CA Education Secretary apologizes for comment to girl -(my add) calls her "Stupid, dirty girl."

The Tribune San Luis Obispo Online ^ | Posted on Sun, Jul. 04, 2004 | Associated Press

[getmeouttaPalmBeachCounty_FL]

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - State Education Secretary Richard Riordan has apologized for joking that a child's name meant "stupid dirty girl."

In a videotaped exchange at the city's central library on Thursday, a girl asked Riordan if he knew that her name meant "Egyptian goddess."

Riordan, who apparently believed he'd been asked what her name meant, replied, "It means stupid dirty girl."

Some in the room laughed nervously, and the girl again told Riordan the meaning of her name.

"Hey, that's nifty," he said.

[getmeouttaPalmBeachCounty_FL]

I'm sorry...Republican or not, this is simply awful. How old is he? Approaching his mid 70s AND the Education Supervisor for the State of California and he doesn't know that calling a child stupid is unacceptable?

This makes me sick.

[getmeouttaPalmBeachCounty_FL]

If this happened to one of my children, here's what I would do...
I would "sue" the state, demanding that reparations be made whereby Mr. Riordan would for 2 hours during the lunch hour every day for thirty days, write on a chalkboard outside of his office building..."I will not call any little child of the state of California, 'stupid, dirty girl. I will not..." Rain or shine.

[.38sw]

What
A
Dolt

Is he getting senile?

[boris]

Smooth move, there...

[SteveH]

I think this illustrates the ongoing contempt state Republican officials have for ordinary people.

Country Club Republicans are the last thing California needs.

Fooey on Arnold for putting at least this one in his cabinet.

[mhx]

This makes me sick.

It makes you sick? Why, everyone knows he's the only Republican that can get elected governor of California!!!

[saquin]

What in the world would possess him to say something like that to a little girl?
It's not only cruel and rude but it makes absolutely no sense. It's not even a "joke". It's not funny.

I really wonder if he's getting senile dementia.

[SedVictaCatoni]

In a videotaped exchange at the city's central library on Thursday, a girl asked Riordan if he knew that her name meant "Egyptian goddess."

I'd be interested to know what name is supposed to mean "Egyptian goddess". Is she named Theaegypta?

[SteveH]

One more thing, my understanding is that the Education Secretary is a largely symbolic post... it is my loose understanding that it has no formal ties to the State department of education. In that sense, Riordan's job is probably to tour the state promoting goodwill in education on behalf of the governor. At that, he fails miserably in this instance.

Combine this with other recent published reports that Arnold's staff budget exceeds Davis's staff budget by a considerable proportion, and one gets a picture of fat white middle aged males in polyester plaid swinging golf clubs 4 days a week and putting in obligatory "for the children" photo-ops one day a week, with disdain.

Arnold is digging his own political grave by approinting folks like Riordan and following their advice on policy issues (be it tax and spend, or borrow and spend).

[TheSpottedOwl]

Was he drunk? Completely inexcusable comment from anyone to a child.

[Carry_Okie]

Riordan was the guy the "moderate" wing of the Republican Party apparatus wanted for governor, a condescending elitist control freak. So after the Party rejected him, the same New Majority big tent crowd foisted Arnold, a governor who thinks like this:

“My relationship to power and authority is that I’m all for it,” he once explained. “People need somebody to watch over them.... Ninety-five percent of the people in the world need to be told what to do and how to behave.”

Arnold Schwarzenegger, U.S. News & World Report, Nov 26, 1990

When conservatives fall for it, we get what we deserve.

[malakhi]

CA Education Secretary apologizes for comment to girl -(my add) calls her "Stupid, dirty girl."

Wow.

Did he also say that she had cooties?

[Dinsdale]

Nope I disagree on principle.

It was wrong to call this girl stupid at that time. Unacceptable.

But not calling a kid stupid when they are being stupid will get the kid killed.

[fieldmarshaldj]

*RINO watch ping*

Tricky Dick Riordan already is senile. He's the reason why Ah-nold decided to run for Governor himself. Ah-nold went to have a meeting with Riordan as the recall effort was gaining speed and was prepared to offer his full support for Tricky Dick's run for Governor, but after a con-fab with Riordan, Ah-nold was shocked to realize the man no longer was with "all his faculties." I would not be surprised if Riordan is in the early stages of Alzheimer's. He has no business serving in any governmental capacity, period (and shame on Ah-nold for even placing him in such a position knowing full well his mental incapacities).

[SteveH]

Office of Secretary of Education, State of California

Richard J. Riordan was appointed the Secretary for Education on November 3, 2003 -- Governor Schwarzenegger's first cabinet appointment. In his capacity, Secretary Riordan is responsible for advising and recommending policies on education to the Governor. The citizens of California are getting more than a new Secretary for Education, they are getting a truly human human-being: caring, astute, courteous, plain speaking, and highly accessible to all.

Biography

State of California
Governor's Office br> Office of the Secretary for Education br> 1121 "L" St, Suite 600
Sacramento, CA 95814
Telephone: (916) 323-0611
Fax: (916) 323-7132

I believe his email address may be

edsec@ose.ca.gov

email OSE Dick Riordan

[Bullish]

I think this illustrates the ongoing contempt state Republican officials have for ordinary people. Country Club Republicans are the last thing California needs. Fooey on Arnold for putting at least this one in his cabinet.

So you think this state should be left in the hands of the socialist (Marxist), leftwing democrats?

You haven't been paying attention. The democrats are so corrupt in this state they make the Bolsheviks look like pikers.

Riordan made a stupid statement, and he is a liberal Republican. But Riordan is a very minor problem compared to the liberals.

[Bullish]

....Liberal democrats that is

[OldFriend]

Sorry, but the man is old, senile, and recovering from assorted illnesses.

Time to retire, IF, this story is correct.

[LiberalBassTurds]

Those "pick-up lines" only worked for Clinton. Shame on Riordan for trying them at his age. :)

LBT

-=-=-