School's anti-war assignment canceled (Madison, WI)

Wisconsin State Journal ^ | 11/23/05 | SANDY CULLEN

[Jean S]

A letter-writing campaign by third-graders at Allis Elementary School encouraging an end to the war in Iraq was canceled because it violates School Board policy, district officials said Tuesday.

Julie Fitzpatrick, a member of the 10-teacher team that developed the project for the school's 90 third-grade students in five classes, said the assignment was intended to demonstrate citizen action, one of the district's standards in social studies.

"We saw peace as a common good," Fitzpatrick said. "We were just advocating that people keep working toward peace."

But Robin Reynolds, an Army veteran whose 8-year-old grandson is in Fitzpatrick's class, said she regards the assignment as a form of "anti-war protesting" that "is not suitable for elementary students."

"They're supposed to teach the facts and not opinions," she said. "That's brainwashing."

"It was certainly an unfortunate thing to have happen," Superintendent Art Rainwater said. "It's a direct violation of our board policy.

Madison School Board policy prohibits teachers "from exploiting the institutional privileges of their professional positions to promote candidates or parties and activities."

"We don't want our staff ever using our students in a political activity, which this obviously was," Rainwater said. "I think the district would apologize to anyone who was offended. It should not have happened."

Allis Principal Chris Hodge said a letter was sent to parents Tuesday apologizing to anyone who was offended and informing them that the project was rescinded.Reynolds, who served as a personnel assistant at Fort McClellan in Alabama during the Vietnam War and has three family members serving in Iraq, said she "blew up" last Friday when her grandson brought home a letter informing parents about the campaign, in which students were to write a letter every day for 12 days.

Letters were to go to other students, the state's U.S. senators and representatives, President Bush, and the secretary of the United Nations urging them to "join our press for peace." If the war were not over in 12 days, the sequence would be repeated.

Reynolds said her grandson was upset by the assignment. "He knows he's got an uncle and cousins over there."

Fitzpatrick and Hodge, said a misunderstanding resulted in the initial letter going out to parents.

"I left with the impression we could go with it," Fitzpatrick said.

But Hodge said she had wanted to find out what the School Board's policy was before the letter was sent home.

"I thought it was an inappropriate assignment," Hodge said, adding she felt the topic of war was "too vast" for third-graders to understand. "I just think it was too much to ask of a third- grader."

Hodge said she had only heard from one parent who also was concerned that the project was beyond a third- grader's level of understanding.

School Board President Carol Carstensen said board policy and the district's teachers contract also require teachers to withhold the expression of personal opinion unless asked a direct question when dealing with controversial issues.

While it would be appropriate for students to decide to write letters expressing their own views, Cartsensen said, "It isn't appropriate to mandate it."

U.S. Rep. Mark Green, R- Green Bay, who is seeking Republican nomination for governor in 2006, on Tuesday faxed Hodge a letter calling for the assignment to be rescinded.

Hodge said she had received Green's fax but had not had time to read it.

"We're really stunned by the reception," Fitzpatrick said. "In hindsight, I guess we should have anticipated it. It's kind of sad when peace causes a furor."

Fitzpatrick said many parents had sent envelopes and stamps as requested in the initial letter they received.

Sharon Johnson, co- president of the Allis's Parent Teacher Organization, and Toni Kress-Russick, both of whom have children in Fitzpatrick's class, said they were supportive of the project.

Kress-Russick, a special education teacher at Memorial High School, said it taught social responsibility and demonstrated to students that "people can make a difference" and that "just one little third-grader can matter."

"I thought it was a great assignment," Johnson said. "People just tend to blow things out of proportion all the time. I think this is one of them."

Susan Abplanalp, assistant superintendent for elementary and secondary schools, said she does not believe the teachers involved viewed the assignment as a political activity.

"They really looked at this as a peace project," Abplanalp said. "I don't think that the intent was to make this a political statement."

The assignment The letter sent home to parents last Friday said third-graders at Allis Elementary School would be "writing letters to encourage an end to the war in Iraq. The letter writing will teach civic responsibility, a social studies standard, while providing an authentic opportunity to improve composition skills and handwriting."

Students were to write a letter a day for 12 days to other students, the state's U.S. senators and representatives, the president of the United States, and the secretary of the United Nations "urging them to press for peace," as well as to the media.

If the war did not end in 12 days, the sequence would be repeated.

Parents were asked to provide 10 postage stamps and 12 envelopes.

An alternative assignment was to be provided for students whose parents did not want them to participate.

[17th Miss Regt]

Letters from children saying "we care about you and support you" or "thank you" would be an emotionally moving experience for the soldiers.

Good idea. Here's another thought. Have some of the kids write letters protesting the mindless killing of civilians, destruction of the infrastructure and the damage to the environment that is going on in Iraq and address the letters to Zarqawi, Bin Laden, et. al. That ought to get the teacher's goat but good!

[Fred Hayek]

This is damn near on the same level as child molestation.

[polymuser]

Is this CHILD ABUSE? Really, I ask it seriously.

[ApplegateRanch]

You want letters? I'll geev you steenkin letters!

Dear President Bush,
I hope and pray you will end the war and bring bring our soldiers home RIGHT NOW!

I have a brand new burkah all picked out that I can't wait to wear, while bowing to Satan and farting at God five times a day. My third grade teacher, Ms Julie Fitzpatrick, taught me how wonderful that would be!

