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Plano School District calls for O'Reilly retraction
Dallas Morning News ^ | 12/14/2005 | Kim Breen

Posted on 12/14/2005 7:28:13 AM PST by sinkspur

The Plano school district is fighting back against national television and radio talk show host Bill O'Reilly, saying he falsely accused a school of outlawing the colors of Christmas.

Mr. O'Reilly told his television audience Friday that a Plano school told students they could not wear red and green because they are Christmas colors.

"That's flat-out fascism," he said during a segment on The O'Reilly Factor on the Fox News Channel.

School district officials say Plano schools have never prohibited green and red clothing and are demanding a retraction.

The issue of how to handle the holidays at school has been a hot topic in Plano. For the last year, the school district has been involved in a federal lawsuit that alleges a pattern of free speech and religious rights violations.

Whether the district has banned red and green party supplies has been called into question in court documents, but clothes have not.

Mr. O'Reilly did not acknowledge any error in a prepared statement issued Tuesday: "There is ongoing litigation involving the Plano school district that deals with censoring Christmas and religious expression. As part of this ongoing litigation, issues have been raised about the banning of Christmas items with specific colors and there's a range of items in question."

Richard Abernathy, an attorney for the school district, wrote in an e-mail to Mr. O'Reilly that his fascism "slur smacks of McCarthyism and represents yellow journalism at its best ..."

Mr. Abernathy signed the note, "Merry Christmas."

(Excerpt) Read more at dallasnews.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: antichristmas; bor; christmas; oreilly; plano; redandgreen; waronchristmas
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1 posted on 12/14/2005 7:28:14 AM PST by sinkspur
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To: sinkspur
Plano school told students they could not wear red and green because they are Christmas colors.

Yo, G, I am in da Christmas Gang, and there ain't sh!t you can do about it! Word!

2 posted on 12/14/2005 7:29:41 AM PST by krb (ad hominem arguments are for stupid people)
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To: sinkspur
... smacks of McCarthyism...

We can hope! ...since McCarthy was right. :-)

3 posted on 12/14/2005 7:30:20 AM PST by TChris ("Unless you act, you're going to lose your world." - Mark Steyn)
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To: sinkspur

O'Reilly is usually extremely well documented and well researched in his comments.


4 posted on 12/14/2005 7:30:25 AM PST by FormerACLUmember
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To: sinkspur

I would advise the Plano School district not to get into a pissing match with BO. He revels in that.


5 posted on 12/14/2005 7:31:59 AM PST by Semper Paratus
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To: sinkspur

Richard Abernathy, an attorney for the school district, wrote in an e-mail to Mr. O'Reilly that his fascism "slur smacks of McCarthyism and represents yellow journalism at its best ...



Somebody smack those stupid attorneys at the face...now McCarthy blamed for antifascism...it's official, liberals are Nazi butt kissers.

Retraction if not what? These are serious threats, and I suggest these liberal gangs be sent the way of the Crip.


6 posted on 12/14/2005 7:32:47 AM PST by JudgemAll (Condemn me, make me naked and kill me, or be silent for ever on my gun ownership and law enforcement)
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To: TChris

I swear, I am gonna punch the next loon who uses the phrase "smacks of McCarthyism." It gets put on every press release and letter that every third-rate lawyer/lefty puts out.


7 posted on 12/14/2005 7:33:00 AM PST by TheBigB ("Hey, barkeep, whose leg do you have to hump to get a dry martini around here?"--Brian Griffin)
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To: FormerACLUmember
He may have been wrong here, as it seems no red or green clothing was prohibited. Red and green napkins were not used at a party last year in favor of white "to represent snow."

However, if you read the article, it DOES say that the school district has discouraged "Christmas-themed" parties this year.

The fact is, a group of parents is suing the Plano ISD for its anti-Christmas practices, which has the district officials in a very prickly mood.

As you can tell.

8 posted on 12/14/2005 7:34:11 AM PST by sinkspur (Trust, but vilify.)
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To: sinkspur

Plano has suffered from growing pains for many years now and will only get worse.


9 posted on 12/14/2005 7:34:19 AM PST by One Proud Dad
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To: krb

LOL.


10 posted on 12/14/2005 7:34:47 AM PST by hoopoe
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To: TChris

Couple things:

The comment that they shouldn't have to defend themselves against things they haven't done. Translation: We have enough problems - please don't help.

As for what forum the district has against BO. I'm sure that they would be allowed to go on the show to debate the issue in person. All they have to do is ask.


11 posted on 12/14/2005 7:36:15 AM PST by ninergold3 (aka GiantsPrincess)
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To: FormerACLUmember

No, he is certainly not. I can provide you examples of his so-called research on Christmas/other issues that have turned out to be false (including a missed report on Fox News itself). He is as susceptible to making errors as other talking heads are.

I am sure even O'Reilly will laugh and walk away if you call him "extremely well documented and well researched in his comments"...LOL. Enough said.


12 posted on 12/14/2005 7:37:42 AM PST by indcons
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To: sinkspur

Whether the district has banned red and green party supplies has been called into question in court documents, but clothes have not.

Tell us more lies!~}


13 posted on 12/14/2005 7:42:47 AM PST by funkywbr
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To: Semper Paratus

I hope O'Reilly rips their faces off (figuratively.)


14 posted on 12/14/2005 7:43:17 AM PST by ZULU (Non nobis, non nobis, Domine, sed nomini tuo da gloriam. God, guts, and guns made America great.)
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To: sinkspur

"Mr. Abernathy said that the district did not ban red and green napkins and that the letter, sent by a parent teacher association, asked for white because it was a winter party and white signifies snow."

How ludicrous! Does this idiot really expect us to believe this explanation? With this lie he has made the case against himself!


15 posted on 12/14/2005 7:44:37 AM PST by MSM Hater ("Merry Christmas!")
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To: sinkspur

Ah... Plano ISD. It's about 5 years away from becoming what Dallas ISD was in the 70s, only this time the fights will be between the low/middle class families of East Plano and the rich elites of West Plano. By 2020, Plano ISD will be known as Dallas ISD North and this whole "Christmas" issue will be remembered as the "good 'ol days".


16 posted on 12/14/2005 7:47:18 AM PST by nhoward14 (You better not pray, you better not shout, I'm tellin you why... the ACLU's in town!)
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To: TheBigB

The irony, of course, is that McCarthy was right. That's what really tweaks lefties' tails.


17 posted on 12/14/2005 7:48:53 AM PST by Noumenon (Activist judges - out of touch, out of tune, but not out of reach.)
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To: sinkspur

The problem is that the school district needs to spend it time, money, and energy educating kids. When some loon sues over some non-education issue, it actually may be in the public's best interest to just adjust and get on with teaching.

In that case, white napkins sound fine to me.

We need to quit making the schools a battleground,

I'm one of those ultra-conservatives who actually does NOT want public prayer back in the schools. I don't want my kids having to listen/watch as some Hindu prays to a cow or some Muslim sticks his hiney in the air and points his nose toward Mecca.

Stone me if you will, but I say let Plano ISD avoid the issue if it can. Academically, it's one of the better districts in the state.

And, no, I don't live there.


18 posted on 12/14/2005 7:49:53 AM PST by Jedidah
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To: krb
Yo, G, I am in da Christmas Gang, and there ain't sh!t you can do about it! Word!

LOL!

19 posted on 12/14/2005 7:52:43 AM PST by al_c
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To: MSM Hater

"White" lies.....???


20 posted on 12/14/2005 8:02:45 AM PST by goodnesswins (Merry Christmas......and if you don't like that, you don't get a day off....got it?)
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