Banning Legos (School socialist indoctrination alert!)

NRO ^ | 3/27/2007 | John Miller

[Scotswife]

"Never once did they build a community center, however, my ten year old once re-enacted Picketts Charge in Gettysburg with Lego's"

my boy was obsessed with Pickett's charge for a spell.
We took him to Gettysburgh a few times.

You can find Pickett and his men in Hollywood cemetary in Richmond.

[Charles Martel]

"Let's not go to Hilltop Children's Center. It is a silly place."

[atomic conspiracy]

[DocRock]

"My middle school daughter was invited to participate in a GA Tech Engineering day. One of the big programs GA Tech and the local middle/high schools are supporting and encouraging is a Lego League competition. From their brochure:

"students solve real-world engineering challenges, develop important life skills, and learn to make positive contributions to society"

Surprised to read now that Lego's are evil."

My daughter is in the IB program and is also looking into GA Tech. This year, she was invited to a ceremony where the keynote speaker was the school's first Valedictorian. The principal introduced this young lady by mentioning that the first time he met her, she was in the 7th grade and playing with Lego blocks. He said he watched her over the next 5 years continue to play with these Lego blocks as she built a robot... that could read. She now heads the development team for the Apache Long Bow long range fire control system. Yeah... those Legos are 'evil'... if you are on the receiving end of the Apache Long Bow!

[cyclotic]

We did the same last summer. I'll be in Richmond in May but since I'm there for the NASCAR race, probably won't have time to visit the cemetary.

One of his favorite movies in Gettysburg. At 10, I think he's a little to young to slog through The Killer Angels, but soon he will.

[Scotswife]

Our sons sound very similar.
Mine is almost 14 now and doesn't obsess over the Civil War anymore - although I still think he'd probably enjoy more trips to Gettysburgh.

We have family in Richmond and my cousin took us through Hollywood one day...I was amazed at the history there.

Jefferson Davis and his family. James Munroe (very impressive grave).
Picket and his men.
there's a huge pyramid where they have a mass grave for confederate soldiers.

[andy58-in-nh]

These liberals are just like muslims. They won't allow or tolerate anything they don't approve of.

You are very observant. Liberalism today is as much a faith as Islam. Both guard their beliefs zealously and will have no other Gods before them. They both seek to punish heresy and apostasy. They both reject reason in favor of faith alone, and deny individual liberty in favor of group needs. At the moment, as constrained by our Constitution, Liberals use the tools of ridicule, social control, legislation, and judicial fiat to accomplish their ends. Because Islamic powers have no equivalent constraint, they tend to just use brute force.

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

An ordinary person might recognize this as child’s play. But the social theorists at Hilltop saw something else: “The children were building their assumptions about ownership and the social power it conveys — assumptions that mirrored those of a class-based, capitalist society — a society that we teachers believe to be unjust and oppressive.”

Oh puh-LEEZE. What little kid doesn't go through the big "ME" or "MINE" stage?

Sign me -
MOM OF THREE

[jimfree]

Toys of Peace alert.

[DumpsterDiver]

Ann Pelo bio

Lordy!!

Ann Pelo, Mentor Teacher

Ann delights in young children. She has taught at Hilltop since 1992, where she is nourished by her co-teachers' commitment to growth and challenge, by children's passionate relationships, and by families' deep commitment to their children. Ann is particularly interested in anti-bias and peace education and in the philosophy of the schools in Reggio Emilia, Italy. She earned a master's degree in Child Development and Family Studies from Purdue University. Ann is co-author, with Fran Davidson, of That's Not Fair: A Teacher's Guide to Activism with Young Children, published by Redleaf Press and many articles about Early Childhood Education….

[atomic conspiracy]

Pelo and Pelojoaquin? "Pelo" means "hair"
Obviously self-named Hispano-hippy Marxists.

[rintense]

WHAT! What idiocy! Legos fueled my creativity as a child.

[cyclotic]

We have friends in Williamsburg. I was amazed at the history in that area. Driving from DC to Williamsburg encompassed many of the battles of the Civil War. I never realzed how close everything was until that day. Unfortunatley, our May trip is going to be a quick in and out one.

[pieceofthepuzzle]

"Usually their guilt is well-earned because they were born rich and never did anything useful with their wealth. My boss falls into that category."

I agree, but messing over the rest of us (i.e. promoting socialism etc.) to assuage their own guilt is destructive and selfish. If they feel guilty, go work in a soup kitchen, donate money, donate time, but don't promote policies that keep the rest of us from achieving our full potential as individuals.

[dawn53]

Last year my son had to write a critique for one of his classes. It had been one where they had a "group project." He basically told the prof (in a very polite, but logical way) why he hated group porjects and why he would have preferred to just do the work by himself. The prof took the criticism well, and gave him an A on the critique, so I'm sure they know problems exist.

My husband's a network manager and says they're just preparing you for the endless and useless meetings you'll have to attend in the workplace. He's always amazed at the amount of time wasted by management in meetings. He's reading a book right now entitled, "Death by Meeting."

[atomic conspiracy]

Disgusting.
I am as close to nausea as I have ever been about a posted item.
All the Indymedia codewords, and not a shred of compunction about using power over very young children to promote a totalitarian political agenda, one that is overtly aligned with the head-chopping, car-bombing savages of the Middle East. It will take a second Revolution to get rid of these evil creatures.

[bboop]

They are trying to control Original Sin by demonizing Legos. I would NEVER let my kids attend that school. The little boys our son grew up with who were not allowed to play with guns used their fingers.

[Aquinasfan]

Are some teachers at this school paid more than others?

Are salaries voted on democratically?

Inquiring minds want to know.

[B-Chan]

Can you believe anyone would actually pay to send their poor, innocent children to this laughing academy?

[panthermom]

Even though my boys had Legos they never played with them. Everything my boys do together must have a competive edge to it. Dinner is a competition in my house, who eats more. I swear sometimes I think I should wear a black and white ref's shirt and a whistle around my neck.