An announcement at school

[boricua79]

I thought it would be interesting to let you guys know an announcement at my school (where I work).

After the pledge of allegiance, the vice-principal of the school made an announcement, apparently at the behest of a Colombian teacher, that she wanted us to know that right now, in Colombia, the people are marching against the "terrorist FARC group". After she was done giving the announcement over the intercom, I sat there shocked. With what gall does a vice-principal of a school in MA, make an announcement to the school about a political issue in Colombia?

I personally do not like the uribe government. I also think the FARC are narcotrafficking FAKE leftist guerrillas. While I think their actions are often terroristic, I have a problem jumping on the "their terrorists" bandwagon, because I know how easy that label is applied to any group attempting to freedom fight.

So, I'm not totally opposed to saying the FARC is out of line. But, why make such an announcement in an elementary school over the intercom. I don't like the FARC, but there's LOTS of Colombians and Latin Americans who, in the larger scheme of things, support the FARC, even after all the crap they do. I'm not one of them, but I know they exist. Why polarize a school (or worse, miseducate a totally ignorant public, since I'm sure I'm one of the few who even knows about the decades-long civil war in Colombia) with such a statement over an intercom.

That's the weirdest announcement I've ever heard. I wonder if they made such an announcement when Iraqis marched for the U.S. occupation to end. I'd like to see THAT happen.

[Rabrrrrrr]

1. That is bizarre - unless your school has a huge Colombian population,

I can't see why that announcement was deemed necessary or helpful to anyone in any way.

:shrug:

Weird.

Totally out of the blue. Like announcing the value of the Yen or that Mrs. Potts in the library had tea yesterday after she came home from church.

They're all true statements - but useless information.

Strange.

[bryant69]

3. Presumably the columbian teacher felt a bit more of a connection to the issue

And certainly there's a fair argument to be made that part of the problem with the United States is that we don't care or even know anything that isn't the United States.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[Rabrrrrrr]

9. I'm sure she does. As I'm sure Mrs. Potts felt a connection to her tea,

or a banker would care about the value of the Yen.

But this was in an elementary school, in the form of an announcement - not a lesson.

Useless information in that context because it comes with no context, no chance for questions, no chance for dialog - in essence, no chance for any actual LEARNING or education.


We need to look at an entire situation, not just react in a knee-jerk emotional way. Do I think we are woefully ignorant in this country of other places? Absolutely.

But random announcements about places and groups that elementary aged children know nothing about is not an effective way of teaching it.

[bryant69]

10. Well I kind of agree that this isn't the best way to go about this

But I'm not sure we are condemning her intentions or her methods. Her methods could certainly be better chosen, I would say.

Bryant

[boricua79]

12. or worse,

perpetuates the ignorance.

What if they started saying that the people were marching against that terrorist Hugo Chavez. It would use the school as a propaganda forum

Come to think of it...isn't that what schools are used for anyway? What with the commemorating Thanksgiving with the "the pilgins and indians were friend" myths?

I'm so glad I don't teach one of the core subjects, because I couldn't handle teaching the bullshit stories. So glad people introduced me to alternative history books (Zinn, Chomsky, etc.) Once you learn REAL history, you can never believe the bullshit stories.

[boricua79]

4. it does not

we live in a 90% predominantly PUERTO RICAN population. I think there are only 4 or 5 colombian kids in the entire school. Weird huh?

[Clintonista2]

6. Maybe that's why the world considers Americans to be so ignorant

Because they classify world affairs as "useless information"

[Rabrrrrrr]

7. Or maybe it's because of our inability to read, hypothesize, and come to reasonable conclusions

When did I classify world affairs as "useless information" in toto? Never.

However, in an elementary school, in the form of an announcement, it IS useless information. How many of the children will even comprehend the thing? Not a lot of them.

Do it as an in-class presentation for the older kids if it's that important - put it in context, allow for some dialog.

[boricua79]

13. exactly

Most of my kids have no idea where Colombia is on a map. The other day I asked them to point out the country of Uruguay, and we all had a good laugh when I played along to a statement by one of the kids that Uruguay was an island country next to Puerto Rico.

They have no idea what is happening in Colombia, and I guarantee that I'm probably the only one who has any knowledge of Colombia's longstanding civil war, or U.S. involvement there. I was a Political Science graduate degree.

It was an announcement made by a vice-principal to please a Colombian teacher, and it was totally inappropriate.

They'll get away with it because most of the teachers here won't care about it. As for me, I don't think it merits my intervention. Why fight the idiots in charge? I come here to teach, get paid, and I'm out. As for my knowledge on Colombia, I read on my own.

But, it does bother me that those type of statements perpetuate and solidify stereotypes about different groups in different countries.

