We found a Witch, may we burn her?
Monday, 11 February 2008
Please get on your knees again!
Please pray for Pat and me as we meet tomorrow morning at 10:30 am with the Principal and two Assistant Principals to ask why those teachers are still in the school.
Pastor Hutch
UPDATED:
Wednesday, 13 February 2008
Praise...
The meeting at Mt. Si High School went extremely well. Pat and I were very truthful, and made our expectations clear. We will now wait to see what the results are, and decide whether or not we will take action.
Another praise...Carl Kelly will be coming on staff as the choir director. He comes to us with much experience, training, and giftedness! Get your voice ready to join the choir!!!
Pastor Hutch
"Take Action"? Hmmm, what could THAT mean?
19 comments:
The principal should not be meeting with him to discuss personnel issues. Who does Pastor Hutcherson think he is? I think it is obscene that he is being given so many chances to be heard. Enough already. Let's move on.
"Well I must admit, we did tie that carrot to her nose..."At last, something to laugh about in the midst of this unbelievably, closed-minded return to the Dark Ages with"Hutch" leading the pack.
What an idiot that Principal is! Meeting with three administrators? Why is that necessary? Is Mr. Taylor not capable of meeting with parents? He needs his more intelligent staff members to help him? Is that what we want them spending their time on? Giving an audience to a man who has already received their support by being invited in the first place, and receiving a public letter of apology? Where's Mr. Taylor's letter of apology to GSA? I agree with anonymous above - this is a personnel issue that Mr. Taylor has no business talking to a parent or anyone about.
The reason they should still be in school is that they are excellent, engaging teachers who show up every day and do their job.
In other words, why in heavens name should they NOT still be in school?
Time to move on.
Hutcherson has already brought enough of his own prejudiced ideals into this school, why does he think that he can use his well known face to try and make Mount Si into is own personal conservative training ground? The Principal needs to put his foot down and stop bowing down, maybe he needs some lessons in equality himself.
If we are so concerned about politeness, are we considering Rev. Hutcherson's behavior above reproach? As a guest, he came into the Snoqualmie Valley School District and gave a speech. He was received warmly, more than a thousand kids clapped, only 2 people expressed disagreement. And yet, he isn't completely happy about how he was treated. (OK, you invite me for dinner and I’m a vegetarian and you cooked chicken- do I have a right to tell everyone you are a bad cook? If I do, it makes me look like a pretty ungracious guest.) Does he have a right to smear SVSD’s name through the national internet waves? He thinks there was misbehavior, he was even given an apology and now he thinks he should be in charge of personnel? NO, when you are invited to my house it doesn't give you the right to inspect my underwear drawer. It also doesn't give the Reverend the right to destroy the possibility of passing the school bond and building new schools.
Let’s move on. Let's support the teachers. Let's help them uphold the laws of Washington State providing a safe and welcoming environment for children and staff of all sexual orientations. Let's NOT let this digress into a legal conflict. Rev. Hutcherson would not win. But, I believe it will turn out worst financially for the school district, and in the end our students. So, the school district and the true supporters of public education should come together to uphold protections of safety in our school and make steps forward toward ignoring Hutcherson's demands. We can recognize people believe that homosexuality is a sin, but as teachers, administrators, and parents in a public school system, there is no place for those opinions. There should be NO tolerance for bigotry in the schools, because expressing those opinions is outside the law.
If we are so concerned about politeness, are we considering Rev. Hutcherson's behavior above reproach? As a guest, he came into the Snoqualmie Valley School District and gave a speech. He was received warmly, more than a thousand kids clapped, only 2 people expressed disagreement. And yet, he isn't completely happy about how he was treated. (OK, you invite me for dinner and I’m a vegetarian and you cooked chicken- do I have a right to tell everyone you are a bad cook? If I do, it makes me look like a pretty ungracious guest.) Does he have a right to smear SVSD’s name through the national internet waves? He thinks there was misbehavior, he was even given an apology and now he thinks he should be in charge of personnel? NO, when you are invited to my house it doesn't give you the right to inspect my underwear drawer. It also doesn't give the Reverend the right to destroy the possibility of passing the school bond and building new schools.
