This would sadden Dr. King so deeply.
Friday, 08 February 2008
It's time to get back on your knees for a long fight!
Last night at the Snoqualmie Valley School Board Meeting, the teachers supportive of the Gay Straight Alliance drew a line in the sand, and I am stepping over it. I spoke to the Superintendent this morning and he promised, "...it's for the children."
I said I want him to protect my daughter and I want Kit McCormick removed from the classroom.
Another teacher at the meeting last night, George Potratz, said that if I am trying to repeal rights for gays, he thinks we should start a movement to bring back slavery.
Mr. Potratz does not deserve to be on the faculty of the school and should be fired immediately. Over the next few days, I will be talking with the School Board and the school officials.
My theme will be a line from a Pink Floyd song, "Hey! Teachers! Leave them kids alone!"
Keep on Praying,
Pastor Hutch
Mr. Potratz never suggested that we should start a movement to bring back slavery, what he actually said, paraphrasing a contributor was;
"yes, Hutcherson has a right to his views...just as someone who believes in reinstating slavery has a right to theirs." What Potratz went on to say, and what Hutcherson has idiotically and selfishly twisted is the part where Potratz continued with the idea that: "just because someone has the right to these ideas, it does not make them acceptable in a public school"
Hutcherson has now engaged Focus On The Family to pressure the school with his twisted interpretation of last nights events; CitizenLink
Randy Taylor should be expecting a barrage of homophobic mail this weekend.
11 comments:
Pastor Hutch says "I said I want him to protect my daughter and I want Kit McCormick removed from the classroom. . . . Mr. Potratz does not deserve to be on the faculty of the school and should be fired immediately. Over the next few days, I will be talking with the School Board and the school officials."
Mr. Hutcherson, I have a feeling you are over-estimating your personal influence in this matter. It will be a sad sad day when a parent has the power to "fire" a public school teacher due to a difference in beliefs. Lucky for all of us we have the constitutional rights to freedom of speech and the separation of church and state.
P.S. Many of us ARE praying and it is for ALL the children embroiled in this mess and for your enlightenment,Sir.
What an unbelievably skewed comment. If Hutcherson had actually been paying attention to Potratz's comments instead of bowing his head and pretending to be a victim, then he may have actually heard that Potratz was saying, "yes, Hutcherson has a right to his views...just as someone who believes in reinstating slavery has a right to theirs." What Potratz went on to say, and what Hutcherson has idiotically and selfishly twisted is the part where Potratz continued with the idea that: "just because someone has the right to these ideas, it does not make them acceptable in a public school"
Grow up Hutcherson. The statement you posted today is pathetic. For once, get over yourself.
You are not a victim. The Christian right or "traditional values" proponents are not victims, the victims are the individuals you chose to deny. Grow up and stop this witch hunt against good teachers.
Mount Si has signs up declaring itself "No Place for Hate"
Here's the resolution they had to sign to become a "Hate Free Zone"
Resolution of Respect
I pledge from this day forward to do my best to combat prejudice and to stop those who, because of hate or ignorance, would hurt anyone or violate their civil rights. I will try at all times to be aware of my own biases and seek to gain understanding of those who I perceive as being different from myself. I will speak out against all forms of prejudice and discrimination. I will reach out to support those who are targets of hate. I will think about specific ways my community members can promote respect for people and create a prejudice-free zone. I firmly believe that one person can make a difference and that no person can be an "innocent" bystander when it comes to opposing hate. I recognize that respecting individual dignity, achieving equality and promoting intergroup harmony are the responsibilities of all people. By signing this pledge, I commit myself to creating a community that is No Place for HateTM.
I hope the school administraton brings back this program, reaffirms their commitment and signs this pledge. I bet the principal NEVER read it, or he'd realize that Kit was just following the pledge ...
Resolution of Respect. Wouldn't it be nice if EVERYone would follow its principles instead of one group pointing their finger at the other group and saying, "You need to do this..."? Be aware of your OWN biases - whether it's against the "Christian right" or the "liberal left". Speak out against ALL forms of prejudice and discrimination - whether it's against the "Christian right" or the "liberal left". Correct?
to concerned parent . ..
I agree - if the Administration of Mount Si would enforce this Resolution of Respect, the environment at Mount Si would not be deteriorating to the point where kids don't feel safe - no matter what their beliefs. It's obvious the focus here needs to go back to the principal and ask him what he's done to maintain safety and improve the culture at Mount Si in the past month since this assembly? Has he increased his security staff's presence in the halls? Does he and the other three administrators make a point to be in the halls when students are passing between classes? Or does he leave town with the associate principal for some conference in Spokane?
You make it sound like gay students leave the school beaten and bruised every day. Is there a need for policemen to stand in the hallways to maintain order? I have four children at MSHS, and they have never heard of a single instance of violence at the school since the MLK assembly. I know for a fact that if there was some kind of attack, word would spread through the school in a moment.
I'm not saying that gay students aren't targets for abuse. I know that it happens, but I really don't understand why you have such fears for safety that the principal cannot attend a conference that has been planned for months. I just don't see that there is any greater risk now than there was a month ago.
But it sure makes for good rhetoric, doesn't it?
I'm not saying that gay students aren't targets for abuse. I know that it happens, but I really don't understand why you have such fears for safety that the principal cannot attend a conference that has been planned for months.
The students are probably better off with him out of town. In the past he responded to complaints of physical abuse during the DoS with "that's just part of the game isn't it?"
Taylor is part of the problem, not the solution.
Once again, Hutcherson is trying to make Mount Si into a school that conforms to all his own values. If he is so concerned about his daughter's safety then I'm sure that an ex-NFL player can afford to send her to a private conservative christian institution that teaches hatred towards people of different orientations. Then perhaps he can leave our school and two very excellent teachers, who I have had the opportunity to be taught by, alone.
Thanks for clarifying Mr. Hutcherson's comments. Hearing it from his side it sounded like Mr. Potratz was a real prick.
To those who feel that christian students deserve the same respect as glbt students there is no doubt that respect is everyone's responsibility.
But we don't need incidents of violence to have an unsafe atmosphere in school. If you have listened to high school age young people talk you will hear terms like "thats so gay" used over and over as a derrogatory term. I know of no such term for christians being thrown about.
Thank you, "hutcherson actually wrote this?!".
I was going to write something about the matter myself, but you've said it better than I could.
Unbelievable.
"We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid."
~ Benjamin Franklin
And Liberals, I mean, Progressives, work the hardest of all.
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