Kid Stuff

Here’s a bit of time travel for you: this episode of Postcards from Buster (PBS) where the fictional band Los Viajeros receive a Coin of Excellence for performing for the troops in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. I’m a big fan of PBS programs for children. I always learn something. For instance, this piece about military families introduced me to what a Coin of Excellence is.

“To me, a coin is like an Army Achievement Medal or award," said Command Sgt. Maj. Byron Loyd, the command sergeant major for Division Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division. "There are two types of coins I give: the regular battalion coin that represents the battalion, and then my personal coin that has my name and rank on it. It symbolizes something solid from me as a senior leader. It's my way of saying thank you for the hard work I see you do.”

In Maryland special coins are used both in this way - - honoring or thanking - - and also to commemorate special occasions. Governor Hogan and Comptroller Franchot use them. Coins are made with a special image and imprinted with the name of the giver. I imagine that the gift of one of these coins means a lot to the recipients. Otherwise there would be no point in giving them.

The Baltimore Sun/Howard Times must have been looking for a way to give its readers a bit of that PBS Kids experience when they published this piece by Erin Logan. The headline for the piece suggests financial malfeasance.

Howard County Executive Ball spent thousands of taxpayer dollars to brand items with his name, records show

But that’s just the motivation to get the student to get to the real work of the lesson.

Calvin spent 3700.00 on commemorative items. Allan spent 3500.00. 

Really, that’s all it is.

The word problem includes an illustration, like most early years math textbooks. It’s of a coin. A commemorative coin made with a special image and imprinted with the name of the giver.

Frankly I think there are better ways of encouraging local citizens to do Elementary math problems.

I also have to wonder who is shopping hit pieces on the County Executive to the Balt Sun/HoCoTimes because this is very, very thin stuff. Criticizing Calvin Ball for doing something that elected officials in Maryland have done for quite some time and that is even enshrined in the traditions of the US military is headscratchingly awful.

It’s also superficial and misleading.

Want to learn something today? Watch PBS Kids. This article won’t cut it.