I also bought a brand new whip to give my future husband as a wedding gift when I turn 9, to beat me with when I am a bad wife.

Sincerely, Little Suzie

Or,

Dear President Bush,
Please quit dinking around, and end the war so we can have peace next week!

Please blow up Mecca, Medina and the Al Aqsa Mosques NOW, and get it over with.

Semper Fi, Little Billy

[polymuser]

Reading my mind!

[polymuser]

I suggest we demonstrate citizen action, too.

Letters to that superintendent and school board demanding her release.

More letters 12 days later if she isn't released yet.

And then again 12 days after that.

[Fred Hayek]

"She just wanted to make sure the children understood that "citizen action" is when an authority figure tells the powerless peons what to do and they do it." Maybe some parents should start addressing her as Tovarisch Zampolit

[M Kehoe]

Julie Fitzpatrick, a member of the 10-teacher team that developed the project for the school's 90 third-grade students in five classes, said the assignment was intended to demonstrate citizen action, one of the district's standards in social studies.

Hey Julie! I've got a great idea for class preparation. Why don't you do some extracurricular activity at Ft. Knox, say for about 8 weeks...during the winter. You would meet some fine people, and get to hike up and down Agony and Misery. My two favorite hills.

Trust me Julie, that will help you a lot.

5.56mm

[Eagles Talon IV]

Hey, Fitzpatrick, why not have the letters sent to the ragheads who are blowing up innocent men, women and children and ask THEM to quit their murderous ways so peace can reign? Oh wait, I forgot, you losers think the savage ragheads are the good guys.

[adb102]

The assignment The letter sent home to parents last Friday said third-graders at Allis Elementary School would be "writing letters to encourage an end to the war in Iraq. The letter writing will teach civic responsibility, a social studies standard, while providing an authentic opportunity to improve composition skills and handwriting."

Instead of protesting to the school board, wouldn't it have been great if the parents all got together and submitted the following for their child's assignment.

Dear President Bush, To facilitate the end of the war in Iraq we urge you to drop a dozen nuclear bombs in Iraq, Syria and other middle east areas and simply turn the middle east into a glass parking lot. This would end the war and make my teacher very happy.

[polymuser]

[PTA President Sharon] Johnson, a Democrat, had no problem with the assignment but admitted that if the campaign had promoted the war she would have...

PTA never disagrees with the teachers' union. Ever. Else all teacher dues would stop and PTA would languish.

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

NOTICE TO ALL! It was a 10 teacher team that created the project. Not just one teacher. They're not gonna fire 10 teachers. I'd say this school, and it's students, are screwed!

[Pikamax]

bttt

[Ladysmith]

"I thought it was a great assignment," Johnson said. "People just tend to blow things out of proportion all the time. I think this is one of them."

Let's see here:

Third-graders would be writing letters to encourage an end to the war in Iraq.

For 12 days, students will write to:
Other students
Congress
POTUS
The UN
MSM

Rinse and repeat.

And those who complained are the ones who are "blowings things out of proportion"??

[polymuser]

NOTICE TO ALL! It was a 10 teacher team that created the project. Not just one teacher. They're not gonna fire 10 teachers. I'd say this school, and it's students, are screwed!

Make an example of the most vocal one.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Good Afternoon, Wisconsin Conservative Politics Ping List Members! FYI, if you're interested in this subject.

Thanks, JeanS! Thanks, SJackson! This one was on the docket for me to post this afternoon. I'm busy baking Pumpkin Cheesecakes today. :)

[VRWCmember]

Sharon Johnson, co- president of the Allis's Parent Teacher Organization, and Toni Kress-Russick, both of whom have children in Fitzpatrick's class, said they were supportive of the project.

Kress-Russick, a special education teacher at Memorial High School, said it taught social responsibility and demonstrated to students that "people can make a difference" and that "just one little third-grader can matter."

"I thought it was a great assignment," Johnson said. "People just tend to blow things out of proportion all the time. I think this is one of them."

Now let's just imagine an alternate social studies teacher giving a similar assignment. In this assignment, the children are asked to write letters to the media, representatives, etc. expressing gratitude for our military for their vigilant defense of our liberties and urging people to support the troops, and encouraging the President to stay the course. It would be called the "Failure is not an option" project. It would teach social responsibility and show how people can make a difference in the lives of our soldiers. What would Ms. Johnson say about that? Well, from other articles that also quote this typical hypocritical democrat bimbo, we know that she "would have a problem" with the assignment if the students had to write letters in support of the war. Of course in that case, her objections would not amount to "blowing things out of proportion".

[weegee]

We've got laws to prevent the government from issuing "propaganda" now (whatever that means, and it is a departure from past history).

We don't have laws to keep the schools from indoctrinating students in leftist political ideology.

So they can be exposed to Democrat propaganda 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, but we are prohibited from telling them America is good.

Separation of Church and State? I urge a separation of School and Government. The indoctination will end, the NEA will lose their stronghold on the political system and fewer parents will have to rely on home schooling to protect their innocent children from those who mean them harm.

[VRWCmember]

That reminds me of a T-shirt I saw recently. It had the following on it:

Teamwork: A lot of people doing what I tell them.

[newcthem]

"THE COMMON GOOD" is responsible for more bullshit happening (especially in Madison)