The battle over the American flag has reached a middle school art class in California’s Santa Rita School District where a student was told not to draw Old Glory because it was “offensive,” but another student — in the same class – was praised for drawing a picture of President Obama.Well, now it's time to go to the superintendent.
Tracy Hathaway, of Salinas, CA, told FOX News Radio her 13-year-old daughter was ordered to stop drawing the American flag by an art teacher at Gavilan View Middle School.
“She had drawn the flag and was sketching the letters, ‘God bless America,’ when the teacher confronted her,” Hathaway told FOX. “She said, ‘You can’t draw that – that’s offensive.’”
Even more striking, another student in the same art class drew a picture of President Obama and was praised by the teacher.
“The picture of Barack Obama was in red, white and blue hues,” Hathaway said. “The teacher said it was great. But when it comes to the flag – all of a sudden it was offensive?”
Hathaway said she took her concerns to the principal – and he was “floored” and apologized for what happened. He arranged a meeting with the Hathaways and the teacher.
“My husband point-blank asked her what she found offensive about the picture – the American flag or the words, ‘God Bless America,’” she said. “The teacher didn’t say a word.”
Hathaway said she was especially concerned that a picture of President Obama was praised yet a picture of the American flag was deemed offensive.
“That showed where she stood in the political spectrum,” she said “But this was not a political class. This was not a religious class. This was an art class. “
“My daughter wasn’t trying to break any rules and she wasn’t trying to create a scene,” she said. “She was just expressing her view and saying this is America and I want God to bless it.”
Mike Brusa, the superintendent of schools, told FOX in a written statement that he had contacted the principal and that the issue “was taken care of to their (the parent’s) satisfaction.”
“The school administration and the parents did not view this as significant enough to bring it to the superintendent’s office,” he wrote.
However, Hathaway said her daughter has yet to receive an apology – and in fact – the teacher told the girl that she should not have gotten her parents involved in the matter.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Drawing a Flag Deemed Offensive in CA School
Here we go again:
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7 comments:
This teacher needs to be removed from the classroom. I certainly would NOT want her teaching one of my children.
How come the teacher is not named?
The thing I find even more worrisome than the original (appalling) incident is the teacher saying the child shouldn't have gone to her parents. When any teacher says that about anything, it sets off major alarm bells for me.
Frankly I think any teacher who tells a child not to tell their parents about *anything* that happens in the classroom should be automatically dismissed.
Best wishes,
Laura
The teacher sounds like a dictator. (That's how Obama got his start, you know, teaching ....)
veiled threat by the teacher-
so-I agree:
"Well, now it's time to go to the superintendent."
C-CS
The teacher should be removed from classrooms immediately. The teacher's conduct, including the veiled threat about student involving parents, should be investigated. Presuming the facts are correct, the teacher should be removed from classroom and procedures invoked for dismissal.
its horrifying watching it on tv..that teacher should be expelled..probably she's anti-christian or something...
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