Mr. Bazon,
I received your letter concerning the Life School Red Oak choosing not to broadcast President Obama’s speech to America ’s young students yesterday. I find this decision somewhat disturbing and completely inconsistent with what the Life School continuously advertises as its core values.
In the letter, you stated that views “may not necessarily represent the views or opinions of Life School , its Board of Directors, faculty, and staff”. Really, that’s surprising? What parts of hard work, respect for ones peers, respect for your teachers, overcoming adversity, parent/teacher/government responsibility, determination and perhaps most importantly, personal responsibility don’t “necessarily” reflect Life School ’s views? What part of this speech, which I’ve attached for your review, doesn’t reflect Life School ’s opinions? Please be specific. Yet in the same week that you send a letter to the parents about NOT making the speech mandatory viewing, you send home a letter highlighting an Education Summit that will highlight opinions of senators, city council, mayors, county commissioners and sheriffs. Really? There was no disclaimer attached to that letter, why not? Also, you highlight that the Pledge of Allegiance will open the ceremony, which is very patriotic. But doesn’t listening to our country’s President addressing our children also qualify as patriotic? Doesn’t this event and your letter advertising the event seem to be a bit of a contradiction to you? If not, please explain. Just to be clear, please note that I have no problem with the planned Education Summit.
Basically, these two actions speak volumes about the complete lack of respect that the school has for our President and reeks of political/“other” messages. In addition last year my child came home with the impression that (at that time Presidential candidate Obama) was a Muslim after a discussion with his Social Studies teacher there at Life School , which was addressed with a letter to that particular teacher. Which, to be perfectly honest, I was not pleased or satisfied with the response as my concerns were more or less glossed over as I asked her to clarify to the entire class that Mr. Obama was not Muslim, an important fact that should not have been ignored. Between that incident and your decision not to air yesterday’s broadcast, I’m very concerned that this type of disrespect, teaching and decision making is becoming a “trend” at your school. Is it?
As I picked my children up from school yesterday, one of my children voiced that she was very “disappointed” that she was not allowed to view President’s Obama’s speech, as she had followed the story on this for a few days. The school’s decision robbed her and her classmates of a rare opportunity to feel included in today’s political process, in “real time”. She also stated that she thought it was unfair. This, from a fourth grader.
I’ve already spoken with other parents of students at your school and they share similar concerns. I’d like to meet with you to discuss these issues, but most likely it will require a group setting, because as I’ve stated, other parents have similar views on these decisions. I look forward to your prompt response.
Thank you,
Vincent Grase
Yes. We all need to get involved in what is going on in our children's schools. They are run by too many teachers and administrators who are part of this rising rebellion against a Black President
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