Blogging in education

As I research the vast amount of choices in just the Ed. Blog world, I am struck by the vast difference between the blogs that seem to be focused on subjects like " Clean, Bright and Sparkling": helpful tips on a clean classroom to dress code issues. In many ways, I guess these are important topics but I can't stop wondering if these type of  blogs are more fluff than relevant content. The average,diligent teacher , will in his/her daily rounds, keep the classroom clean, do a ten minute tidy and insist that the students help keep their environment clean. Much of what is said is stating the obvious.
  Then there are blogs that live where the rubber meets the road. I go back to Jezebel.com time and time again because unlike soap commercial blogging, Jezebel gets to the point or points in a clear and unblinking way. My most recent read on Jezebel was about efforts in many Middle Schools to change the student conversation and phraseology away from " That's so gay!! and the other stinker " That's retarded" many schools including the middle schools in Corvallis where I work, have been  developing an alternative vocabulary for students to use when quantifying an event or statement. For instance "That's so whack" of my favorite:" Doofy." One middle school councilor has done a student survey of favorite words to use instead of offensive adjectives. She then complied the rather large list and boiled it down to a top ten. Then, she commissioned small cards with the "That's so.........."   and That's........" etc. on one side and the top ten list on the back. The student can feel free to say " That's so......." and refer to the card, read and substitute an alternative adjective and emote to his or her hearts content. With time, a little practice, the thinking goes, the student has a shiny new list of adjectives and a shiny new skill as well. Everybody wins!
 As I work with disabled students, I have become maybe too protective, but I see/ hear of so many "Special Ed." another pejorative, see their struggles and feel their frustration over how difficult learning can be. What makes this all the more painful for many SPED students is hearing the word Retard!! so carelessly thrown around as if it doesn't apply to anyone or it carries the same emotional weight as any other word.
    As we continue to evolve as a species, one mile stone to look for (it is still distant) is how we think about and understand those with disabilities, Jezebel, seems, to me anyway to be engaged on searching for and achieving that milestone.There are always those who must drag the rest of us into a new way of thinking about the world and the diversity of it's people as well as the diversity of it's environments. With this in mind we can develop a more accepting educational culture.It is entirely possible that the student that is bullied, made fun of because of his or her differences, may, one day, be the M.D., scientist, writer or politician that because of his or her "strange" gift ( read Asperger Syndrome) lifts us to a new milestone along our journey.