Some expressions simply rankle. But even so, their overuse leads them to become part of the lexicon, which in turn works toward acceptance.

Let me explain:

This week, the GOP-controlled New Mexico House is tackling what is called “social promotion,” which has led to passionate debates on whether to retain third-grade school kids if they haven’t acquired the tools to read at grade level. I’ve already written considerably on this topic — you can probably infer that I’m opposed to giving kids a second helping of third grade — and my aim is to write mainly about the semantics of “social promotion.”

Having taught at least one year at every level, from first grade through graduate school, I wince at hearing the term “social promotion.” To me it smacks of some kind of favoritism. It’s almost as if a pair of powerful parents have been politicking principals with the insistence that their child mustn’t be made to repeat third grade.

Social promotion also smacks of pressure having been applied, as if the child about to repeat third grade belongs somewhere in the galaxy of favored children. Therefore, to some, “It’s all right to hold back some other kids, but not mine.”

Of course, there are compelling arguments on both sides. It’s true that a kid who hasn’t mastered the right language tools by the end of third grade may find the coming scholastic path rigorous and frustrating. But this kind of retention presupposes a lot of factors.

What if some pupils’ breakfast consists only of a Big Gulp and a Pop Tart? What if barrio kids, for example, haven’t had a nutritious meal since yesterday? And we might even ask about children who receive adequate meals at school, but toss the apple and the vegetables in order to leave room for the chips and hot dog.

I realize I’ve been out of the classroom for a long time. But my observations are keen enough to see when the trash barrel by the cafeteria contains dozens of unopened, or only-played-with milk cartons, to give the appearance that at least some of the product has been consumed.

We hear much about the frustration, humiliation and desperation students experience after they’ve been “socially promoted” and can’t master the learning in the higher grades. That may be true, but it’s also equally likely that repeating third grade will be traumatic.

Proponents of the bill ought to take care of several matters, among them:

• Will students ever be retained twice?
• Do parents of struggling students have a say?

And finally, while discussing social promotion, it would be interesting to discover how many of today’s teachers weren’t reading at grade level when they were third graders.

There’s been much discussion by the governor and others about reluctance to advance students who can’t cut it, but have you noticed that very little has been said about how to handle those students who are retained? Do they merely repeat third grade, including all its auxiliary units, regardless of whether they mastered particular units?

Does retention entail repeating third grade . . . and nothing else?

We hear about intervention, apparently the hiring of reading specialists to get students over the hump. In some classrooms, large numbers of pupils fail to read at grade level — a “distinction” that appears to place the entire onus on the child, not the teacher.”

Hmm. If Gov. Susana Martinez succeeds in getting the retention bill signed into law, it’ll be interesting to discover where the money will come from to hire reading specialists — who will certainly be in demand.

Rather than retention, there’s a much better solution. It’s called summer school.

• • •

A reader passed on some classic answers from a number of well-known personalities. Enjoy!
Question: If you could live forever, would you and why?

Answer: “I would not live forever, because we should not live forever, because if we were supposed to live forever, then we would live forever, but we cannot live forever, which is why I would not live forever.” — Miss Alabama in the 1994 Miss USA contest.

“Whenever I watch TV and see those poor starving kids all over the world, I can’t help but cry. I mean I’d love to be skinny like that, but not with all those flies and death and stuff.” — Mariah Carey

“Smoking kills. If you’re killed, you’ve lost a very important part of your life,” — Brooke Shields, during an interview to become spokesperson for federal anti-smoking campaign.

“I’ve never had major knee surgery on any other part of my body,” — Winston Bennett, University of Kentucky basketball forward.

“Outside of the killings, Washington has one of the lowest crime rates in the country.” — Mayor Marion Barry, Washington , DC

“That lowdown scoundrel deserves to be kicked to death by a jackass, and I’m just the one to do it.” — A congressional candidate in Texas.

“Half this game is 90 percent mental.” — Philadelphia Phillies manager Danny Ozark

“It isn’t pollution that’s harming the environment. It’s the impurities in our air and water that are doing it.” — Al Gore, vice president

“I love California. I practically grew up in Phoenix.” — Dan Quayle

“We’ve got to pause and ask ourselves: How much clean air do we need?” — Lee Iacocca

“The word ‘genius’ isn’t applicable in football. A genius is a guy like Norman Einstein.” — Joe Theisman, NFL football quarterback and sports analyst.

“We don’t necessarily discriminate. We simply exclude certain types of people.” — Colonel Gerald Wellman, ROTC Instructor.

“Your food stamps will be stopped effective March 1992 because we received notice that you passed away. May God bless you. You may reapply if there is a change in your circumstances.” — Department of Social Services, Greenville, S.C.