I don't have much K12 experience, so I can't comment on educational law involved. As to "in times like this" vs. "in times like these," for what it's worth, the singular gets 146k googits and the plural gets 432k. This confirms my experience, that the phrase uses the plural, but it also suggests that both are used widely.
Herb
Herbert F. W. Stahlke, Ph.D.
Emeritus Professor of English
Ball State University
Muncie, IN 47306
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________________________________________
From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Scott [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: April 7, 2009 1:43 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Syntax, cheatin, and "times like these"; was ATEG Digest - 5 Apr 2009 to 6 Apr 2009 (#2009-77)
I wonder how Susan knows that the Special Ed teacher is cheating with the
students?
It sounds as though Susan thinks that having an open book is cheating;
however, I could be misinterpreting what is being said.
I had no problems with open book tests because, during my first year of
teaching, I decided to focus on learning rather than rote memorization when
I had a class in which almost everyone could write down certain rules for
mathematics but only one could apply the rules. I tell the students that
they will not be asked any questions that could be answered by copying
sentences from the book. I ask for applications: work in real life does not
consist of recitation of facts but of obtaining, understanding, and applying
available data. I tell students that I memorize certain things to save time
and energy; e.g., the multiplication tables up to 12 x 19 and remind them
that, if they know nothing and have to look everything up, they probably
will not have time to pass the test. The student on an IEP with a longer
timeline for the test has no advantage over other students because the
student on an IEP takes longer to process as a general rule.
In any case, unless the union is ready to spend a lot of money, Susan loses
the battle because the local and district administration is ranged against
her. No one is perfect, and any teacher subject to close enough scrutiny
for a long enough period of time could eventually be fired for cause.
I believe that the idiomatic English expression is "in times like this."
Scott Catledge
Professor Emeritus
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