tolerance
tolerance, I try to be as tolerant as anyone possibly can. My father taught me "I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it!"
Apparently that does not apply to teachers.
I was published in a national magazine about teaching in the rural south. http://www.tolerance.org/magazine/number-38-fall-2010/three-country It upset many of the locals, and I will admit, the writer had an agenda to show my county as a bunch of rubes. It's not true. We have a 1.7 million dollar program to make us one of the most technological schools in the country, a world ranked robotics team, state championships in lots of things and a student body that is overcoming the 35% poverty rate in this country. We have raised the graduation rate from 53% to 85% in less than 3 years. None of that made the article. So I am the bad guy. The "Yankee" who just doesn't understand how things work around here.
Friday I showed a film clip by a friend. An Actor, producer and director in LA. It is called the Reckoning, and is about a gay man who is kidnapped, tortured and forced to give a list of his fellow gays so the vigilantes can hunt them down. The Vigilantes asked "How do you have sex with men...do you suck dick? Do you do anal". At that point I shut the film down. I had not screened the clip as I thought You tube did not allow words like that. I was wrong. Now I'm on administrative leave awaiting a hearing on termination. I guess I'm just too dangerous.
The kids here these things all the time, I know, but I would not have shown that clip if I would have screened it first. I am so proud of Bruce for making the film, and he had offered to come to Atlanta and screen his work, then to talk to my kids about his experiences as a Gay man being bullied most of his life. I'm afraid word of that got out, and that is why they want me gone.
If you pray, please do so. I have increased the theater department here from 12 kids to over 100 per semester. My students are ready to rebel over this, and yet they have no power. I'm scared for them. We are in production week for Romeo and Juliet, the first time Shakespeare has ever been done here, but the Principal wants to shut down the production because I am the only staff member working on the show. I am trying to rally my friends to take over as the teacher advocates so the kids can do this. They deserve it. They have worked so hard.
We take this to one act competition in 4 weeks. We have placed 2nd two years in a row and taken 3 of 4 best acting awards and 7 outstanding actor awards in two years. We are good. Someone wants it killed I guess.
The Lord brought me here, and the Lord will lead me elsewhere if need be. These kids have learned so much about the human condition and speaking up for themselves. I get the feeling many parents don't want that either.
blessings, my friends. I will be working on my book this week, as I seek legal counsel and pray to be able to feed my family.
dix
Apparently that does not apply to teachers.
I was published in a national magazine about teaching in the rural south. http://www.tolerance.org/magazine/number-38-fall-2010/three-country It upset many of the locals, and I will admit, the writer had an agenda to show my county as a bunch of rubes. It's not true. We have a 1.7 million dollar program to make us one of the most technological schools in the country, a world ranked robotics team, state championships in lots of things and a student body that is overcoming the 35% poverty rate in this country. We have raised the graduation rate from 53% to 85% in less than 3 years. None of that made the article. So I am the bad guy. The "Yankee" who just doesn't understand how things work around here.
Friday I showed a film clip by a friend. An Actor, producer and director in LA. It is called the Reckoning, and is about a gay man who is kidnapped, tortured and forced to give a list of his fellow gays so the vigilantes can hunt them down. The Vigilantes asked "How do you have sex with men...do you suck dick? Do you do anal". At that point I shut the film down. I had not screened the clip as I thought You tube did not allow words like that. I was wrong. Now I'm on administrative leave awaiting a hearing on termination. I guess I'm just too dangerous.
The kids here these things all the time, I know, but I would not have shown that clip if I would have screened it first. I am so proud of Bruce for making the film, and he had offered to come to Atlanta and screen his work, then to talk to my kids about his experiences as a Gay man being bullied most of his life. I'm afraid word of that got out, and that is why they want me gone.
If you pray, please do so. I have increased the theater department here from 12 kids to over 100 per semester. My students are ready to rebel over this, and yet they have no power. I'm scared for them. We are in production week for Romeo and Juliet, the first time Shakespeare has ever been done here, but the Principal wants to shut down the production because I am the only staff member working on the show. I am trying to rally my friends to take over as the teacher advocates so the kids can do this. They deserve it. They have worked so hard.
We take this to one act competition in 4 weeks. We have placed 2nd two years in a row and taken 3 of 4 best acting awards and 7 outstanding actor awards in two years. We are good. Someone wants it killed I guess.
The Lord brought me here, and the Lord will lead me elsewhere if need be. These kids have learned so much about the human condition and speaking up for themselves. I get the feeling many parents don't want that either.
blessings, my friends. I will be working on my book this week, as I seek legal counsel and pray to be able to feed my family.
dix