XXXX Elementary School Parent Survey

The SCSon's school sent home a "XXXX Elementary School Parent Survey".

It contained the usual stuff. What are we doing right, what are we doing wrong.
It lists a couple questions under the heading of "Volunteering" which are all thinly disguised guilt. The real question is "if not,why not?"

The "Safety" section caught my eye:
(click on image for full size)

I'm tempted to answer the first question "none".

Second question: also "none" explaining that "feelings" have no place in safety and security. I don't care that you feel safe enough to leave the front door unlocked at night. It's a stupid thing to do!

3) Allow CCW holders to carry weapons on campus. Explaining the logical arguments: Bad guys are not stopped by the law, they only stop when someone shows up with a gun. Police are at best minutes away, people already on site can stop a bad situation in it's tracks. And how CCW holders are state certified good guys and why.

But I think this is not the place the fight the battle. The prohibition of guns on schools grounds is a state law (ARS 13-3102 (A)(12)). 13-3102.

Misconduct involving weapons; defenses; classification; definitions

A. A person commits misconduct involving weapons by knowingly:
...
12. Possessing a deadly weapon on school grounds;

So that's the place to solve the problem.

At the grass roots level, we are better off working on a personal level and taking teachers and administration to the range. Opining on this form would likely just serve to cause immediate PSH.

It just doesn't add up...

The SCSon's school is planning a class trip to the Grand Canyon. They held a parents meeting tonight to walk through the trip. The SCQueen and I are still shaking our heads in disbelief.

The plan is to meet at the school at 5AM, arriving at the canyon 6 hours later including a 30 minute break on the way up. Then they have one hour planned for lunch (odd, when the school only gives them 15 minutes to eat lunch on a normal day). Then they finally get to the purpose of the trip: a 2 1/2 hour Ranger guided program. Then get back on the bus for a 6 hour return trip home, this time including a 45 minute dinner break and 30 minute snack break.

That works out to 17 hours on the road, of which only 2 1/2 hours are engaged in actual "learning activities", but 2 3/4 hours are spent on food breaks on the way up or back. An hour of that will be spent eating lunch at a picnic area near the canyon, but not at the rim. They will spend less than an hour taking in the visual splendor of the canyon.

This just doesn't add up. I think we'll take our own trip to the canyon. We can do it faster and choose what to do instead of being forced to the school's lowest common denominator.

PS.. This trip is scheduled for an otherwise normal school day. After returning home around 10pm, they expect everyone bright and early and on time for school the next day!

PPS.. SCQueen talked to the PTO president after the meeting and reports they don't have the money to pay for all this. That suggests they'll be coming to parents with their hands out.

PPPS.. A parent asked as to the identity of the charter company. The teachers either couldn't or wouldn't answer saying "the district made the choice". Sorry, not good enough. We need to know this up front so we can check on their safety record, not after they've departed with our loved ones. (A recent 7-fatal accident pushes this possibility to the forefront).

xxxxx school pledge sidebar

Is it me, or does the school pledge sound an awful lot like Al Franken's "Stuart Smalley" character from SNL?

xxxxxx* Elementary School Pledge:

I Pledge to live this day as a responsible person who cares. I will accept others and celebrate our diversity. I will act in such a way that I will be proud of myself and others will be proud of me too. I have come to school to learn and I will learn. I will have a great day!

Stuart Smalley:

"I am fun to be with. Because I'm good enough, I'm smart enough and doggone it, people like me. "

You be the judge.

WTOTBF update...

Bottom line... His class is now reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag each morning. Here's how it happened:

Queen of the SandCastle accompanied our son to school to discuss the issue with the teacher before class Monday, particularly the displacement of the "Flag Pledge". Our son's teacher was unavailable for consultation, but she talked with another 4th grade teacher, keeping the tone friendly and non-confrontational.

The teacher explained the morning schedule only allowed 20 minutes to do the administrative stuff (attendance, announcements, etc) before sending the students off to "specials", a rotating class period that changes each day. She didn't know why pledge wasn't recited over the PA.

Somewhere behind the scenes, we suspect "other" 4th grade teacher had a word with our son's teacher. So when our 4th grader reminded teacher about the pledge Monday morning there were no issues and she led the class in the recital. Same story today. Two for two.

But the story doesn't end here. Problem seems solved at the single class room level and our son learned a lesson in civics.

Next we need to have a talk with the School Principal and find out why it's not being recited school wide over the PA system. Stay tuned for updates, but this battle will take a little longer.

Well this ought to be fun...

Our son started fourth grade one week ago. Friday dinner, while reviewing the week my wife asked "So do you say the Pledge of Allegiance each morning?" The 4th grader hemmed and hawwed saying "no we never have".

Well they used to... As the school is a local polling place, I've been on campus to vote when they recited the pledge over the school PA system.

Said spousal unit was reviewing said 4th graders school folder and came across the following:

xxxxxx* Elementary School Pledge
I Pledge to live this day as a responsible person who cares. I will accept others and celebrate our diversity. I will act in such a way that I will be proud of myself and others will be proud of me too. I have come to school to learn and I will learn. I will have a great day!

Whiskey - Tango - Foxtrot???

Needless to say we have a problem with their dropping the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag in favor of demanding our son Pledge Allegiance to the school, and diversity! Our son makes friends with anyone. There isn't a racist bone in his body and we certainly don't teach it here at the SandCastle. But I won't have diversity shoved down my son's throat in all it's PC-ness and certainly not allow him to pledge allegiance to the public school! Many members of both my wife and my families have served this country and a cousin is over in Iraq today.

Hmmm... Quick search of the Arizona Revised Statues turned up this gem (Emphasis mine):

15-506. Flag, Constitution and the Bill of Rights display; recitation of the pledge of allegiance; exemption

A. School districts and charter schools shall:

1. Purchase United States flags that are manufactured in the United States and that are at least two feet by three feet and hardware to appropriately display the United States flag and for grades seven through twelve, purchase a legible copy of the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights that is manufactured in the United States.

2. Display the flags in accordance with title 4 of the United States Code in each classroom and upon or near the outside of the school building during school hours and at such other times as the school authorities direct. For grades seven through twelve, the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights shall be placed adjacent to each classroom flag.

3. Set aside a specific time each day for those students who wish to recite the pledge of allegiance to the United States flag.

B. Private schools, parochial schools and home schools are exempt from the provisions of this section.

This ought to be fun... It appears the school may be violating the law!

* For now I'm withholding the school identity. Spousal unit will be talking with the teacher in the AM. Expecting a satisfactory resolution I will not slime them ahead of this discussion.