What happened to CoDE?
Well it's been nearly 3 months now since the DoS at MSHS. We've been watching the CoDE web site since then to see what they were doing to end the 'indoctrination' in our schools. What a big surprise, they have done nothing!
Since the DoS they have updated their web site once and that was to remove their comments about how they having nothing to do with Hutch.
Of course it's only a coincidence that Le Ann Shaw was President of CoDE during this assault on our students, who she claimed "Is not affiliated with Ken Hutcherson" and yet;
Todd Shaw, a member of Hutcherson's church, said he'll be at the protest Friday with a sign that reads "Education Not Indoctrination."
It would seem that their interest in 'indoctrination' is limited to the GSA and the DoS they fought so dilligently against. There seems to be nothing new happening over at the Ministry of Vice and Truth.
In fact, some of their 'Communications' have been removed from their site including the threatening letter they sent to the students of the Mt Si GSA. This letter included veiled threats of "unstable people" turning to "extreme acts of violence" including "school shootings". They close the letter with;
"Please choose to not spread anger this year and do not request the Day of Silence during the school day."
If there was any doubt as to the motives of this group, that doubt is gone. They are nothing more than a band of homophobic reprobates trying to push their personal religous agendas down the throats of our children.
CoDE has done NOTHING to help our schools or our students. Their site claims;
"Mount Si High School and the Snoqualmie Valley School District have recently had their reputation damaged and have been in the national news due to the actions of a small number of teachers."
It is NOT the teachers at Mount Si that have tarnished our reputation, it is these religous zealots who have brought national attention and ridicule to the valley as being percieved as a bunch of back woods nutjobs that hate gays!
Well to the rest of the world, rest assured that rational minds outnumber these simple minded reprobates in the valley by a wide margin.
It is fairly obvious that CoDE and it's members are more interested in compelling our secular education system to embrace the homophobia and other medieval superstitions that they cherish in favor of the system of law we currently have.
Equal Justice and Protection under the law! It works, even for the simple minded bigots who are protected by the same!
Please CoDE, keep your religion where it belongs, in your temples and churches.
Hate has no place in our schools, but you are welcome to embrace your hatred in your churches as the Antioch members do.
Updated to clarify the position Le Ann Shaw held at CoDE.
22 comments:
Wow. I’ve been keeping up with the antics of Hutch as best as possible, especially during the DOS protest debacle, but I was unaware of that letter. That is one serious piece of work.
Anyway, thanks for your site, I’ll be checking back :)
At this point I must commend you on your ability to continually post lies. Jeff Johnson was absolutely correct in his posting to MSP. You do need to refrain from the practice of lying on your blog.
If you post one lie then one must assume that all you post are lies.
I do believe that you have been talking to your log for far to long.
I am not a member of CoDE in any manner and a retraction is in order. Unless you're to busy eating cherry pies.
Le Ann Shaw
Question: Are there two Le Ann Shaws? Or did the one and only Le Ann Shaw resign from CoDE??
I just visited the CoDE website and looked at some of the communications.
The one about the MSHS Librarian having some pamphlets that CoDE for some arcane reasoning objected to lists one Le Ann Shaw right up at the top in the middle, under the CoDE logo... as President. One would assume this means president of CoDE, but maybe it's president of a garden club or something...
Will the real Le Ann Shaw remember who she is?? or did Anonymous just sign Le Ann's name to embarrass her?? Looks pretty silly. Oh, wait, maybe she can be president without being a member??? ;-))
I believe that Mrs. Shaw stated that she "is not" as in present tense - thus, there is only one Mrs. Shaw.
Perhaps, if the English department was actually teaching our children to read, write and understand English rather than indoctrinating them with their belief system, you'd be able to decipher the difference between tenses.
Is...was...Exactly. Which is why when we do depositions and gather evidence through interrogatories or examine witnesses in courts we say "are you now or have you ever been" when we want to know about someone's affiliation.
Do you know anything about fractals? About something repeating a pattern in essence at various levels of magnitude? It is fascinating. It appears to happen in society, in geography as well as in mathematics.
