Posted on 09/26/2009 7:35:31 AM PDT by RummyChick
September 25, 2009
Dear Burlington Township Families:
By now, we're sure that you are aware of a video placed on the Internet that has been reported heavily by the media. The video is of a class of students singing a song about President Obama.
Over the past two days we have been able to learn more about this situation and would like to provide you with some additional information. The song was one of eight skits performed during a February 2009 program that included second grade classes. Parents attended the program which took place on February 27, 2009. The other skits in the program included Groundhog Day, Chinese New Year, Abraham Lincoln, Valentine's Day, George Washington, Mardi Gras, and Dental Health Month. The song about President Obama was in recognition of Black History Month. We have been informed that the lyrics of the song were sent home with the children in advance of the assembly, which was the teacher's normal procedure. There were no concerns or complaints prior to, during, or after the program.
On March 23, 2009, an author visited the Young School as part of the school's Women's History Month recognition. As is usual procedure, parents were notified prior to the visit and invited to attend. The author presented two assemblies during which she read from two of her books. She also met with the Teen Book Club at our high school and did an evening book signing for parents and children. The author was accompanied by two individuals. After the first assembly on March 23rd, the class that performed the song at the February assembly about President Obama provided a special performance for the author, since one of the books she wrote was about Barack Obama. We were informed by a representative of the author that one of the individuals who accompanied the author video recorded the performance. School staff had no knowledge of the recording.
We have learned that the video was posted on the author's website without district approval or knowledge. It appears that another party copied the video from the author's website and placed it on YouTube. We have been informed that the video has been removed from the author's website.
Our district takes measures to ensure that our children's privacy is protected. We are carefully evaluating what occurred and will implement any additional needed procedures to prevent children's images in school from being publicly posted without permission. We will also provide reasonable direction and guidelines so that classroom activities will not give the appearance of promoting a particular political perspective.
We have taken additional measures over the past two days to assure the safety and security of children and staff. We have worked very closely with our police department and school resource officers. We have had a police presence on our campuses and have increased administrative presence at the B. Bernice Young School. News crews have been kept off campuses. There were no incidents in our schools as a result of this matter. Our children, staff, and schools are safe and secure. We are working with our police department to have the video removed from YouTube.
We wish to assure our community that the administration and Board of Education will carefully study this matter. We appreciate and value input from you, the residents of Burlington Township, and will continue to listen to your opinions on this matter. If you have any questions, please contact me directly.
NEA Liberals trying to cover their rears after getting caught in their Goebbel’s propaganda skit.
“We will also provide reasonable direction and guidelines so that classroom activities will not give the appearance of promoting a particular political perspective.”
ROTFLMAO!!
Amazing, the letter speaks of “an author” and “a teacher” I guess they don’t have names there.
I call BS on this article in reference to the videotaping.
That looked to me like it was a practice..not the actual event.
“We wish to assure our community that the administration and Board of Education will carefully study this matter.”
***
And then sweep it under the rug.
I don’t have children, but home schooling is sounding better and better to me.
I am waiting to see if anyone picked up on that fact that Elvira could be related to the Rev Willie James, President of the county NAACP and civil rights activist.
“That looked to me like it was a practice..not the actual event.”
It sure did!
We all know the answer… though it would have been fun to watch Chris Matthews and Keith Olbermann’s heads explode.
It was just so all benign, so innocent, so innoccuous. Why this was just a ‘standard ‘skit’ and afterall the parents were notified (as usual). So what’s the big deal? Why is everyone in an uproar?
It is. I fought with my husband for almost 2 yrs over home schooling our daughter. Now he is involved with teaching her & a huge fan of it. I wish we had never enrolled her in school.
All Nice an Neat in a Cute little box , wrapped in Pretty Paper with a Bow on Top!
,,,,,,,,,,[fill in the,,,
Now there is a 180 degree shift in policy.
In the liberal mind, the only real crime is getting caught. He will probably ban recording devices from school shows.
Censorship
I want to know what other women were honored during Women’s History Month at that school.
What about Sarah Palin, Condi Rice, Laura Bush (whose signature issue was Education)
Pretty weak response.
He needs to be called out on that too. There are reports about the PRincipal going overboard about Obama and her trip to the Inauguration.
Also, she said she would do the song again....
But not in advance of the children learning the song.
Also, how far in advance of the assembly? And what were parents supposed to do if they didn't like the lyrics -- request that the assembly be stopped? pull their kid out of the show at the last minute?
This statement is as weaselly as an Obama speech.
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