Imagine if Mandela would have been called a terrorist (which he arguably could have been labeled as such, as the ANC DID kill white people in South Africa)? Imagine the narrative and solidification of imagery/stereotypes that would have done to the image of a great man? I have problems with the perpetuation of self-serving political myths....the same ones that demonize Hugo Chavez, or Evo Morales for standing up for their people. The same ones that attack all leftists as crazy radicals. I'm for contextual, reasoned discussion...and that announcement didn't further any of that

[ck4829]

2. I wonder why people aren't marching against the death squads that are connected to Uribe

Scared into silence maybe?

[gratuitous]

5. It's pretty clear why they made the announcement

First, the terrorists in Colombia were going to be rooted out, then . . . Homeroom 12, just as surely as the breaching of Holland's neutrality is followed by Belgium.

Okay, maybe it's not so clear or sure. :crazy:

[CoffeeCat]

8. I feel your pain...

I don't feel that political statements like this--no matter what side is leveraged or discussed--have
any place in schools.

I think this is odd too. Maybe the vice principal didn't fully understand what the issue was.

I have two children in elementary school and I'm finding that the parents are totally at the mercy
of school administrators. If you have decent principals and vice principals, you are lucky. If
you have a couple of nutjobs, it really makes things difficult.

I firmly believe in parents letting superintendents know what is going on in the schools. You can
type a letter and send it anonymously. Sometimes I think that superintendents might not know the
daily mistakes (or even the good things) that happen, unless parents let them know. If this becomes
a pattern, I would consider making sure that the super knows.

[knitter4democracy]

11. I'd report it, too.

That would scare my daughter, and she's in second grade. It sounds like something Principal Barbie, her principal, would do. Honestly, I cannot for the life of me understand how that woman became an administrator. She wears stiletto heels, low cut tops, and tight clothes. Not professional at all, and to top it off, she rarely remembers key things. It's a credit to her teachers that the school hasn't crashed and burned yet.

[boricua79]

14. she wears stiletto heels, low cut tops, and tight clothes?

where is THAT school? I want to work there.

Although the vice-principal at my school is not that far off. Sometimes she wears similar clothing.

Ok...done pigging out here :)

I guess there's also the feeling of not being able to effect much change. Taking on the national myths and stereotypes is very hard. And...this is not the issue I want to use to take a stand. I mean...the FARC is not necessarily the nicest group of guys in the world. I wouldn't want to take a stand on an issue like this one when the "labeled" group is actually very close to the label. I just think that it's not the place of an administrator in an elementary school in MA to talk about a political issue that is very contentious in Colombia. Whether we like it or not, many people LOVE Uribe's gov. and many love the FARC. That's why it's a civil war. This administrator decided to take the side of one specific Colombian teacher, who I bet doesn't know that much herself.

[knitter4democracy]

15. Yes. The leopard print wrap knit mini's burned in my brain.

Matching stilettos, of course. *shudder* She said hi, and I couldn't talk (which, if anyone knows me, is darn near impossible).

I think the vice principal didn't really know what it was about and was told that the US is against the FARC terrorists. The smart answer would've been, "Thanks, I'll think about posting it and look into this a bit," but she didn't go with that. Maybe an anonymous heads-up at the central office would let them know if any parents will complain ahead of time?

[boricua79]

16. now you got me curious about YOUR vice principal

is there an online pic?

I'll think about sending a letter to the central office. We'll see what good it does.

[knitter4democracy]

18. Here's the website:

What's really funny is our asst. supt. is my old middle school principal (whom we called the used car salesman from his nasty suits and greasy hair).

http://www.lakeviewspartans.org/RiversideElementary.cfm

[boricua79]

20. what's the name of the assistant principal at Riverside?

can't use the search feature without that info.

[knitter4democracy]

21. She's not the assistant who dresses like that--she's the principal.

School's too small for an asst. principal. Sorry if I was unclear.

[boricua79]

25. oh ok...well...she's not that bad

blondes not my thing, though.

She does look like the Friday night freak, though...

Ok, moving on to another issue. It's SUPER TUESDAY!

[knitter4democracy]

26. That's her "I have to wear a suit" look.

You should see the others. :eyes:

[Mass]

17. Elementary school ? Way out of line, IMHO.

[Echo In Light]

19. Back in Catholic elementary school our principal was a priest given to long winded intercom rants

Fuckin' hysterical! I've always remembered the one he gave comparing some childhood shenanigans to "snakes, slithering through the grass...biting...biting...biting." Yep, he actually said it three times.

[knitter4democracy]

22. Once, when I taught at a Catholic school, the senior leading prayer forgot the Hail Mary.

We all lost it when she started it three times only to trail off and then start the Our Father and bungle it until she got it right the second time through. Yes, she was thoroughly teased all day. ;)

[Jed Dilligan]

23. 1980, when the hostages came home, I was in 3rd grade

The school ordered all children to come to school wearing a yellow ribbon. My parents didn't want me to participate, but the principal pinned one on me in the parking lot.

I believe in the "teachable moment" but I don't think the school's grounds or equipment (or time) should be used for any kind of political advocacy.

[hootinholler]

24. Sure they didn't say FART instead of FARC?

:shrug:

-Hoot