Ms Bart reads this Globe article about some sex-segregated middle-school classes in Boston and declares herself in favor:

... As long as the academic matter is identical, this could be a great opportunity!

They grow up so fast.

One of the first things they do is start whining to administrators that their $50,000 a year should buy them common areas where the couches aren't haphazardly arranged, the Globe's Sarah Schweitzer informs us, in another of her exposes on the seamy underbelly of the overclass.

The Globe reports:

Thousands of Massachusetts public high school graduates arrive at college unprepared for even the most basic math and English classes, forcing them to take remedial courses that discourage many from staying in school, according to a statewide study released yesterday.

Read the report yourself.

Ever wonder where that phrase came from? Karen can explain - and give you the number for the woman who's made a full-time job of it:

... I washed her hair with the Horrible Toxic Shampoo and then started in with the little purple comb. It soon became clear that there was absolutely no way I could do this. It wasn't the ick factor; I just can't see anything. The nurse had scotch-taped the single nit she found to a sheet of white paper, and I could barely see it without my reading glasses. These things are tiny, and you can barely even see Steph's scalp for all that thick, luscious hair.

I started freaking out and pretty soon ended up calling the Nit-Picker (after taking out a second mortgage). She's coming tomorrow afternoon. She would have come today if I hadn't used the Horrible Toxic Shampoo. She doesn't like to be inhaling the stuff all day, and I can't blame her, so she will only come 24 hours afterward, and you have to rewash the kid's hair with normal shampoo in the meantime. ...

Right or wrong?

Jesus. This week's police blotter in the Roslindale Transcript has three separate reports from the school:

Four girls calling themselves Die to Kill were found beating up another girl.

The relatives of a student showed up at 7 a.m. to confront her harassers - who them promptly tried to beat up the relatives (unclear if the two incidents are related).

A girl, 13, was arrested after allegedly leading 30 other students into the cafeteria to beat up another student. Fortunately, police were already in the school because of "a recent increase of student fights at the school."

All this and a possible MCAS cheating scandal.

NOTE: The column also mentions a girl getting beaten up at Catholic Memorial and the West Roxbury Educational Complex fight at the Spring Street Dunkin' Donuts, but neither of those schools get into the blotter week after week.

Sorta old news, but I was reminded of it this morning because the kidlet's taking Yet Another MCAS Test: The principal of the Washington Irving Middle School is under investigation for allegedly giving teachers parts of the test the day before so they could help their students get better scores.

Silver lining: It might take people's minds off the school's weekly appearances in the Roslindale Transcript's police blotter.

Strictly a rumor.

Writing on the Herald site, Tai Irwin contrasts the Globe's coverage of the Massachusetts High School Drama Guild Finals - which it sponsored - with its Sunday coverage of high-school athletes. The final tally:

Atheletes: 16 pages of coverage.
Drama kids: Zero.

... The message is very clear: although Westford, Nauset, and Weston received awards, and many students were singled out for theatrical excellence, once again it's sports that matter most, even to the exclusion of intellectual and artistic activities. What a great thing to tell our kids, over and over again. Never mind the brain pursuits – the science fairs and business/educational coops, and never mind the arts, dance, music, drama. The thing that is going to solve all our problems and nurture all our values best is sports. ...