The School Thang
Well, boy howdy, I talked to the school principal today about that, uh, issue I had about them posters lining my kids' school.
Her side is that it is an unfortunate and horrible misunderstanding.
A second grade teacher had got a "free classroom material" type postcard in her mail there and figured "Sure! Sounds good to me!" and returned the card requesting their free materials.
A few weeks later the posters arrived.
The 2nd grade teacher never even questioned it, or had any reservations. Naive. Clueless. See, I toldja this place was Mayberry.
I asked if she had also got the Teacher's handbook that goes with that offer (I had seen it on the website).
No, I was told, just the posters. But they are nice aren't they?
(Yep, just like a coral snake is pretty.)
I implored her to go check out the sites and see for herself what they had let in the backdoor. I mentioned a few things that I found objectionable. I know her and the people who staff the school, I knew this had be an honest mistake of ignorance. She said she would get back with me.
She called back a few hours later. Apologizing up a storm. "I had no idea! Believe me if we had even knew-well, you know that certainly doesn't reflect our values at all!! I apologize, believe me, I'm just as shocked as you-so, what do you think we should do? They are so nice, I mean, they're colorful and they say good things and all."
I must admit she had me there. I couldn't argue that point. Visually they are nice and have quotes by notable Americans on them. Which once again-damn if ya do/damn if ya don't! See? Now I'm Un-American cuz I object to these things, along with being an intolerant, bigoted homophobic, religious fanatic racist!
Christ, how wickedly evil the genuises behind this must be! Mind Fuggerus Majorus.
Anyway, long story short- I caved some.Ain't proud of it, but hey, I gotta live here, too, as do my younguns. Yeah, I know-no excuse. But my primary worry was the curriculum. Since they had no intentions of introducing any of the curriculum or lessons into the classes, we agreed that the posters could stay. So it was a weak compromise, but my main concern had been addressed...however, the website addy and name would be blacked out on the posters. Because as the principal put it: I would just be mortified if any of our kids went to those sites and saw that stuff! (meaning the articles on how same sex marriage ain't all that weird, writing assignments with topics as :"Imagine if homosexuality was the norm." and scholarly definitions of n**ger, dyke, bitch, pagan, jap, spick etc. and how we can 'defuse' those words by owning them.) WTF? I don't even use those words as an adult!! Well, ok...I'll cop to 'pagan' but that's it! Those words have been on my shitlist for most my adult life, because I find them distasteful. I wasn't raised that way. (as you noticed-I can't even completely spell out that one word, that's how much it sickens me.)
So that's it; now if you'll excuse me- I'm gonna do "society" a favor and go hang myself, because with being an intolerant un-American, racist, homophobe, religious fanatic bigot, I'm also a censorer, now, too. With serious self esteem issues.
Her side is that it is an unfortunate and horrible misunderstanding.
A second grade teacher had got a "free classroom material" type postcard in her mail there and figured "Sure! Sounds good to me!" and returned the card requesting their free materials.
A few weeks later the posters arrived.
The 2nd grade teacher never even questioned it, or had any reservations. Naive. Clueless. See, I toldja this place was Mayberry.
I asked if she had also got the Teacher's handbook that goes with that offer (I had seen it on the website).
No, I was told, just the posters. But they are nice aren't they?
(Yep, just like a coral snake is pretty.)
I implored her to go check out the sites and see for herself what they had let in the backdoor. I mentioned a few things that I found objectionable. I know her and the people who staff the school, I knew this had be an honest mistake of ignorance. She said she would get back with me.
She called back a few hours later. Apologizing up a storm. "I had no idea! Believe me if we had even knew-well, you know that certainly doesn't reflect our values at all!! I apologize, believe me, I'm just as shocked as you-so, what do you think we should do? They are so nice, I mean, they're colorful and they say good things and all."
I must admit she had me there. I couldn't argue that point. Visually they are nice and have quotes by notable Americans on them. Which once again-damn if ya do/damn if ya don't! See? Now I'm Un-American cuz I object to these things, along with being an intolerant, bigoted homophobic, religious fanatic racist!
Christ, how wickedly evil the genuises behind this must be! Mind Fuggerus Majorus.
Anyway, long story short- I caved some.Ain't proud of it, but hey, I gotta live here, too, as do my younguns. Yeah, I know-no excuse. But my primary worry was the curriculum. Since they had no intentions of introducing any of the curriculum or lessons into the classes, we agreed that the posters could stay. So it was a weak compromise, but my main concern had been addressed...however, the website addy and name would be blacked out on the posters. Because as the principal put it: I would just be mortified if any of our kids went to those sites and saw that stuff! (meaning the articles on how same sex marriage ain't all that weird, writing assignments with topics as :"Imagine if homosexuality was the norm." and scholarly definitions of n**ger, dyke, bitch, pagan, jap, spick etc. and how we can 'defuse' those words by owning them.) WTF? I don't even use those words as an adult!! Well, ok...I'll cop to 'pagan' but that's it! Those words have been on my shitlist for most my adult life, because I find them distasteful. I wasn't raised that way. (as you noticed-I can't even completely spell out that one word, that's how much it sickens me.)
So that's it; now if you'll excuse me- I'm gonna do "society" a favor and go hang myself, because with being an intolerant un-American, racist, homophobe, religious fanatic bigot, I'm also a censorer, now, too. With serious self esteem issues.
posted by white trash republican at Friday, March 31, 2006
4 Comments:
I was a wunderin what happened about that situation....at first I was goin t'suggest "Colorful toilet paper"...but then ya said how they had patriotic slogans and all...so that was out....hmmmm...I probably woulda compromised as well...so don't feel bad. It is interesting just how they went about "slippin those in the back door"....well...it shows that you...at least...are astute and aware of your surroundins....
You did won a victory because you educated the teachers. Without you, they would still be ignorant.
At least they blacked out the website url! I also would have compromised. You do have to live there, and small towns are so... uh, "small-townish." Word gets around faster than the speed of light.
I think you did good! :)
Thanks, y'all.
About that living in a small town-it wasn't so much being branded as a 'troublemaker', because I know just about everyone here (in this county) would have agreed with me. I just didn't want innocent folks reputations sullied and have them branded as lefties and moonbats because of ignorance. I was more worried about the fallout on THEM rather than me if this had got around.That's why I'm glad we came to a compromise, quietly and civilly-just 'tween me and the principal. I really do love our school and didn't want any aspertions (sp) cast on them. I was hoping & praying that it was a horrible misunderstanding...and by all accounts it was. And I'm just so relieved it was!
And I bet they'll double check the sources from here on out! So that's a good thing. We all have got so cozy with the isolation here, but now they know that even here we have to be on guard.
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