Posted on 11/25/2005 3:01:56 PM PST by chicagolady
I am the father of the young man who did not stand for the singing of the Mexican national anthem during a cultural awareness program at Larkin High School.
I have been constantly asked to explain the details of the event, and it is in response to these individuals that I offer the following facts.
Some of the students, my son included, were compelled to attend this assembly. The Mexican national anthem was printed on fliers and handed out to the attending students. The Mexican flag was marched in and placed on a podium by itself. The attendees were then asked to stand and sing the Mexican national anthem.
My son was not alone in his refusal to stand. Statements given to me by other youths and parents put the number of refusals at close to 20.
Larkin staff members immediately confronted the seated youth. Some of the students were threatened with in-school suspension; most of the seated students were intimidated into standing.
My son explained to the angry teacher who confronted him that he did not see a U.S. flag on the podium and he did not believe they were going to sing our national anthem. This teacher stated, "They have to stand for our national anthem, so you have to stand for theirs."
My son stated in response, "Yeah, but they're in our country."
The teacher called my son a punk and sent him to the office. The administrator in the office supported the teacher's demand and told my son that he could have made a more intelligent decision. My son was not formally disciplined. The teacher who confronted my son defended her actions to her students during class the following week.
I called Larkin principal Richard Webb to express my disappointment and concern. I described the manner in which my son had been treated. I was told that my son should have stood and that the school stood by its right to have this assembly in its chosen form.
I then exercised my right as a citizen and addressed the school board.
The press was present at the board meeting and media awareness snowballed from that point forward. Some of my statements to the board included, "I am disappointed that those responsible for creating an assembly intended to educate and sensitize Americans also felt free to act insensitively with regard to our culture. It is permissible to present another country's anthem alongside ours and receive standing respect. It is not reasonable to expect or demand that Americans stand and display respect for another flag and country in absence of the American anthem or flag."
I also asked the board to consider two positive actions. "First, encourage Larkin High School administrators to not underscore one culture to the exclusion of others. This ill-conceived mandatory assembly did nothing but widen the current schism. Second, I would ask the board to lay down some principles for future assemblies. While it is good educational practice to teach about other cultures, it is not an acceptable practice to require mandatory response to the patriotic elements of those cultures."
I was appalled by Webb's printed statement. Apologizing only for the "unfortunate spotlight" placed on the school does not acknowledge the process that brought the spotlight. Lack of proper oversight created an assembly that offended a large number of people. Teachers behaving badly guaranteed parental follow-through. Administrative silence and denial has perpetuated their arrogant image.
Trivializing the incident and belittling those it concerned has only confirmed Webb's lack of grounding with the community.
Since Dec. 8, 2004, educational institutions receiving federal funding are required to hold an educational program pertaining to the United States Constitution on Sept. 17 of each year. This year, Sept. 17 fell on a Saturday.
Our high school apparently chose on Sept. 16 not to hold an assembly on the Constitution of the United States, but to educate our youth on the patriotic elements of another country.
- Bedard is an Elgin resident.
11/25/05
You are tooo FUNNY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I stuff my turkey with refried beans!
Okay, when are the parents going to get angry in huge numbers about these jerk teachers and send them on their way?
you forgot what happened recently, when one of our soccer teams played there, the Mexicans shouted down the anthem and started throwing items on the field.
Almost like a Yankees/Red Sox game...
...wasn't that just the case a few months ago when the NFL played in Mexico City...they Played our Anthenm and it was roundly boo'ed...so much for Common curtesy
Doogle
Well, The Illinois Minutemen have arrived, we hope to support some folks in their freedom of speech.
What about in Mexico City on Easter just this past year when the mexican crowd was chanting to the USA team
OSAMA OSAMA OSAMA
Mr. Bedard is a true patriot and has a qualities that are lacking in the GOP officials and that is that he has a spine and balls.
Mr. Bedard should be Chief of Staff at the Wihite House.
I second the motion!!!!!!!!!!!!!
bump for later read
I am glad he cannot see what has happened to his school.
Are the teachers just dumb or what?
Wot?!
Oh. I see. Roght. More role-playing -- like the California school that requires students to be Muslims for a week or two.
I bet the high school doesn't even require students to stand for our National Anthem. They got rights, ya know.
For the posters who argue that Mexicans respect our Anthem at sports events involving Mexico and us just do some searches on what happens in Los Angeles and Mexico City when our Anthem is played.
I can remember to my high school days..we had a Canadian student, she sat during the pledge each day. The teacher firmly stated she was NOT an American citizen and she could sit through the pledge if she wished. When she did become a naturalized citizen she stood and proudly recited the pledge.
Your son attends a weird school. No way should your son been forced to stand or humiliated for not standing.
There isn't a single post on this thread that says that.
Is there a law that says that one must sit or stand at the direction of a teacher? Or anybody else for that matter?
When were you in grade school...there is a vast difference in decades, LOL!
Absolutely not! When there is respect and your own flag is present is your own country, it is fine and quite respectful.
Do you remember when our soldier climbed Saddam's statue when Iraq was torn down? And then our soldier put OUR flag around Saddams neck, and the entire area went quiet? Fortunately, they realized the faux paux and replaced with the Iraqi flag. How right that was!!
Flags mean something to most of us. When you fly someone else's flag and not along side your own, it means you are conquered. As I understand, there was no American flag. Very bad principle to teach our children.
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