Medliblog

Tard Blog

The Tard Blog is a weblog about teaching special education.

There have been three authors for the Tard Blog. Their names on the blog are not their real names as any teacher who would reveal the information they write about would likely be fired. The first author was known by the pseudonym Riti Sped. The second, available only on the alternate site, is known as Sarah Hammon. The third and current author is known as Kristy Pell.

It is true that the Tard Blog features the problems of developmentally disabled children for the amusement of the audience, but this is not to imply callousness. The authors have all chosen special education as their profession not in search of a cheap laugh, but to help children. They can't help it if they also find it amusing. As site sponsor Tucker Max explains:

"Humor has several uses, and not all are to ridicule or debase. This page should be seen in the same light as surgeons or paramedics making jokes about injured people, or psychiatrists making light of their mentally deranged patients. The people in those fields use humor as a way to relieve the daily stress and aggravation of their very difficult jobs. Paramedics and doctors, especially battlefield surgeons, are renowned for making sick jokes about their patients during their off-time. If they don't release the emotional tension through humor, then it has to come out some other way, hence the saying, 'If I don't laugh I'll have to cry.'"

Indeed, often the blog deals more with the environment the students live in than the students themselves. Uncaring administrators, overworked teachers, and (especially) abusive and neglectful parents are frequent themes. The very first entry, written by Riti Sped, describes a mother who is self-absorbed and clearly does not care about her child. Her daughter (only mentioned in passing) was born addicted to crack cocaine and has fetal alcohol syndrome. Riti suspects the mother only shows up for conferences "because we have called Child Protective Services on her so many times, that she now fears losing her daughter, who is the mother's meal ticket to government aid." Later stories often revolve around Riti Sped having to care for two of her students, brothers, whose father is in jail and whose father's girlfriend is an irresponsible drug addict.