We didn't look like idiots on National TV! (Atlanta, Clayton: home, elementary school)

[martarider]

In what was an obvious setup for an oh-so-predictable mocking of Georgia, Atlanta, the South, etc., superintendant of schools Kathy Cox was the contestant on "Are you smarter than a 5th grader"?

What did she do but... 9/5: Georgia school super Kathy Cox wins $1 million in "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?" | Radio & TV Talk | AccessAtlanta (http://www.accessatlanta.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/accessatlanta/radiotalk/entries/2008/09/05/95_kathy_cox_on.html - broken link)

[rswlguy]

She donated all her winnings to Georgia public schools. Considering the 'embarassing' situation with Clayton County here in Georgia, I'm not surprised that some of the comments were as kind as they were.

I believe this was a very humble thing to do ... sure you're going to get mocked, made-fun-of, etc., etc., etc. Who cares? She got the $1mil and it's going to help others ... sure it looked kind of "hokey", but she had the guts to do what she thought and felt! Easy $$$ for our schools! Bravo!

[rswlguy]

Originally Posted by martarider

In what was an obvious setup for an oh-so-predictable mocking of Georgia, Atlanta, the South, etc., superintendant of schools Kathy Cox was the contestant on "Are you smarter than a 5th grader"?

The mocking of the South in my opinion derives itself partially because [more often than not] those (indigenous and foreign) residents are in such "denial" of some of the (socio-economic, educational, cultural) problems that still exist in the Southeastern United States.

Face adversity with dignity and grace, pull together and move on.

[GF72]

she donated it? good for her

I wouldn't have.


EDIT: I've never seen this show, but they had the questions on that article and they were pretty easy.... I got them all right, although for the final question I guessed Queen Victoria (I was actually surprised it was correct, I thought it would be someone obscure) and for number 10 I just said Cornwallis instead of Lord Charles Cornwallis, no idea if that would qualify on the show or not.... (i'd be pretty upset if it didn't).

I'm not really sure if this show tries to pass off the assumption that these questions are common knowledge for elementary school kids... because they definitely aren't. Some of these questions I would say most kids would know (which british general, which country borders costa rica, first month with 30 days, abbreviation for doctor), but some of them, only the nerdiest would answer correctly. Which doesn't have natural protein: milk, sugar, or eggs? Most third graders wouldn't know that.

[RainyRainyDay]

Originally Posted by GF72

I'm not really sure if this show tries to pass off the assumption that these questions are common knowledge for elementary school kids... because they definitely aren't. Some of these questions I would say most kids would know (which british general, which country borders costa rica, first month with 30 days, abbreviation for doctor), but some of them, only the nerdiest would answer correctly. Which doesn't have natural protein: milk, sugar, or eggs? Most third graders wouldn't know that.

I'm not so sure about that. The schools teach about food groups and nutrition in the health section of the curriculum. I suspect third graders are supposed to know that sugar is in a different food group than milk and eggs.

Regardless, I admire Kathy Cox for her daring gamble (imagine what a weak performance would have done to her career), smarts and savoir faire, and for giving away the entire prize.

[GF72]

Originally Posted by RainyRainyDay

I'm not so sure about that. The schools teach about food groups and nutrition in the health section of the curriculum. I suspect third graders are supposed to know that sugar is in a different food group than milk and eggs.

Yeah, you're right about the food groups.

But knowing your food groups isn't quite the same as knowing that sugar is a pure carbohydrate and couldn't possibly contain protein.

Plus milk and eggs are not in the same food group. All three of these items are in three different food groups.

There are certainly third graders out there that could deduce the answer (though probably not explain that sugar is a basic carbohydrate whereas the other two are complex food items that contain both carbohydrates and proteins, among other things) due to the obvious differences between sugar (something very simple and basic) and milk or eggs, but it's the wording of the question that takes it out of elementary school territory.

That question is more like something you'd find in a high school health quiz, not a third grade one. As someone who actually remembers health classes in elementary, middle, high school, AND college (GA Tech) and has a brother currently in 5th grade (yeah, huge age difference...), I'm pretty certain about this...

[j0ja]

That is pretty cool. Something to write home about versus all the negativity you see in the press about the South. And this is the better Kathy Cox as opposed to the other lamer, politico, Cathy Cox.

I don't have TV, so I am only vaguely familiar with this show. I think I saw one YouTube clip where someone screwed up a very basic question.


I love trivia and I used to watch Jeopardy and I am a self-admitted geek, however, I would have forgotten the Cornwallis question. All the others I knew. I think the poster, GF72, is correct. I didn't know that no one before has won the million dollars, but with some questions like these, many adults out there would not know them.

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by martarider

In what was an obvious setup for an oh-so-predictable mocking of Georgia, Atlanta, the South, etc., superintendant of schools Kathy Cox was the contestant on "Are you smarter than a 5th grader"?

Huh? I watched the entire show...every minute...with my 5th grader, and I didn't sense anything that could be called a "mocking of the Georgia, Atlanta, the south". I have no idea what you are talking about. Did you watch the same show?

I thought Cox was a bit goofy, and not what you would expect as a typical head of the state's education system, but that was her personally.

[cmtiger]

Great job Kathy Cox... now the challenge is to get our high schoolers to where they are also smarter than 5th graders.

[silks]

I would love to see a TV show in which "the person from Atlanta/the Southeast" was not portrayed as a backwards redneck or a religious zealot. That would be SO refreshing.

It seems that if somebody has a Southern drawl and they're from Georgia they're played up as a moron, but if they don't have a Southern drawl the fact that they're from Georgia is ignored entirely. I'm not even from Georgia originally (Canadian, actually), but the way Southern residents are portrayed on TV is ridiculous. You don't really realize it until you live down here for a couple of years.