Noticing it happening with CoDE and Hutcherson with regard to Mount Si issues would be amusing, were it not hurtful to fine educators and students.
The first post from May, the anonymous response from whoever you anonymous are, illustrate the essence of CoDE and the rest of you who insist on harrassing and denigrating Mount Si, to the distraction and dismay of some very fine educators. Witch hunts are nothing new in this country.
Le Ann Shaw stated "I am not a member or CoDE in any manner." That is, at the least, confusing, since she is listed as President on a document currently on the website. (After reading the post signed Le Ann Shaw, I went to the CoDE website.)
A reasonable, literate person would recognize the discrepancy and ask for a clarification, as I did.
A reasonable and polite disclaimer could have been along the lines of, well, Le Ann Shaw was formerly a member of CoDE and actually at one time president, but came to have some issues with CoDE or noticed her garden was becoming overgrown with buttercups, so she resigned and withdrew her membership and support of the organization.
On the website, there could be a disclaimer by her name where she is listed as president, stating she resigned as of Cinco de Mayo or Fourth of July, so as not to mislead readers that she is still in some way involved with CoDE....as would be reasonable to assume.
So instead of reasonable and real clarification, what does the anonymous poster do to respond to my query?
Excoriate the English department at Mount Si! And leave the issue of the status and history Le Ann Shaw's affiliation with CoDE unanswered.
This tactic is used by the anonymous trolls on this blog over and over.
This tactic is used by CoDE repeatedly.
This tactic is used by Hutcherson to excess.
Avoid the honest question and mislead. Tear down... and in so doing refocus the debate. Inflame. That's why such posters are called flamers.
The ISSUE is that CoDE misrepresents and misleads, and not the competence of Bill Dillon, Maggie Lucking, Kit McCormick and others as teachers of English.
So the blog post is borne out... CoDE misleads and distorts.
"I am not a member of CoDE in any manner and a retraction is in order. Unless you're to busy eating cherry pies."
Is it just me, or is Lee Ann attempting a little disinformation in this statement? Clearly she was, up until at least late April 08, the President of CoDE. So to claim that she is not a member of CoDE in any manner is not just incorrect, but intentionally misleading. Ms Shaw is clearly not only a former member of CoDe, but a former leader of said group.
Now, given that CoDE's website contains no indication of a change in leadership, and given that Ms Shaw and CoDE have not seen fit to issue a press release announcing the change in leadership, wouldn't the Christian response to MSP's statement of what are still publically available facts be to simply correct the record? (e.g. "Your post is incorrect, I am no longer President or a member of CoDE") Looks like Ms Shaw is uninterested in a Christian response, since she instead went for a personal attack, while lying about her involvement in CoDE.
Lee Ann, don't you know that behaviour like that makes the baby Jesus cry? Do you like makng the baby Jesus cry? Don't you care about the baby Jesus?!?
I am not a member of CoDE in any manner and a retraction is in order.
Then how do you account for your signature on the threatening letter you sent to the students of the Mount Si GSA.
You signed the letter as President of CoDE.
At that same time your organization vehemently denied any association to Hutch or his church.
There will be no retraction, you are a liar as well.
Amazing you would deny this!
Should I post the letter WITH your signature to refresh your memory?
BTW.
This was posted to the CoDE FAQ while YOU, Le Ann Shaw was it's President...
What is CoDE's association with the Reverend Ken Hutcherson and his church?
"The Coalition to Defend Education is a nonreligious, nonprofit organization and is not affiliated with Rev. Hutcherson or his church. The Rev. Hutcherson is not a member of CoDE."
Maybe you should wipe away your paper trail before acting so innocent. Nah, don't bother, we have already archived every bit of your site for future reference and/or any litigation that may ensue by the students, their parents or the faculty of Mount Si.
I would encourage you and your attorney to review RCW 9A.36.080
Le Ann: I am curious as to why you are no longer affiliated with CoDE and why you felt compelled to ask for a retraction when the blog posted something about you, CoDE and your husband's support of Hutcherson. It would be greatly appreciated if you could provide some information.
