I just watched the local noon news. One of the feature stories was about an 11-year-old boy in a Denver suburb who was suspended from school. Why? Because he wore a hand-painted, anti-Obama t-shirt, embellished with Obama's name in a circle with the slash mark through it, and mention of Obama being a terrorist all over the shirt.
In accordance with the school's dress code, the student was asked by a teacher to either remove the shirt or turn it inside out, both of which he refused to do. When asked by the reporter how he got the notion to choose McCain over Obama, he replied that he didn't get the idea, his dad did. And when his dad, proudly standing by, got his turn to speak, he faulted the school for thinking that their local policies could trump the First Amendment of the Constitution. He even went so far as to state that they (the school officials) should be knocked around.
And we wonder why it's so hard to attract and keep good teachers these days?
My college professor's theory that children are products of their environments was once again proven to be right on.
In accordance with the school's dress code, the student was asked by a teacher to either remove the shirt or turn it inside out, both of which he refused to do. When asked by the reporter how he got the notion to choose McCain over Obama, he replied that he didn't get the idea, his dad did. And when his dad, proudly standing by, got his turn to speak, he faulted the school for thinking that their local policies could trump the First Amendment of the Constitution. He even went so far as to state that they (the school officials) should be knocked around.
And we wonder why it's so hard to attract and keep good teachers these days?
My college professor's theory that children are products of their environments was once again proven to be right on.
3 comments:
Found you on "down to earth" and am delighted to read that you live in Westcliffe! I live in Wetmore - scary, huh? Read your breast mass post with anxiety and am really glad for you. I think we need a green house for tomatoes in this part of the world. My tomatoes hardly ever do well.
Suzan, I cannot believe you live in Wetmore. And the two of us read the same blog written by a gal in Australia? Wow, what a coincidence. We don't actually live in Westcliffe yet, but hopefully soon. Yes, the more I try to garden in this climate, the more I think a greenhouse is in order! Thanks for the post and the kind words.
I tend to have issues with parents using their kids as statements, poitical/ religious or otherwise.
I understand kids grow up and are heavily influenced by their parents, which is good. After all we are there to teach them. But, indoctrination just rubs me the wrong way, it could be that I feel we were brought up to think first then make up our minds.
Second point, I have a bit of an issue with what local news finds as newsworthy. A massive event occurs and every station must blast the same footage over and over, 'we will bring you the latest up to date news' for 2 weeks straight, desensitizing the populace. The flipside is finding 'Amazing story of survival' when a 19yo girl gets kicked out of a moving car on an exit ramp. Though not a good thing to have happened, I don't think it should be broadcast with teaser snips for 8 hours prior to the 'Amazing story'. And in this case the story wasn't amazing at all, she was booted out over a squabble, slid for 10 feet then got up and got out of the road with minor scrapes and gave a nice little interview. That made prime time news here in Dallas.
In that case it may have been better for her to have that happen then the alternative violent action had he driven her to a secluded spot and stopped the car.
I am an avid Bill of Rights believer, unfortunately not everyone seems to use common sense when it comes to something like the Freedom of Speech. Just because you can doesn't mean you always should.
I'm done ranting!
My tomatoes are growing up a storm, but only recently decided to set fruit since it has been over 100 for much of the summer. (I planted late) However, we do have to water them daily, the Texas sun if brutal.
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