. And perhaps it’s this lack of clarity that leaves people to go on full blown digital detoxes or get off social media entirely.
And while there is certainly a case to be made for that decision, for many of us, that isn’t quite feasible—especially in certain lines of work.
Luckily, according to neuroscientist Rachelle Summers, there is a way we can still be on social media, without being subjected to its negative side effects.In a video posted to her TikTok and Instagram, Summers first cited a study which found that limiting social media use to 30 minutes per day lead to a "significant improvement in well-being” among participants.
Over several weeks, the participants felt less loneliness, depression, anxiety and FOMO—common symptoms of social media overuse.
Of course, 30 minutes might seem like an extremely short amount of time to be on social media (never mind if you’re actually posting something). In fact, according to one polling website, average person spends a little over 2 hours each day on social media, which is also drastically low in comparison to some of the comments to Summer’s video.
“Yikes. I’ve been doing 30 minutes every half an hour,” one person wrote.
Another added, “I’m on Instagram around 25 hours a week. Guess that’s a critical amount.”
Summers did however add that the study only measured the effects of limiting social media to 30 minutes, and noted that similar benefits could be found at a little more usage time.
So then, what if we want to spend more than a measly 30 minutes and still see benefits? Summers proposes going through this checklist of questions:
-Establish your baseline. How much time are you currently spending on social media?
-Are you sleeping poorly?
-How’s your attention span?Are you finding it difficult to concentrate on a task?
-How is your Mood? Are you experiencing any anxiety or depression?
-Are you noticing physical discomfort like eye strain or headaches?
-What does your engagement look like? Are you mostly looking at content that puts you in a negative headspace?
-Have you stopped or reduced how much time you’re investing in offline relationships and/or hobbies?
If you answered yes to two or more of these questions, Summers suggests going back to your original baseline and reducing social media consumption by 20% . Then check again in two weeks and continue reducing by 20% until you’ve only got one yes. Or, better yet, zero.
I don't know about you, but I answered yes to nearly all of these…along with tons of viewers.
“Brain fog is so frustrating and uncomfortable,” one person wrote.
“I spend a lot of time on subreddits that are laden with rage bait,” admitted another.
We all know we need to limit our social media use. But we don’t necessarily have a way of measuring how much we need to cut back. And while a weeklong vacation to a spot with zero internet service might be ideal, some real world, everyday tools can be just as helpful. And perhaps even more sustainable.
And while you’re using that daily allowance of social media, be sure to follow Summers on TikTok and Instagram for more cool tips."The plot twist we DIDN'T expect."
The stereotypical image we get of bachelor parties is a booze-filled evening of depravity and bad choices. Followed of course by a massive hangover…and some regrets.
And granted, there are plenty of viral videos to show that this is sometimes the case. But there are also plenty of grooms who don’t see it as their “last night as a free man.” On the contrary, they see it as an opportunity to simply celebrate the next chapter with close friends.
Case and point: a husband-to-be named Luke, who apparently couldn’t stop “gushing” about his bride, Sam. This, according to a woman also named Sam, who happened to be at the bar Luke was having his bachelor party at.In Sam’s now-viral TikTok video, she recounts how she had been at a bar in South Carolina over the weekend, where she met Luke and his friends. The way he could not contain his love for his wife compelled Sam to let this woman know how lucky she is.
"If your name is Sam and your fiancé's name is Luke, and he is currently in Charleston, South Carolina for his bachelor party and he was at a bar on King Street called Uptown Social tonight on Friday, March 22nd, I just want you to know that that man loves you so much," she said.
"He could not stop gushing about you and how you are the love of his life and the most beautiful person he has ever met, and how he's the luckiest man in the entire world. He loves you so much, and I wish you two all the happiness in the world."
Lastly, Sam shared the selfie taken with Luke and her friends—a request made by Luke that night—before giving an enthusiastic congratulations to the couple.
@sb.reads we stan sam and luke #charleston #charlestonsc #bridetok #weddingtok #greenscreen ♬ original sound - sam
Nearly 12 million people have seen this story so far, and many were surprised that it ended up being so wholesome.
“At the beginning of this video I was like, ‘OMG not another one!’ But thank God I stayed and this turned out to be a great one! So Refreshing! Wishing Sam and Luke and the absolute best!” one person wrote.
Another added, “ The plot twist we DIDN’T expect! This makes us all smile.”
And because TikTok is TikTok, the video nearly immediately made its way to other Sam, the bride. And she made a follow-up video every bit as sweet as the original.
"If you saw that TikTok, I'm Sam. Luke’s on his bachelor party right now and that was literally the best thing to wake up to," she said, adding "I haven't stopped smiling since my friend sent it to me when I woke up. He's the best, I'm very lucky.”
@sambrooksphotos Hey im that sam #samandluke #sam #luke #charleston #weddingtiktok #weddingphotographer #marthasvineyardweddingphotographer #marthasvineyard #marthasvineyardweddkng @sam ♬ original sound - Sam Brooks Photos
Sounds like Sam got a good one. Find yourself someone who can’t stop gushing about you…even to random strangers.