In addition to Ms Shaw no longer being part of CODE John Pulsipher who was pretty vocal at school board meetings and in the press is no longer affiliated with CODE. I would be curious to know why. Any reason why someone leaves that group though should be celebrated. Perhaps they realized they did not want to be associated with some of the extremist views some CODE members have Hutcherson have.
God loves everyone not just some people. Maybe the "Grace Christians" in CODE are separating themselves from the "Law Christians.
Although several other people left CoDE at the same time I did, I can only speak for myself.
I left CoDE because they had squandered the opportunity to be effective and impactful in countering the hateful and discriminatory antics exercised by the LEFT at Mt Si.
I found CoDE had basically cut itself out of any meaningful debate because they wanted to be too nice while a bunch of pathetic sunshine generation wannabes feeding from the public trough (yes, that's you LA dept - and Mr "your kids are my kids" Rupert) tried to remake my home town into Berkeley 1970.
I don't know what CoDE is doing now and don't really care. I suspect they are having impassioned discussion about whether to order still or sparkling water with lunch. *YAWN!*
Jon Pulsipher said...
I left CoDE because they had squandered the opportunity to be effective and impactful in countering the hateful and discriminatory antics exercised by the LEFT at Mt Si.
I found CoDE had basically cut itself out of any meaningful debate because they wanted to be too nice while a bunch of pathetic sunshine generation wannabes feeding from the public trough (yes, that's you LA dept - and Mr "your kids are my kids" Rupert) tried to remake my home town into Berkeley 1970.
So what you're saying is they were not Fascist enough for your taste?
Mr. Pulsipher:
I am curious where your vitriol toward the MSHS LA department is generated? Are you knowingly name-calling and disparaging Mr. Dillon, Mr. Jackson, Mrs. Lucking?
You sound extremely angry. Why?
My kids have had these teachers and others on the list of those you denigrate. My kids learned many things from these folks.
What experiences have made you so negative about these folks at MSHS?
What do you see yourself achieving with your intense negativity?
By the way, were you in Berkeley in 1970? Do you have any idea what that was like? What is that comment supposed to evoke or connote? My in-laws have lived in Berkeley since the mid-60's and I visited them frequently. Very, very interesting and dynamic place and one of the best universities in the world.
In short, the decent folks at CoDE woke up and realized that they were being nothing more than useful idiots for Hutcherson's hatemongering hordes. Seems the hardliner's leaving CoDE coincides with that group's distancing itsself from Hutcherson's freak show of hate at MSHS on the Day of Silence.
Mr. Pulsipher:
What is the "LEFT" at Mount Si? Could you clarify who or what you are referring to?
I don't visit this blog very often. I only came and commented because someone had told me my name had been mentioned and I didn't want the idea going that CoDE was too radical for me - but rather that it is not radical enough.
Berkeley
Nope, not at Berkeley in the 70s. I was in diapers, just up the road a few miles.
But I can read and one doesn't need to experience every event to know something about it.
Riot, arson, and other illegal acts should not be excused just because the offender is "making a point".
Who's the "left"?
"Left" would include certainly Mr. Goldhammer, Ms McCormick, Ms Snavely, and Ms Harger. For the record, I think they're both great teachers. My primary objection is that they seem a little blind to their own biases. Everyone has biases. I don't even think they necessarily need to overcome them. If you deeply believe something, you naturally want everyone else to agree with you. That's the nature of a deeply held belief. But you do need to be aware of them.
Mr Dillon and Mr Pot-trance are not in the great teacher category, but no one is trying to get anyone fired or anything like that.
I barely know Mr Jackson from Adam. He seems like a nice enough guy.
Here's a simple test - if you think Che Guevara is a heroic figure, you’re not a centrist.
I don't group Mr Taylor and Mr Aune in the same camp at all. They are just self-preserving politicians who believe, most of all, in the fact that they should continue to have a nice office and get a paycheck. Nothing unique in that, saddly, and I think something that has been observed by all sides of this debate.
