Wednesday, January 12, 2005

"Recall" Web Site Threatens School Board

This morning's Gazette has an item of interest. It seems that some members of the school board were planning to meet with citizens in Germantown Monday. The anti-gay group that wants to recall the school board apparently was very excited about this opportunity to express their opinions to the board members. Their site, RecallMontgomerySchoolBoard.com, has a message board, where members of the group can communicate among themselves. Apparently, those messages were getting a little too inflammatory for the board members' comfort.

(I have apologized to The Gazette before, and must do so now. Their reporting is so good, I end up copying-and-pasting the whole article. Readers of this blog are requested to click on http://www.gazette.net/, search for sponsors, and buy something from them.)

(PS Read the letters to the editor while you're there.)

While you're reading this article, and hearing them try to blame "outsiders" for the comments in question, please note that the recall group's message boards are not open to the public. You have to submit your name and be approved before you can comment there.

Cox avoids Germantown meeting after receiving threats

Members of the Board of Education canceled their appearance at Monday's Germantown Citizens Association meeting on the proposed sex education curriculum after receiving threats and slanderous comments on an anti-curriculum Web site.

"The postings started having some direct threats to school board members," GCA board member Sheila Myers said. "Evidently Sharon [Cox] got some very specific ones. ... She became concerned about coming into a public meeting" where someone might threaten her physically.

"Prior to [the postings] she had said 'yes' on coming," Myers said. "She seemed very open minded about having that discussion on a community forum."

Cox and fellow school board member Patricia O'Neill were originally invited to attend. Cox and O'Neill could not be reached Tuesday for comment.

The site on which the comments were posted, www.recallmontgomeryschoolboard.com, is monitored by a Damascus-based group called Citizens for a Responsible Curriculum. CRC members who attended the meeting denied that anyone from their group posted the comments or threats.

Mmm, yeah. So the board members are lying? Or did somebody hack into their site? --This would have been a different story if that had happened. Maybe they're trying to say there really weren't any nasty comments on the message board. I'd like to know.

"We're just moms," member Michelle Turner of Kensington said. Other members speculated that someone outside their group posted the comments on their site ­ adding to CRC's already negative image, they said.

Group members have been called "hateful, fearful and homophobic," none of which are true, Gaithersburg resident Laura Quigley said.

Tweeeeeet! The ref blows his whistle. Fearful? Nobody's ever called them fearful. But TeachTheFacts.org declines the penalty. Proceed.

--No, wait, just a minute... Kensington? Gaithersburg? I thought this was a Germantown Citizens Association meeting. Why, it almost sounds like they were planning to stack the deck by bringing in outsiders...

The curriculum includes an eight-minute video that features a young woman discussing how condoms can reduce the risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases or becoming pregnant. She also demonstrates the proper way to put on a condom, using a cucumber. It also discusses "sexual variations," including homosexuality, which up until now teachers were not allowed to bring up as a topic for discussion -- only address specific questions from students.

I would like to again thank The Gazette for their even handling of this topic.

In addition to their belief that the school's proposed curriculum veers away from "traditional values," CRC members also believe the Board of Education did not follow the proper procedures for submitting a new curriculum.

Members compared the treatment of the sex ed curriculum to the school board's treatment of the grading and reporting policy, which has received a lot of public exposure, they said.

"[The curriculum] has not been given the time and attention it should have been, even compared to their own policy," CRC member Tom Reinheimer said.

Look, this really is annoying. The people who started the recall group were on the committee that proposed this curriculum in the first place. They had approximately three years of discussing this stuff. The fact is, they wanted to include extremist, anti-gay propaganda, and they were outvoted. The commmittee had numerous members representing conservative groups. They were outvoted. There was nothing wrong with the process, this is exactly how it's supposed to work.

CRC members said they are asking that the school board delay the pilot of the curriculum until a public hearing has been held and enough community input has been gathered.

The GCA will draft a letter to the board vocalizing Germantown residents' opposition to the curriculum, board member Alice Gordon said.

However, because the GCA must remain impartial, she said the letter would present both sides of the issue.

"There's no way that we can choose sides, we have to remain open-minded," Gordon said.

Mmm, OK, so they'll write a letter that says, some people in Germantown don't like this curriculum, but some do. I'm sure this is a great victory for those sore losers who are trying to undermine the democratic process in Montgomery County.

12 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Teach the facts.org. What a joke! You really need to get the facts first before you can teach the facts. You have no idea what you're talking about. Clueless, is all I have to say. It's really sad to have a whole website based on "False Facts." Truth is based on facts not opinions. Let me say that again in case you didn't hear me. Truth is based on facts not opinions. My advice to you is get the information right before reporting out. Maybe we all would be able to come to an agreement on this matter if we all agree to provide our children with factual, appropriate information.

