Have School Administrators Gone Completely Mad?

I started my day perusing a news blog, and came across another example of how far afield common sense has been flung from our schools and their administrators. In contrast, as evidenced in the newsfeed of my facebook wall, there are a lot of patriotic, grateful people in my circle of friends. They love their country and appreciate every sacrifice our men and women of the armed forces have made on our behalf. I would venture to say those of us who feel that way are in the majority. But sometimes I have to wonder.

You see, Elissa Harrington, of Fox 40 News, reports that a Sacramento, CA boy has been made to remove the American flag he was waving to be patriotic and to honor veterans in his family from his bicycle this week, after citing the "fear of racial tensions or uprisings" and that "some kids had been complaining about the flag and it was no longer allowed on school property." I know. It's mind-boggling, isn't it? It's shocking to us normal "folks" isn't it, that these school administrators can be so hostile to our own country's flag and have the power to disallow it on school property?

Why? Why are you shocked? The persons who are making these decisions have come up through a system. It's not private and secret. It's a public system. In many cases, these people in authority over our children were elected to their positions. At the very least, they were hired by people we elected. It wasn't people in Russia or China who elected these people. We did. Us. The ones who are so shocked by their philosophies, which they are passing onto our children, had them they day they were elected. We just didn't care enough to find out at the time. We didn't ask the difficult questions and insist that they answer them.

And another thing I want to find out is who the hell are "some children"? I have had some recent experience with "some children" being offended by something mundane. I need to ask you people if your children are easily offended. Are they your children? Could you please ask you children? I'm positive it's not my children. I've asked them. But I think it's time we find out who these poor children are, don't you? It's urgent that "some children" get psychological counseling for their irrational fears. Whoever is raising them is obviously unfit to prepare them for life as an adult. They should be removed from their parents' custody. Call Social Services! Schedule an intervention! Somebody please help these poor children!

Let me tell you about my experience with "some children." Recently, I received a telephone call from our local public school district's Bus Director. He said that "some children" had seen my six-year-old son, who is homeschooled, playing with his Nerf gun in our backyard as they rode by in the school bus. You see, the bus stop is right across the street from our backyard. Three (maybe four) times a day, a school bus stops there to pick up or drop off children, including my older children, who attend public school. Apparently, my son had a Nerf gun in his hand as he waited for his brother and sister to cross the street as they arrived home. Apparently, "some children" were "concerned" about my son's Nerf gun, which by the way had no foam darts inside, and on this particular day, was strung with brightly colored mardi-gras beads, just because he thought they looked nice. You see, my son has some special needs, which I think are best addressed at home. The conversation with the Bus Director, had me looking around the room for Rod Serling, but sadly, it was a real conversation, with a full-fledged member of the p.c. police, asserting his right to control every aspect of my family's lives because we have the audacity to live next to his kingdom of influence, better known as a bus stop. I expressed my disbelief that any of those children hadn't seen, held, fired, played with or received the exact toy for Christmas last year. I don't know a single child in my town with a fear of Nerf guns. In fact, quite the contrary. They generally run at each other giggling, saying "Shoot me! Shoot me!" So to say I was incredulous is an understatement. I asked how many six-year-olds he had seen around town brandishing assault weapons lately. His response was that in Ethiopia they do that all the time. I did point out that we don't live in Ethiopia. We live in the U. S. A., since he didn't seem to be aware of that fact. I do try to be helpful person, after all. He said, "Well, I just wanted to call and ask you politely first." First. Hmm. Wondering what came second, I told him thanks for calling and hung up. Then I went to facebook to vent and suggested a few other things our school district might focus on rather than my family's activities in and around our home, like find a way for our school district to meet annual yearly expectations, or raise our children's writing scores over 50%.

Well, this past Wednesday, we found out what came second when my husband received a phone call from our local police chief, who is also an acquaintance, who made some small talk, and in an embarrassed, hesitant conversation, told my husband that the Bus Director had called him to report our son playing with a Nerf gun in his own backyard last week. The poor guy! My husband felt so sorry for him having to call and have such a ridiculous conversation. My husband asked if our son had broken any laws. Of course, the answer was "no." We didn't really have much to say, as it's just one of those situations that is just embarrassing for all those involved because it isn't rational.

What is the issue here, really? I believe it is the public school system becoming a government unto itself. The people who we elect to represent us in supervising our school districts are not doing their jobs for us. They have conceded their authority to the administrators in those districts and to the unions who represent them. Common sense has flown out the window. It's time we take a real look at who we are placing into places of influence, because they need to have a firmer grasp of common sense, in the very least. Our children are too important to become casualties in the battle for political correctness. They shouldn't have to deal with it, period. They should be challenged by people who are striving to teach them to ask questions, think for themselves, and be superior in their endeavors, to care for the weak with dignity.

It's time to draw the line and say "Enough is enough. This far and no further!" Stop sitting by and allowing this behavior from your local officials just because it's someone else's child. It might be your child next week, and it might be a worse offense next week. Make a phone call, write a letter, vote in the local elections, tell your friends. Be a citizen who uses your freedoms before those freedoms are eliminated by sheer apathy. Stop yelling at the television and direct it where it belongs, for all our sakes.