Angry?
Yes, I'm angry.
I'm angry at the wasted time, effort and tax dollars devoted to these causes.
Regardless of the final outcome, this Hutch case will end up consuming a bunch of MY money (as differentiated from many of the staff and teachers at Mt Si who don't even live here) because of a couple immature teachers who just couldn't restrain their outbursts.
Seriously, imagine what your workplace would be like if these sorts of unprofessional expressions were going on all the time.
Other than that, I'm a heck of a guy. The life of the party. We should hang out some time. And if I'm there, I can always be the designated driver. :-)
CoDE and Hutch
As a co-founder of CoDE, I'd viewed it as quickly dwindling into uselessness because most of the people on my side of the political fence care a little too much about respectability and appearances to really take it to the mattress. That's why we have been the perenial losers on cultural debates for the last 50 years.
However, there was a point where CoDE sort of turned on Hutch in a way that I felt was not inclusive in the way an organization like CoDE should be and that was it for me.
Look, Hutch and I don't agree on much. I think he is a nice enough guy personally, but professionally, he thinks I'm going to hell and that sort of stands in the way of becoming chummy. :-) BUT that is totally his prerogative to believe.
If you want to build an organization that really draws the battle lines in a community though, you naturally want that to be a "big tent" operation.
Homophobia, please...
Can we stop with this already?
Homophobia implies a fear of homosexuals. Opposition does not equal fear. Disapproval of a lifestyle choice (like homosexuality) or ideology (like socialism) does not equal hate.
It's sort of like saying someone is "pyrophobic" because they buy a fire extinguisher. Or "crime-o-phobic" because they lock their car.
It is totally possible to disagree in a civil way without anyone being burned at the stake. Mostly, I'm concerned at the many hours my kids waste talking about this stuff in school. If we could just stick to the curriculum they'd probably be out of school in April.*
If you use up the word "hate" for simple disagreements, what are you going to use when something really hateful comes along?
Conclusion
I think I got them all. Sorry if I missed responding to anyone's slight, question or insult. I'll try to do better next time.
I'm not out to be anyone's enemy personally. I'm just as free to express my views on these matters as you are. There's no need that we all agree - that would be pretty boring.
* Before anyone posts regarding my ignorance, yes, I know there is a requirement on the contact hours set by the state, etc. I'm just making the point that a lot of time seems to be wasted on this listening to teachers rant about their views to their captive audience, or show a movie, or in some other way avoid simply teaching and getting on with things.
my friend, you are the one using the word hate. it is a typical straw argument. and what exactly is this lifestyle you claim to oppose. it seems to me that you are channeling words that you don't know the meaning to.
the fact of the matter is that children are coming out at a younger age. this does not mean they are going to have sex and it certainly does not mean that they are being brainwashed. rather than using code words like "lifestyle," you really need to pay attenion to what our children is say.
Please. We've been referred to as Nazis and haters in a multitude of venues - including the esteemed Cat Tales, which I'm paying for BTW. To suggest I'm pulling that out of thin air is nonsensical.
I'm not sure where you get the "brainwashed" thing. I'm not suggesting someone is "turning our kids gay" or any such thing.
I'm just expressing my views (that's still OK right? or is that just you guys now?) on what is and is not an appropriate use of school time and tax dollars. If you want to start a private school then I don't care what the heck you do there.
Aside from that, I don't have any friends called "anonymous". It is easy to snipe from under cover. Be a grown up and say who you are. And hopefully you aren't from the LA department because you participle dangling is.
Regardless of the final outcome, this Hutch case will end up consuming a bunch of MY money (as differentiated from many of the staff and teachers at Mt Si who don't even live here) because of a couple immature teachers who just couldn't restrain their outbursts.
How EXACTLY will this consume a bunch of your money?
Seriously, imagine what your workplace would be like if these sorts of unprofessional expressions were going on all the time.
I think if an employer compelled their employees to listen to a speech by Hutch, or any other nationally known bigot, there would be not only backlash, but a lawsuit to follow.
