Posted on 06/02/2005 7:40:36 PM PDT by ajolympian2004
We talked about this one on the show yesterday, but it didn't make the Nuze. So here we go .. the story of the Anita White Carson Middle School in Greensboro, Greene County, Georgia.
Our cast of characters is as follows:
So .. here's the story, gleaned from the front page of the May 26th edition of Greensboro Herald-Journal.
Matthew Lund and Zach Richardson were college roommates. After college Richard joined the Marines and Lund started teaching. Richardson went to Iraq, Lund to Carson Middle School, there to teach a 6th grade language arts class.
As a class assignment Lund gave his students the opportunity to write a letter to Sgt. Richardson in Iraq. Richardson wrote back and gave the class the names of five other Marines who would like to receive letters. Soon other middle school classes were also sending letters to the Marines in Iraq.
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He says he asked the Principal about the form, and was told that she was not going to look at it.
Lund says that he realized his request to have Sgt. Richardson visit the school was going to be ignored by Ulrica Corbett. He made the decision to proceed with the plans for the visit, a visit that took place, or was to take place on May 23rd, one week before Memorial Day.
When Sgt. Richardson showed up at the Carson Middle School Lund took him to the school's media center to prepare to meet the students. At that point, according to Lund, Principal Corbett called him into the hall and told him that the Marine was not approved to be at the school. Lund told Corbett that the proper form had been submitted and had been ignored. Corbett's response was "that's your problem, not mine." Lund's version of the discussion with Corbett in the hallway suggests that Corbett harbored a great deal of hostility toward Sgt. Richardson and Matthew Lund. She told Lund that the students had not earned the visit from the Marine, and closed the discussion with Lund with the phrase "what part of what we just discussed do you not understand?" She then ordered Matthew Lund to escort Sgt. Richardson off the school campus.
When this story hit the local newspaper Ulrica Corbett thought it best to do a little CYA work. She submitted a written statement to the Herald-Journal in which she stated "My decision not to allow Zach Richardson to speak with the students on Monday came out of my regard for the safety and welfare of our children." What a crock. Is Ulrica Corbett saying that this U.S. Marine who had just spent a year putting his life on the line for his country presented some sort of a threat to the children at the Carson Middle School?
My guess? What we have here is some self-important middle school principal who harbors a dislike, if not an outright hatred, of the American armed forces, and who is steadfastly opposed to our actions in Iraq and quite possibly in Afghanistan. This principal then decided to let her petty prejudices stand in the way of what would have been a memorable and rewarding experience for both Sgt. Richardson and the children of Matthew Lund's 6th grade class. Now that's just a guess. I've received messages that Ulrica Corbett has family members in the military and serving in Iraq. You would have thought that information might have been set forth in her written statement to the newspaper. It wasn't
Corbett is saying that the teacher didn't follow protocol. The newspaper has signed and dated copies of the documentation submitted by Lund. Someone here isn't telling the truth. One thing for sure: Protocol be dammed, Ulrica Corbett could have found a way to allow this soldier to talk to the students who had befriended him. She didn't
This morning the story is getting increased attention. Calls have been coming into the Greene County Schools from across the nation. Superintendent John Jackson has offered a written apology, saying that the situation could have been handled differently. The official story still seems to be that Lund didn't follow the necessary steps to get permission for Richardson's visit. I would like to know a little more about Lund's assertion that Corbett told him that she was simply "not going to look at" the written request, and that this was "(his) problem, not mine." Right now it sounds more like the problem was with Corbett, not Lund. I guess it should be expected that the superintendent would protect an established principal in a controversy with a first year teacher on the way out the door.
Thanks to the Herald-Journal the people of Greene County know just what type of person they have in charge of the education of their children at the Carson Middle School.
Government schools. Gotta love 'em.
Isn't UCF the school that had the guy on staff who was on the FBI terror watch list?
