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
Cap'n...yours was the most reasonable and nicest post of the day. Thanks for posting.
Happy Thanksgiving weekend, everyone!
Agreed. I was stationed in Korea. I found it very emotionally stirring to hear our anthem played in tandem with the Korean anthem (ours rhythmic and triumphant, theirs flowing and melodic). I was proud to stand at attention for both anthems. But to present a foreign flag in isolation - a travesty. What is the point but to reduce our population's patriotism?
Guess you haven't been keeping up, bud.........this was NOT in a foreign country, it was NOT on a tarmac........it was in a f**king AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOL, fercryinoutloud.
Use that melon, would ya???? Jesus..............
A-HA! ;^)
Bingo.
I'm satisfied you didn't jump to conclusions as to what end my "bullying" was intended to do.
I did further research and located the school, in Elgin, IL., and discovered further it is 38% Hispanic. The day of the incident was supposedly Mexican Independence Day, which from what I understand, has nothing to do with the 4th of July. If the Hispanic students wanted to commemorate this day, then they can do it in their own neighborhoods, or social clubs, etc. like previous ethnic groups have done in the past, with anticipation of remembering it fondly but, on the path to becoming Americans. To have the school create this situation, for either political correctness or diversity nonsense reasons, is a joke. The beauty of the American public school system in the past (before the enlightened 60's) was that it did a tremendously successful job of assimilating a wide variety of ethnic groups into becoming Americans, and identifying with America as such. This display does nothing of the sort...especially if no American flag is on display or brought into conjunction with this act. Frankly, I find it repulsive and divisive.
Intimidation is not what I had in mind; I would like to better understand via contact and debate as to what these school officials think they're promoting when they allow immigrants (or aliens, depending on their legal status) to perform these functions, during school hours and to what end?
My grandparents on one side were legal immigrants and didn't speak English and neither did my mother until entering school, with no bilingual programs. They left the Old World and its ways behind and looked forward to becoming Americans. Period. If these new groups aren't interested in pursuing that goal, then go back home. I for one don't believe you can have it both ways. Either these immigrants are here to become Americans or ...... what, guests? What makes this latest group different from all the others? That's what I'd like these school officials to tell me, however I suspect they're probably elected officials, with no spines, and therefore cater to what's
fashionable or guaranteed to get them reelected vs. what is right. No surprises there.
Have to get dinner on the table! Thank heavens for leftovers!
Happy Thanksgiving weekend, everyone!
"If you don't wear your burkas and say your prayers 5 times a day, heads will roll!"
When did a foreign country enter into this?
The kid did the right thing. This is the USA - not the USA/Mexico.
There are reasons to observe some simple formalities. There are also reasons for undermining them. The school was undermining the stature of the USA. And they knew it - that is why they were doing it.
I wonder what happened to that version of the story.
Seriously, I wonder.
This is SCHOOL -- it's supposed to teach the proper lessons. I personally admire the student and the parents for doing this and acting out for the proper lessons here. My family just spent about twenty minutes at our dinner table reading this letter aloud and discussing the ramifications. They're doing exaclty what I hope my kids can do someday.
So do I pick my battles? Yes. But do I number this among those worth fighting? Absolutely -- it didn't cost a bunch of money, it didn't involve jail time, it didn't lead to loss of income or a job, and it didn't involve fighting in a faraway war... heck, on that scale, if this isn't worth fighting over, then what is??
Let's train our kids to grow up to battle over things like this so that they are equipped to fight the wars and political enemies that matter to families other than our own. That's a good lesson to learn here.
< / rant>
I didn't realize that Jim provided that service. I assume that you are SOMEBODY. Do tell.
*snicker*
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