As far as the Gazzette goes, they're right along with CBS News, the National Enquire and Star Magazine. They don't report out correctly. They twist the information so much it's ridiculous. A word of advice, check a few sources before making a decision on this matter.

Here's something for you to "chew on." You want real factual information, check this out:
http://www.massnews.com/past_issues/2000/9_Sept/900fist3.htm

What do you have to say about this?

By the way, the CRC website was an open forum until messages threating the board were posted by unknowns to sabatoge the group. This as you also know is typical of our democratic society.

FACT = TRUTH. OPINIONS doesn't make it true. Let's get it right for a change.

January 12, 2005 5:59 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Teach the facts.org. What a joke! You really need to get the facts first before you can teach the facts. You have no idea what you're talking about. Clueless, is all I have to say. It's really sad to have a whole website based on "False Facts." Truth is based on facts not opinions. Let me say that again in case you didn't hear me. Truth is based on facts not opinions. My advice to you is get the information right before reporting out. Maybe we all would be able to come to an agreement on this matter if we all agree to provide our children with factual, appropriate information.

As far as the Gazzette goes, they're right along with CBS News, the National Enquire and Star Magazine. They don't report out correctly. They twist the information so much it's ridiculous. A word of advice, check a few sources before making a decision on this matter.

Here's something for you to "chew on." You want real factual information, check this out:
http://www.massnews.com/past_issues/2000/9_Sept/900fist3.htm

What do you have to say about this?

By the way, the CRC website was an open forum until messages threating the board were posted by unknowns to sabatoge the group. This as you also know is typical of our democratic society.

FACT = TRUTH. OPINIONS doesn't make it true. Let's get it right for a change.

January 12, 2005 6:00 PM  
Blogger JimK said...

It seems like just an amazing coincidence to me that two people, both named "Anonymous," would both have exactly the same thing to say.

... I mean, what are the chances of that?

January 12, 2005 7:42 PM  
Blogger Maryam Balbed said...

It's interesting to me that someone who feels so strongly about his or her beliefs would make such strong statements...anonymously.

I say what I believe, and I own what I believe. If I say something, I put my name behind it--as I do with everything on this site and on our listserve (or any listserve.)

I wonder about folks who apparently, don't have the courage of their convictions...not enough to claim them, anyway.

January 12, 2005 7:54 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It figures that you wouldn't respond to the question on what you thought about the article listed in my previous comment. Out of all that I wrote, you both only focus on the the fact that I sent my comment anonymously. So what? Get a grip. Does it really matter in the scheme of things, whether I list my name or not?

Why can't we talk about the issues at hand? Afraid there was too much truth in what I said? I get it. You try to divert the conversation elsewhere. Too afraid to tackle the issues at hand.

January 12, 2005 9:18 PM  
Blogger JimK said...

This post has been removed by a blog administrator.

January 12, 2005 10:31 PM  
Blogger JimK said...

This post has been removed by a blog administrator.

January 12, 2005 11:03 PM  
Blogger JimK said...

Hey, Anon, your rightwing web sites want to imply that this "fistgate" thing is being ignored in the liberal press, but this will be just like that liar who said he wasn't allowed to teach about the Declaration of Independence. They made it up, that's why no newspaper is reporting it. It gives guys like you something vivid to fantasize about, but it didn't happen. These lies come out one after the other, let's just throw this on the heap with all the weapons of mass destruction that were found in Iraq.

Go away.

January 12, 2005 11:09 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hmmm... wonder why your posting was deleted?

Still straying away from the issue at hand. Go figure. Didn't take a look at the article I attached? Wonder why? How typical of you to ignore factual information? I see you rather believe the lies... than the truth.

So be it!

January 13, 2005 8:56 PM  
Blogger JimK said...

I deleted my own post after asking the admin how to do it, and she deleted it first, then I deleted my followup. I deleted it because I used stronger language than I want to see at this family-oriented site.

... must ... not ... attack ... trolls ...

January 13, 2005 9:55 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

How nice of you to retract your statements? Thinking of families, are we??? Not. What sense of humor you have??? So I see, "we" resort to name calling. How grown up of you...

Too bad you don't know how to answer a question... or are too afraid to have a civil conversation about an important issue that affects our children?

Teach the facts. Sounds like your too busy tearing people down and name calling, rather than "teaching any facts." Name calling and tearing people down is obviously a little more up your alley. Hey... have you considered trying your hand at another web site blogger that actually doesn't talk about real issues such as this? This subject sounds like it may be a little to heavy of a subject for you. Or... you know nothing about this issue. It has to be one of the two? You know what? Star Magazine or the Enquirer might work better for you and your made up stories and non-factual information. You really do a great job at this.

What a waste of time and energy... JimK. Thanks for having a non-stimulating conversation with me! Not what I came here for, but thanks anyway.

January 14, 2005 6:17 PM  
Blogger JimK said...

... must ... not ... attack ... trolls ...

January 14, 2005 9:50 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home