October: **** & **** History Month

hearingimpared

Last evening we had parents night at our son's elementary school. We picked him up from his grandmother's afterwards. During the ride home we were discussing some of the things his new teacher was telling us. He was jumpy and squirming and we thought it was because he thought maybe he was afraid the teacher had told us he was misbehaving.

He kept asking if we looked in the "white folder" the teacher gave us. When we got home he grabbed the folder out of my wife's hands and took out the official Philadelphia School District's Calendar. He promptly turned to October and there to our chagrin is a big banner under October stating, "**** & **** History Month." I freaked out, my wife freaked out.

This is being done in an elementary school, grades 1 through 8, my son is 9 years old and in 4th grade.

Now I'm all for Black history month, Hispania history month, Asian history month all of which the school district supports (although I must admit that I am a little resentful that they don't have Italian history month, what are we chopped liver?) because I believe it is serves a good purpose. **** & **** History Month!!!! What the hell are they talking about? I didn't know that **** & Lesbians had racial history or history at all for that matter. God forbid if they start the history with the Bible, Genesis 14 through 18.

I think what they are trying to do, and rightly so, is to teach that people should not judge or make fun of anyone because they are different. But to force this issue down our throats through our children in the same way that Black history month is presented is way, way, way out of bounds not to mention the religious or spiritual implications.

We called the principal today and told him that we do not want our child exposed to any of this and that we wanted to see October's ciriculum. If there is any teaching of this subject on any day, we will be keeping him out of school on those days and teach him that days work ourselves. We also told him that we don't want our son to be exposed to any banners or displays on this subject around the school. We also objected to any speakers they may have on this subject.

I am not biggoted against **** or Lesbians. My two brothers are **** and I love my brothers. I have two cousins who are lesbians and I love my cousins. I have no problem with them and no problem with them interacting with my son. I am a devout Bible-believing Christian and have my beliefs and don't shove my religious beliefs down their throats neither do I judge them accordingly.

My son has never heard me call **** or lesbians **** or dykes or anything of that nature. He has never heard be put them down in any way shape or form.

He did however last night tell us that his peers were all abuzz about it and that he didn't want anything to do with it. WE did not coach him on this. We have always taught him to treat EVERYONE with dignity and respect reguardless of race, color, or creed.

I think this is a very good example of big government getting into our small lives. As usual the politicians go way overboard to correct the wrongs done to minorities in past days.

All four of my grandparents were born in Italy and I knew as a child what it was like to be held to ridicule because of my Italian heritage.

jdhdiggs

Oh boy, this thread is going to be locked QUICK!

I'm with Morgan Freeman on the whole _____ History month thing... They are dumb and help build prejudice between people.

VR3

The chances of this flying around here is next to none. We had a GSA club last year...it lasted all of...2 weeks.

I want Caucasion month!

Skynut

By the time we add White, Heterosexual, Italian, Oriental, Tall, Short, and whatever month we will have longer years.
Or will they just start to run them at the same time.
If we can have **** and hetero month at the same time they will cancel each other.
Make White history month in Feb and we can cancel the Black history month opening Feb up for some other cause.

It is all a bunch of crap that further divides our nation.

brettw22

I'm curious about what they're teaching specifically with regard to **** History. What'd the principal tell you they were planning?

hearingimpared

We were not permitted to speak directly to him, the response from an office worker was that after we see the October ciriculum we will feel better . . . whatever that means.

PolkThug

hearingimpared wrote:

My two brothers are **** and I love my brothers. I have two cousins who are lesbians and I love my cousins. I have no problem with them and no problem with them interacting with my son. I am a devout Bible-believing Christian and have my beliefs and don't shove my religious beliefs down their throats neither do I judge them accordingly.

Wow, you have a lot of homosexuals in your family. Do you think they were born **** (genetics), or just chose to be so?

brettw22

I don't know that i believe that having the "___X___" history month encourages boundaries in and of itself. The goal is to learn about a part of culture that you may or may not be aware of.

I don't think I've ever heard of someone claiming that Black History was trying to recruit people to be black, so I'm not going to buy into that arguement.

It all depends on content, and how it's presented.........as with everything really.

aaharvel

I hope the thread stays open, censorship of any kind is bad but hey.. it's their website.

Regarding "..." history month, both sides have great points.

PhantomOG

do they teach sex ed. by 4th grade? if not, I don't see how they have any reason for promoting any kind of "sexual orientation" month.

tommyboy

Zero wrote:

This thread will be bye bye shortly. Before it is closed, I too strongly feel that seperating / "celebrating" individual cultures by nature of these "_X_ month" only serve to create bigger boundaries and seperation in and of itself.

exactly, along with BET, there is also apparently a ****/**** channel on digital cable. The government and media are "saying" that they are trying to unite everyone but they are doing the exact opposite. Thank God white/straight month is coming up in November;)

Now when I'm talking about uniting, I mean amongst our own culture. If you live in our culture and speak our language, a particular race/sexual orientation should not be praised just cause they are a minority in our country. Oh no, pretty soon we'll have chinese american month and mexican immigration month!

ohskigod

PolkThug wrote:

Wow, you have a lot of homosexuals in your family. Do you think they were born **** (genetics), or just chose to be so?

DANGER WILL ROBINSON!!!!!!

I sence a social debate coming.....DANGER DANGER!!!!!!!......LOL


seriously, I'm cool with **** and **** History month I guess, although I have to wonder when were gonna run out of month space........aaaaaanyway


4th grade though? what describes one as **** is sexual orientation, and part of me thinks 4th grade is a little early for that.

by the way, ****=genetic (or hardwired in some other way)........debate = over

hearingimpared

Wow, you have a lot of homosexuals in your family. Do you think they were born **** (genetics), or just chose to be so?

