Posted on 11/08/2004 4:53:54 PM PST by Lorianne
The principal of Fairhaven's Rogers Elementary School yesterday defended music teacher Rita Campoli as a "wonderful teacher and a very kind-hearted soul" who inadvertently "crossed the line" in making Election Day comments about abortion to first- and second-graders.
Irate parents began calling the school during the afternoon of Election Day after hearing their children recount the anti-abortion teacher's views against Sen. John F. Kerry.
The children framed the issue as John Kerry "killing babies," and some of them were crying and upset, according to the aunt of one first-grade girl.
"That's not a statement she remembers ever saying," Principal Richard Brodeur said. "If that came up, the student said that. She basically talked with the children to try to get them to understand some issues.
"She described abortion," Mr. Brodeur said. "She gave a definition."
When asked what that definition was, he said, "I don't remember the exact words."
Asked whether Mrs. Campoli will be reprimanded, Mr. Brodeur said, "We're in the process of talking with Mrs. Campoli. Whatever action we take will be kept confidential."
Mr. Brodeur said that as soon as he sensed trouble, he drafted a letter that he sent home Wednesday, explaining the situation. He brought in Assistant Superintendent Ralph Tripp, and they met with parents and the students in the two classes that heard the remarks.
"Not one of the parents we talked with has an unkind word to say to her," Mr. Brodeur said. "The parents have been very good through all of this." Mr. Brodeur did not reveal to The Standard-Times the text of his letter.
But he said that Mrs. Campoli is liked and respected by teachers, parents and her colleagues.
"She's a good teacher. We try to capitalize on things that are going on around the school, in the town, in the country," he said. "We tried to capitalize on Election Day. On Veterans Day we sing patriotic songs. We had a mock election in the school, and one incident led to another."
She was not telling the children to urge their parents to vote against Sen. Kerry, said Mr. Brodeur. "She was sharing her political opinion" about her own choice, he said.
"She crossed the line. I'm sure Mrs. Campoli knows that," he said.
Mrs. Campoli did not return a call seeking comment.
You really have to be kidding if you think this is appropriate for a teacher to bring up in school to a 1st grader. You can discuss all you want with your own children. It's entirely different if the child brings it up, but, in the meantime, let kids be kids.
Simple question ~ if it's not appropriate for children at this age, then what age is more appropriate?
Who do you want to explain abortion to your children? You or some unknown teacher. What makes you think the next teacher isn't going to explain abortion as "a right, just like freedom of speech, ... "
How about 18? What makes you think this is appropriate for school?
It's safe to presume that some other teacher has already explained abortion as a "right" no matter the age of the children.
My contention was that no one was too young to be let in on the secret of life on earth ~ namely, that it can be cut short for any number of reasons, or no reason at all.
I was barely older than these children when our car slid down an icy hill into the path of a freight train. It's the sort of experience that gives me a bias concerning the question of whether or not children should receive honest briefings.
Abortion kills children, children's future friends, future aunts & Uncles, future fathers & mothers......abortion kills our future PERIOD!!!!!!!!!!
"Irate parents began calling the school during the afternoon of Election Day after hearing their children recount the anti-abortion teacher's views against Sen. John F. Kerry."
I know ... the only view tolerated is those FOR abortion.
"The children framed the issue as John Kerry "killing babies," and some of them were crying and upset, according to the aunt of one first-grade girl."
Well, THAT is what an abortion is. Murdering babies. It is upsetting. It's horrific, how they are murdered.
As fas as I am concerned this teacher is a treasure. She speaks the truth for what it is. OTOH, it's supposed to be okay to NOT tell your parents you're pregnant and seek an abortion. If they really understood WHAT an abortion really is, the majority of these manipulated kids wouldn't have one.
Those kids are too young to talk about abortion with. I had a hard time with the abortion issue for a long time. But now I have decided I am pro-life with a few exceptions such as if a woman was sick and would die if she had to carry a baby full term. It is hard having to choose one life over another. Most woman who have abortions probably feel bad about it the rest of their lives. There is the guilt, and then the people telling them they are going to hell. If they don't want the kid they should just put it up for adoption. It is not an ideal situation but it is better than being depressed the rest of their lives. I don't know what percentage of abortions are late-term versus early term. If you know could you tell me? To me there is a moral difference between woman who would abort a fetus that hasn't even developed a brain and doesn't have awareness and a woman who would abort later in the pregnancy. I wouldn't do either though. Wouldn't want to risk my soul.
I agree with you about the age factor. I had trouble telling my ten year old what abortion was. He didn't want to hear much, since he said I was scaring him.
Quite possibly the way it went down is some kid said he or she had heard on TV about Kerry's support of abortion and asked, "what is an 'abortion'?" And teacher said it's where doctors kill a baby who is still in its mother so that it can not be born. The teacher would be nuts not to seize this teachable moment.
Yes, how kind-hearted it is to kill babies in the womb (or out of the womb, in the case of partial-birth abortions).
ProLife Ping!
If anyone wants on or off my ProLife Ping List, please notify me here or by freepmail.
When I was working the polls, the 7th-grade civics teacher had a couple of kids helping each side, and one woman who came to vote told the Kerry-assisting kid that she could never vote for a man who believes that sticking scissors in a baby's head and sucking its brains out is okay. the child looked flabbergasted and asked what she was talking about. I told her it was called partial-birth abortion and that it does kill babies, but that she needed to ask her parents about it. I don't think it's my place to go into details with someone else's twelve-year-old. The teacher said he couldn't discuss it with them either
Not all abortions can be accurately described as the killing of a baby. I don't consider a just fertalized egg to be a baby. I don't know what percentage of abortions are late-term. Do different states have different laws about at what month in the pregnancy a woman can no longer abort?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.