Wednesday, October 3, 2007

Eight schools in Dallas area get “No Child Left Behind” Blue Ribbon

By Pegasus News wire

The U.S. Department of Education awarded eight schools in Texas the "2007 No Child Left Behind-Blue Ribbon", which honors schools that help underprivileged students achieve at high levels and tra la la. The award was given to 287 schools in the country including eight in North Texas (listed below). An official from the Department of Education will visit the school Thursday.

Maybe that official can offer a spelling lesson to Robbie Pipkin, principal at Henry W. Longfellow Career Exploration Academy in Dallas, on the difference between "cliche" and "cliched". Because the DMN quotes Pipkin as follows:

"I know it's cliché, but we really are like a little family," Dr. Pipkin said.

The correct word is clicheD. ClicheD with a D. If you were talking about the noun form, cliche would be correct. If Dr. Pipkin had said, "I know it's A cliche," there'd be no reason for this rant. But when Dr. Pipkin is using the word as an adjective to describe a situation or scenario, then the correct word is cliched. I know it's tempting to view the word cliche an adjective because it has an E on the end, a la "passe" -- but that would be wrong.

The only silver lining one can hope for here is that Dr. Pipkin was misquoted, and that the person who didn't know the difference between cliche and cliched was the DMN; that actually seems likelier.

Here's the other schools who got the Blue Ribbon: Frances E. Norton Elementary School in Allen; Amelia Earhart Elementary School in Dallas; Walnut Glen Academy for Excellence in Garland; Highland Park High School in H.P.; C.T. Eddins Elementary School in McKinney; W.H.L. Wells Elementary School in Plano; and St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic School in Plano.

Posted by T.G.

See more stories in:

• Allen ISD > Allen ISD Elementary Schools > Norton
• Dallas ISD > Dallas ISD Other Schools > Earhart Learning Center
• Dallas ISD > Dallas ISD Other Schools > Longfellow Exploratory Academy
• Garland ISD > Garland ISD Other Schools > Walnut Glen Academy For Excellence
• Highland Park ISD > Highland Park ISD High Schools > Highland Park High
• McKinney ISD > McKinney ISD Elementary Schools > Eddins
• Plano ISD > Plano ISD Elementary Schools > Wells