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 ...
Yo, G, I am in da Christmas Gang, and there ain't sh!t you can do about it! Word!
We can hope! ...since McCarthy was right. :-)
O'Reilly is usually extremely well documented and well researched in his comments.
I would advise the Plano School district not to get into a pissing match with BO. He revels in that.
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 ...
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.
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.
Plano has suffered from growing pains for many years now and will only get worse.
LOL.
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.
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.
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!~}
I hope O'Reilly rips their faces off (figuratively.)
"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!
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".
The irony, of course, is that McCarthy was right. That's what really tweaks lefties' tails.
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.
LOL!
"White" lies.....???
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