But then again, this is NOT a private business or a private school for that matter. This is a PUBLIC school, funded by the PUBLIC, not just you! And in this country we have embraced a concept of equal justice under the law and certain inalienable rights.
The fact of the matter is that children are born heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual or gender nuetral in the case of hermaphrodites, who I will remind you are among us and protected by our laws.
The fact also exists that many kids are unfairly targeted for harrassment, bullying and physical violence due to one or more of the characteristics they are born with. As a society, we have learned that much of this anger is rooted in the parenting, or lack thereof. Hate is learned.
We have also as a collective society have seen that this behaviour is unacceptable, particularly when it is systematically targeted at a specific group of individuals, ie. Asians, Africans and any other group that did not conform to the US crowd.
As a society governed by laws, we have to a great degree overcome this injustice. Certainly there will always be the simple minded that prefer to embrace hatred and racism to make themselves feel better, more significant than they are capable of being.
We have also, as a society, seen other groups targeted unfairly, ie. physically disabled, mentally disabled or both. We have seen religions discriminated against, ethnic groups, women, etc.
When someone does harm to one of these 'protected groups', be it mentally or physically, we have decided as a society to punish this severely due to its inherently vile nature in a civilized society. We have likewise extended this equal justice to the LGBTQ community because they have also been targeted as people that are OK to hurt by the same vile mentality. As a society, we choose to protect this group because it is the right thing to do.
Whether you believe they are born 'that way' or choose it as a lifestyle, the fact is you do not know for certain. And if there is the slightest chance that sexuality is determined genetically, then these kids truly have no choice in their orientation and are being unfairly targeted as an abomination to religion.
So what are we to do with the hermaphrodite that appears male, but naturally identifies as the female which she also is? If he/she looks like a guy does that mean he must marry a women? Who exactly makes that decision?
The point is that nature has proven time after time that not only do hermaphrodites occur in nature, but homosexuality, bisexuality and heterosexuality also occur naturally. It is not the point as to which group has the most members, but that each member of each group is treated equally. Why? Because this is our law, our form of government.
So, playing the devils advocate here, lets assume it is NOT a choice. Surely you would agree that an entire group of people who have no choice in how they were born should have equal protection under the law?
Of course you do!
Now the question is why devote any time in school to acknowledging the injustice? Well I went through desegregation in the south. Why did we have to desegregate? To break down the racial barriers that had existed for millenia. And to a great degree it worked. Young people like myself could find no reason to hate because of skin color. In fact, most kids I knew only hated dark skinned people because they were taught by their parents, role models and community that they were somehow superior.
So when I hear about a simple Day of Silence where kids are willing to shut up for an entire day, just to show solidarity with those that fear to speak for themselves, I see great progress where it needs to start, with the next generation.
It boggles the mind that anyone would object to our kids trying to be good citizens willing to take a stand for justice.
And how dare WE stand in their way with our bias and religous beliefs.
In this often hopeless world of hate, wars, famine, genocide and disease, it gives me hope to see these kids and any kids that are willing to recognize injustice in the world.
As for Kit McCormick, she did what any GREAT TEACHER should do, she put her career on the line to point out the absolute hypocrisy that had found its way into the halls of Mount Si to provide an important lesson that every one of these kids will take with them in life.
For better or worse, some 1500 young minds are now clearly aware of a social issue that they will play a part in remedying. Whether they agree with others sexuality, for whatever reason, they know that their friend, their coworker, their boss or even their own child may be homosexual. And I hope, they know that equal respect for all people is essential for us to suceed as a civilized people.
Sorry for the rambling, appreciate you sharing your thoughts.
jon,
when you associate yourself or your cause with someone who says he will rip someone's arm off and beat him with the wet end, any names you are called are strictly your own fault.
Larry - I truly appreciate your comments and insights. Thank you for your post.
Well this is weird... I am a member of the CoDE... and I have a bisexual friend whom I love and respect. Why so stereotypical?
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