Teacher on Holy Mission for Christmas

[Vypernight]

I saw this on the AOL boards and wasn't sure if it belonged here or the Politics board. The mods can feel free to stick it where they pleased (Wow, that was cool! I was nice to and insulting towards the mods at the exact same time!).

Anyway, the page is here:

www.sphere.com/nation/article/substitute-teacher-merry-hyatt-wants-california-schools-to-allow-christmas-carols/19289680?icid=main|htmlws-main-n|dl1|link3|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sphere.com%2Fnation%2Farticle%2Fsubstitute-teacher-merry-hyatt-wants-california-schools-to-allow-christmas-carols%2F19289680

The substitute teacher wants California schools to be required to give kids the option to sing religious carols in schools. She says that a few people had to ruin it for everybody. Apparently, though, only a few schools in Cali oppose it in the first place, so I'm wondering exactly which signed actually 'ruined' things.

While in general, I don't have a problem with religious songs one way or another, as long as kids aren't forced to sing them, I'm a little skeptical about this lady. Getting her inspiration after hearing voices, then ending her little speech with stuff like, "How are you going to turn out if you don't know anything from the Bible?" (Easily, just ask those Eastern religions you claim to know so much about.)

Other idiotic things include:

Although California is one of the most diverse states in the nation, Hyatt believes the number of children opting out would be relatively small. In all of her years of teaching, she says, "I haven't run into a Jewish child."

How closed are your eyes? I've spent the last 20 years iving in Florida, and I've met Jewish, Buddhist, Atheist, Hindu, Native American, Wiccan, and fundie children and/or adults. Just because certain things don't exist in your little bubble doesn't mean they don't exist!


At the end of her little tirade, she sounds like she's completely out there, making me not want to support anything she pushes. Just from the way she was talking, I don't think she wants children to 'have the option.' I have a feeling she plans to shove certain ideals down their throats.

I'll admit, at the beginning, I supported her arguments. But by the end, I'd like to tell her where to stick her initiaves, in this life and the one beyond!

[wmdkitty]

Dec 24, 2009 4:52:02 GMT -5 Vypernight said:

I saw this on the AOL boards and wasn't sure if it belonged here or the Politics board. The mods can feel free to stick it where they pleased (Wow, that was cool! I was nice to and insulting towards the mods at the exact same time!)

Whoa... DAMN!

[Sigmaleph]

Although California is one of the most diverse states in the nation, Hyatt believes the number of children opting out would be relatively small. In all of her years of teaching, she says, "I haven't run into a Jewish child."

Well, the argument has been made that it does not make sense to talk about a Christian or Jewish child, much in the same way we don't often talk about socialist or neo-liberal children. But I doubt this is what she meant.

[Tiger]

Why is the first amendment so hard for people to understand?

Although California is one of the most diverse states in the nation, Hyatt believes the number of children opting out would be relatively small. In all of her years of teaching, she says, "I haven't run into a Jewish child."

She does realize that that makes it worse, right? That it means any child who opts out (or is opted out by their parents) basically gets to sit alone in a classroom while everyone else is off doing fun stuff?

[Jodie]

It also outs children who are not christian or religious and opens them up to ridicule or criticism they may not know how to defend themselves against.

[Art Vandelay]

Schools are for education, not celebrating christmas or singing about jesus or any of that other bullshit. If you want to sing religious christmas songs, then go to church or join a chior, that way you can do it without wasting taxpayer money on religious bullshit.

[Jodie]

Dec 24, 2009 23:16:08 GMT -5 Art Vandelay said:

Schools are for education, not celebrating christmas or singing about jesus or any of that other bullshit. If you want to sing religious christmas songs, then go to church or join a chior, that way you can do it without wasting taxpayer money on religious bullshit.

This!

[kristine]

Hyatt said she got the idea for the initiative "from above" one day while she was sitting on her couch. At first, she rejected the notion. "But then I thought about the blessing I might get and I thought, 'Yeah, that would be worth it,'" she said.

She is looking for some kind of ...reward?

"You can't tell children you can't have religion in school," she said. "December comes and they want Christmas. As a teacher, I am not going to stand there and put down Jesus to a classroom. I want it too."

Did I miss the part where the school ordered her to "put down Jesus"?

[yojetak]

the comments on that article make my brain hurted.

ps. Anyone else notice the caption on her picture? Oy... Go to the Klan meeting next. I'm sure they'd love your proposition.

[m52nickerson]

Dec 24, 2009 23:16:08 GMT -5 Art Vandelay said:

Schools are for education, not celebrating christmas or singing about jesus or any of that other bullshit. If you want to sing religious christmas songs, then go to church or join a chior, that way you can do it without wasting taxpayer money on religious bullshit.

Music is a part of education also. Some of the greatest musical works ever composed are religious in nature. If you are going to have a schools choir, or orchestra, some classical religious works are going to be in the mix or you are short changing the students.

[Art Vandelay]

Dec 25, 2009 18:32:43 GMT -5 m52nickerson said:

Dec 24, 2009 23:16:08 GMT -5 Art Vandelay said:

Schools are for education, not celebrating christmas or singing about jesus or any of that other bullshit. If you want to sing religious christmas songs, then go to church or join a chior, that way you can do it without wasting taxpayer money on religious bullshit.

Music is a part of education also. Some of the greatest musical works ever composed are religious in nature. If you are going to have a schools choir, or orchestra, some classical religious works are going to be in the mix or you are short changing the students.

Well if the whole point of this excercise was to simply teach kids about classical music, then I'd agree with you. In this case however, this is just a thinly-veiled attempt by the teacher to preach about Jesus and christmas to the kids. It's kind of like the differance between learning the history of the USSR and preaching about communism.

[m52nickerson]

Dec 25, 2009 21:13:40 GMT -5 Art Vandelay said:

Well if the whole point of this excercise was to simply teach kids about classical music, then I'd agree with you. In this case however, this is just a thinly-veiled attempt by the teacher to preach about Jesus and christmas to the kids. It's kind of like the differance between learning the history of the USSR and preaching about communism.

I agree that in this instant that is what it is. Your post sounded to me as if you had a problem with any religious music in public schools. I apologize if I read something into your post that was not there.

[tygerarmy]

Dec 25, 2009 21:32:31 GMT -5 m52nickerson said:

Dec 25, 2009 21:13:40 GMT -5 Art Vandelay said:

Well if the whole point of this excercise was to simply teach kids about classical music, then I'd agree with you. In this case however, this is just a thinly-veiled attempt by the teacher to preach about Jesus and christmas to the kids. It's kind of like the differance between learning the history of the USSR and preaching about communism.

I agree that in this instant that is what it is. Your post sounded to me as if you had a problem with any religious music in public schools. I apologize if I read something into your post that was not there.

No I see it as, not even music. You can teach a religion in class, and imo should teach all religions in class, but the school can't support any religion