I guess we could cross-reference his classes with her "education" and see what political bent she's coming from.
Paul
I've never played the games you talk about.
I DO insist that my sons (3 and 5) tell every soldier they meet in a store or the mall, or the airport, or whereever we meet them, "Thank you for keeping me free, sir." (Or "Ma'am" if it's a female soldier.) I never have to explain to the soldier. They always know why.
I do have to explain to my wife. And I tell her I will continue to teach my children the utmost respect for the military until someone drags the last dying breath from my body.
Paul
Here's what we were discussing last night, Buford...
No, that was USF, in Tampa.
Thanks!
Updated info here:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1415023/posts?page=90#90
Henrico Students Get Surprise Visit from Soldier
For months, several Henrico 8th graders wrote to an army captain stationed in Iraq. Army Captain Steve Fuller says the goody box he received from the Pocahontas Middle School students was special and reminded him of home. The students never had a chance to meet him, until his surprise visit to their awards ceremony.
It was awards time at Pocahontas Middle School, the bleachers were lined with parents and grandparents Friday. On stage, there was a special guest many of the students knew but, had never met. He flew from his home in Texas to Richmond to say, "Thank you."
Rewind about 12 months, when these kids were in seventh grade.
Through a class assignment, students like Kelly Bowman, began writing to soldiers in Iraq . It had been around the holiday season when Bowman wrote. She wished him a happy holiday and "Thanked him for everything he was doing because everybody here was really grateful.”
Steven Fuller was grateful to receive the package while he was in Iraq. He read the cards and letters from the students. He ate the candy and it all made him "feel at home for a brief moment."
Captain Steve Fuller joined the army after law school. He served six months in Iraq, mostly in the dangerous city of Tikrit, where he used his degree first as a defense attorney and then, as a prosecutor.
As he met the students for the first time Friday in a surprise visit as a special guest at their awards ceremony, he encouraged them to set goals and strive to be the best.
He also brought a gift, an American flag he flew over Iraq.
"To show my gratitude to them," says Fuller. "We appreciated what they were doing and that they were thinking about soldiers over there ... whether it was me or some other soldiers they sent it to."
Students like Bowman, and others, feel like they've made a difference. She says, “It just makes us feel special.”
That flag will hang in the school hallway in a specially built glass case.
Updated info:
As promised several weeks ago, an event has been scheduled which will allow the children from Carson Middle School who participated in a letter writing campaign with Marine Sergeant Zack Richardson, to finally have a chance to meet and visit with their hero on Monday, July 18 at 5:30 p.m. at The Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation.
The Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation has graciously offered to host those middle school students involved in the letter writing campaign and their parents to spend an evening with the sergeant and a few of his fellow Marines.
Mr. Matthew Lund, Sgt. Richardson and Marines will speak with the students, their parents and community leaders about their experience in Iraq and how the students’ letters helped them in difficult times. The students will be presented with commemorative gifts to remember the remarkable event.
Following the private meeting, The Ritz-Carlton Lodge is providing a barbecue at 6:30 p.m. for those in the community who are interested in meeting and showing support for Sgt. Richardson and just simply saying “thank you” to Sgt. Richardson and his fellow Marines for defending our nation. Since this picnic is open to the community it is impossible to plan for a specific number of attendees; therefore, the barbecue will be offered on a first come, first serve basis.
I would like to reiterate that these two events are non-political. They are simply an opportunity for the community to come together and show support for Sgt. Richardson and Marines, as well as the many children from Carson Middle School who offered hope and encouragement to the Marines through their heartfelt letters from home.
A group of community volunteers will be available to offer information and assistance to the students and their parents who attend the private event. We ask that if your child is among the students who participated in the letter writing campaign and would like to come to these special events, please contact the following people to confirm your participation or if you have any questions.
Note my update on the post before this one.
Mission accomplished!
ping
Awesome!
Thanks for the update!
Awesome!
later read/ping.
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