Let’s move on. Let's support the teachers. Let's help them uphold the laws of Washington State providing a safe and welcoming environment for children and staff of all sexual orientations. Let's NOT let this digress into a legal conflict. Rev. Hutcherson would not win. But, I believe it will turn out worst financially for the school district, and in the end our students. So, the school district and the true supporters of public education should come together to uphold protections of safety in our school and make steps forward toward ignoring Hutcherson's demands. We can recognize people believe that homosexuality is a sin, but as teachers, administrators, and parents in a public school system, there is no place for those opinions. There should be NO tolerance for bigotry in the schools, because expressing those opinions is outside the law.
what happened during the meeting?
not quite anonymous, just don't feel like signing in said...
what happened during the meeting?
read all about it...
Thank You
I am not here to denigrate the beliefs of Pastor Hutcherson or his followers. But I am appalled at the unmitigated temerity of Hutcherson, seeking to dismiss and silence professional educators who disagree with his views, when he was given the opportunity to speak at a school where many people obviously view his beliefs with contempt. I would prefer to hear what everyone has to say on any given issue, no matter how distasteful their views. We are all better off engaging in unfettered dialogue. (Unless, of course, they weigh the same as a duck and are therefore made of wood, making them a WITCH!)
No, the meeting the meeting that was supposed to have occurred today, 1030am, your time.
not quite anonymous, just can't sign in said...
No, the meeting the meeting that was supposed to have occurred today, 1030am, your time.
Unknown. We'll post if we hear anything.
Anonymous said...
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.
Let's remember that among other things, Mr. and Mrs. Hutcherson are parents of a Mt. Si student and as parents have the right to talk with the administration about the safety of their daughter at MSHS.
I say this just to underscore that no one comes out OK if there are threats, put downs, bullying when the controversy is rooted in the belief systems of the parties.
The buzz is that at present Mt Si is a very dysfunctional place to go to school and to work.
It would seem reasonable and productive to focus on how the administration allowed this to degrade and what they are doing to bring things back on track.
It has been whispered more than once that this situation would not have evolved in this manner were McCullough still superintendent.
There needs to be non-violent compassionate listening and mediating led by professionals who are skilled in this. Our kids deserve better, much better, than what the divisive atmosphere at Mt Si is delivering.
There should be meetings now - focused on tolerance and compassion and healing.
Continued focus on the Hutchersons' maneuvers keeps attention from a pressing issue: weakness to the point of incompetence of the Mt Si administration and the superintendent to deal with controversy in a competent manner. And inability of the school board to provide constructive oversight.
I, for one, am not afraid to be identified in vehement opposition to Ken Hutcherson's pontificating from his bully pulpit. He is obviously a petty and vindictive man. His hate mongering is evidenced by his continued bullying of Microsoft and the state legislature into allowing oppression of a legitimate minority. He skims convenient excuses for his bigotry from the bible and ignores much which contradicts his agenda and doesn't meet his needs. He pretends those who find him offensive are the ones who hate but they aren't the ones vindictively campaigning to ruin the lives of two teachers and working to oppress tens of thousands. Hatred is evident in your actions Mr. Hutcherson. Do unto others...have you forgotten that one? Concentrate on building people up not tearing them down.
Posted by Mt Si grad and Sno. Valley parent.
Thank you Bruce. At last, another person who will put their name into the dialogue. It seems to me that posting anonymous comments is kind of like midnight spray paint. I am proud to post my views under my name. I get your point of view, but please, let people know who said it. Your name carries weight!
http://www.aiwashington.org/films.html
Amnesty International Washington's Film Festival starts tomorrow in Seattle. They address human rights issues. I highly recommend progressive people in the valley see these films. Human rights abuses come in many different forms. We need to teach our children empathy for all and exposure is the best way to do that.
Molly Jester
Valley Parent
The thanks should all be directed to your wife Mr. Eiffert. Please give her a hug for me this Valentine's Day! May neither of you suffer for your benevolence and may the malevolent cease to be relevant.
You know, it's Christians like Ken Hutcherson that make me want to be an atheist. Thank you, Hutch, for making my search for religious happiness even harder. Just push me deeper into confusion.
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