I don't know about being genetic . . .I'm the oldest and I've always been a poontang hound since I was 10 years old. If I would put my brothers in a category I would believe my little brother was born that way and the middle brother chose it. In any event it skipped me and my sister.

do they teach sex ed. by 4th grade? if not, I don't see how they have any reason for promoting any kind of "sexual orientation" month.

They DO NOT teach sex ed of anykind . . . until now.

ohskigod

tommyboy wrote:

Thank God white/straight month is coming up in November;)
QUOTE]


yep, I'm inviting all my friends over for some country music, bad dancing, clapping on the upbeat, and Zima!!!!

brettw22

ohskigod wrote:

clapping on the upbeat

LOL.....very nice......haha

PhantomOG

Misguided... is the word that comes to mind. I can only imagine they are trying to teach against bigotry, but I don't see how having a **** & **** History month will help with that, especially at such a young age. These kids haven't even had sex ed yet.

TroyD

brettw22 wrote:

I'm curious about what they're teaching specifically with regard to **** History. What'd the principal tell you they were planning?

Maybe a demo or two? Who knows. I try to keep an open mind about that sort of thing.

BDT

polkatese

you're on a roll, Troy...

ohskigod

I'll show up to a **** demo......I'll bring popcorn and a lawn chair.

brettw22

PhantomOG wrote:

I can only imagine they are trying to teach against bigotry, but I don't see how having a **** & **** History month will help with that, especially at such a young age. These kids haven't even had sex ed yet.

Considering that bigotry typically starts at home well before 4th grade.........well........you get the point......

Are y'all under the impression that they're teaching these kids where the 'equipment' goes in contrast to straight people? I'd have a problem if that were the case, but I'd think that would be more of a sex ed convo more than anything (which the kids would probably already be aware of anyway).......

polkatese

I strongly doubt that they are getting to the "equipment"-level details, Brett.

What happened to the "Bees" story?

brettw22

I doubt so as well, but it's almost premature to freak before there's any idea about the content they have planned........

madmax

Some schools are effed up. Is yours is one of those forbidding any mentions of Christmas, etc? If so I would raise hell about this deal, just to do it. Otherwise I would just do what you are doing, get the curiculum and go over it. If it is reasonable then go with it. I guess my biggest fear would be them bringing in outsiders to promote this lifestyle. If it is just "this is joe blow, he contributed to society by (whatever) then I guess I wouldn't worry too much. Sometimes when people are trying to be open about this type thing they end up pushing the idea rather than informing. For me, I wouldn't care if they said "these people did this" but I would put an end to it if they want them to explore in their minds whether they are **** or straight because either one is equally acceptable. In my opinion if you are ****, then you are **** and thats that but I don't think it should be presented as a casual decision meant to be made by all school age children.
madmax

hearingimpared

I believe their whole point is to teach the kids that being **** or **** is normal and that they shouldn't be beat up or ridiculed. Having a "History Month" for this is a little extreme . . . don't you think?

brettw22

I dunno.....is tolerance something you want a time limit put on?

PhantomOG

brettw22 wrote:

Considering that bigotry typically starts at home well before 4th grade.........well........you get the point......

And I seriously doubt that the schools will be able to reverse such parenting.

I thought kids went to school to learn reading, writing, and arithmetic. Parenting skills in this country are going down the tubes, and dragging the schools with them. Schools trying to replace the parents will only make us spiral down the toilet even faster.

jdhdiggs

brettw22 wrote:

I dunno.....is tolerance something you want a time limit put on?

No, but seperating and calling attention to a groups differences from the "majority" doesn't seem to be the best way to promote tolerance.

Besides, should a state sponsored school be teaching "morality"? Very slippery slope:

School Prayer / Pledge of Allegiance: Not OK
**** & Lebians: OK
Intelligent Design: not OK
etc...

Whatever happened to just teaching them its not ok to make fun of someone or bite/hit them and that's all the morality taught? No wonder we suck at math and science...

brettw22

I don't know that I'd look to fault the school for exposing a child to a different way of thinking about any group of people if they aren't taught it at home. Again, it's the reasoning and content that should be up for scrutiny, not just the idea that "OH NO, SOMETHING NEW" at school.....

So how's tolerance been working with leaving it all up to the parents? Know who has the most problems with the topics? The adults.......not the kids.

PhantomOG

brettw22 wrote:

I don't know that I'd look to fault the school for exposing a child to a different way of thinking about any group of people if they aren't taught it at home.

Different way of thinking?? Why does someone's sexual orientation even NEED to be thought about in 4th grade?

You're right, its the adults that have the problem, but somehow we're making it out like its the kids and shoving it down their throats.

madmax

hearingimpared wrote:

I believe their whole point is to teach the kids that being **** or **** is normal and that they shouldn't be beat up or ridiculed. Having a "History Month" for this is a little extreme . . . don't you think?

If you replaced "is normal" with "happens" I would agree with their point. Then again, they could just teach them that you do not beat up or ridicule anyone. Otherwise you need a geek month, an ugly month, a stupid month, a loudmouth month, a poor kids month, a rich kids month, (a brettw22 month:D), etc.

I'll bet it turns into nothing once you find out what they are doing.
madmax

jdhdiggs

Exactly, I would much rather have a child in 4th grade have some extra work on multiplication and division than learn about alternative lifestyles.

Also, what good is it when whatever is taught in this curriculam will be immediately overwhelmed by the parents position on the matter? You don't think kids will talk to their parents about Andy kissing Steve?

What we really need is a "It's not all the rich white guys fault" month!