This news story that was recently on CNN is just unbelievable:

http://www.cnn.com/2005/EDUCATION/04....ap/index.html

All I can say is wow. I guess Western society really is cracking down on achieving the goal of absolute mediocrity. How can one ever improve if their errors are not pointed out. It's not like teachers are standing kids up in front of the whole class and humiliating them for their mistakes, they're just pointing them out in red ink. Is anyone else getting fed up with how nice and politically correct our society is being forced to become? I mean this is IMHO insane. I can't believe that research money was spent on determining that red ink is too "stressful" a color for people...

Well, as the article said, the color can obscure positive comments, and despite a good mark, leave the student feeling terrible. Still, I agree, the whole changing color as to avoid hurting people's feelings is a bit far fetched.

[ 04-18-2005, 04:03 PM: Message edited by: Sir Degrader ]

<font face="Verdana" size="3" color="#00FF00">Parents need to get a life, if they don't want to see red than they should encourage there children to do better. I found the big X to be offensive maybe they should switch to the big W for "wrong" as it looks like two check marks instead of one. :D </font>

[ 04-18-2005, 04:15 PM: Message edited by: pritchke ]

<font color = lightgreen>Just so that I can stess the point in the manner which will be most readily clear:</font>

<font color = red>Awww, the poor little whiny parents, teachers, and students. They cannot handle a little red ink. Wah, wah, wah...cry me a river.

News flash--get over it! :rolleyes: </font>

I quite agree Azred. Thanks Northraven - that made me chortle no end.

[ 04-18-2005, 07:10 PM: Message edited by: shamrock_uk ]

I don't care if it's red, I just look at the comments and go yay or oops. This world has gotten a little too sensitive...

These parents need a kick in the ass and a punch in the nose. Do they want their little bratty brats prepared for life or not? -- Cause, I gotta tell ya, when they enter the professional world, we don't just grade with red -- we tell them when they are stupid, in no uncertain terms.

I could very well be in a graduate-teacher position soon. Maybe I should use a red magic marker lol - ink's just too subtle sometimes.

Some people need to grow a thicker skin.

Over here, Using red ink to write means you are gonna commit suicide. However, people seems not to mind if teachers use it to correct homeworks/tests papers/exam etc. But still some teachers use black ink to replace red ink.

If you write in green you mant to be gay, seriously it was in the Times once. Don't Azred and Pritchke always write in green?....

<font face="Verdana" size="3" color="#00FF00">LOL!! No Comment!!! :D

There are many greenophobes out there in the world who fear us. As a result we are persecuted by our choice to use green [img]graemlins/evilhaha.gif[/img] .
</font>

[ 04-20-2005, 11:58 AM: Message edited by: pritchke ]

<font color = lightgreen>Yes, we do. [img]graemlins/petard.gif[/img]

And no, it doesn't. [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Color, in and of itself, signifies nothing except the surface chemistry of the material being viewed--the color of an object means that that particular statistical variation of light waves is being re-emitted by the surface layer of molecules. </font>

I'm only saying what i read. [img]smile.gif[/img] And i would say colour in itself does signify things, ie red=danger

[ 04-20-2005, 05:32 PM: Message edited by: Aragorn1 ]

Ah Ha. It's all coming together now. It's clear as mud!

BTW, I still use RED for incorrect responses!

<font color = lightgreen>Unfortunately, Aragorn1, we cannot conclude anything inherent about any color. We have psychologically ascribed various attributes to various colors, but that implies nothing about the quality or nature of the color itself.</font>

I have to disagree, studies have shown that certain colors cause specific and repeatable effects in people, Many doctors offices are painted light green or light purple because it has the effect of making you lose track of time (so you don't notice how long you've been waiting) pink walls cause a short term calming effect, and then hyperactivity and violence, I could go on, but I won't. I'm sure you can google the studies if you really care.

btw red ink on a paper is good for you, positive or negative, and those whiners should shut the hell up. (ever notice how many people working for childrens advocacy groups seldom have children of their own)

No. Did you?

<font color=plum>I agree that certain colors DO portray a subliminal message and <font color=red>RED</font> has a historic use of meaning danger, warning or anger.

I once got upset at another member for a post they made in an IW Roleplay thread I started. I had created a new gaming world and this person started adding stuff to it without asking me about it first. I was upset and made a post telling him he was NOT allowed to add stuff to MY world without consulting me first. My entire post was done in <font color=red>RED</font> (rather than my trademark purple) because I wanted to convey the seriousness of how I felt. It worked, he got pissed at my comments and even MORE pissed that they were all made in <font color=red>RED</font>. A Mod even agreed that the <font color=red>red font</font> made my comments appear more hostile - so I changed the color.

So, while there IS some validity to the complaints made, it still boils down to the parents not wanting THEIR feelings hurt. They got <font color=red>red marks</font> in school and do not want their children to suffer the same feelings they had. I have to agree with the majority here and say "GET OVER IT!"

<font color=tan>Timber</font> has an especially valid point. We don't want to be "negative" towards children in school anymore. Advocates say we should point out what they did right, NOT what they got wrong. Well, that is fine and dandy, until they get in the REAL WORLD. Once that happens, they are going to be in for a RUDE awakening. Cause bosses ain't gonna give a CRAP whether they "hurt your feelings" or not. If you screw up, most bosses will tell you that in very BLUNT terms. The sooner kids learn that being told what they did wrong is a fact of life, the better off they will be.

I have two kids in elementary school myself. The teachers use red pencils or pens to mark their work, whether their comments are positive or negative. For myself, I think the <font color=red>red ink</font> actually highlights the positive comments just as well as it does the negative. I've seen "<font color=red>Great Work</font> written on papers for both of my boys, and it was nice to see a POSITIVE comment written in the same color. It highlighted the comment just as effectively AND helped to show that <font color=red>RED</font> (by itself), does NOT mean "BAD"!

But like the school officials said, it is simply easier to change the color than fight the parents. You have to choose your battles, especially when you are dealing with irate (and sometimes unreasonable) parents. So it is much easier for the teachers to simply use another color than to give parents something ELSE to complain about. It is rather silly that they have to do that, but I can certainly understand why they do.</font>

Wow I expected at least one person to step up and say that using red ink was bad...one has to wonder where all these complaints are coming from. (Special interest groups anyone?) As Cerek said it is simply easier to change the color than fight this whining minority of parents but why should teachers have to do this? IMHO the world is becoming too PC and we are being forced to cater to every little minority group's whim whether it is reasonable or not...I say it's time to put our foot down and say enough is enough.

[ 04-24-2005, 12:36 PM: Message edited by: Northraven ]

I'm no social scientist, so i'm being a layman here. THe comment re: the green ink was joke, but a study reported in the Times did say that there seemed to be link.

But doesn't nature attribute colours to emotion or patterns of behaviour, our cheeks become red when angry, indicating a danger that violence may ensue, many dangerous creatures, and those that wish to appear so, are red in order to discourage attack, although predators are less likely to be so as they would wish to conseal their threat, not advertise it.

Like i say, i'm pleb in these matters, so feel free to totally discredit me, as i'm sure someone will :D