The story is out and is popping up on blogs, newspapers, and TV news shows across the Nation! The WKRG News 5 anchorman, Steve Alexander, just left “The Pasture” having interviewed (with only 5 minutes notice) The Bull and my male spawn, Jacob.
Before coming here, they had interviewed the Principal of Hankins Middle School, Ms. Wittner. Wouldn’t you know it, looks I caught her in a ‘lie of omission‘. From what I was told by the news folks, she told the camera that a meeting had been held to discuss the issue before the school year began and that no parents attended, however she left out the facts that a) the meeting was during a time when a fair number of folks were on vacation, b) that the meeting was billed as concerning the school uniform with NO mention of their plans to sexually segregate the school population, and c) that said segregation would be forced upon the students with no ‘opt-out’ classes available in direct violation of Title IX. Jacob also informed me that Ms. Wittner, the 7th Grade Vice-Principal, and an unknown woman in a business suit visited his class today. Seems Ms. Wittner knows exactly who Jacob is considering the nasty looks that were passed in his direction.
I can’t wait to see how the edited version of the interviews turns out. It is to be aired on the 10PM newscast tonight.
Later…
Well folks, I didn’t make a complete idiot of myself, (…though I can say with certainty that I’ll not be featured in any future Hollywierd flicks…). The star of the event was my lanky spawn. Jacob was simply brilliant! He was quoted: “They just teach us about how wrong segregation was between Blacks and Whites. Now turn around and do the same thing to us.” I’ve never been more proud! I guess my lessons on critical & independent thought are paying off…
(Video from this story on the WKRG website.) I kinda felt for the kid at the end of the clip as you could tell he was echoing his parent’s words. I’m also still awaiting the “science” behind these so-called studies Ms. Wittner mentioned showing how differently girls and boys learn.
The media coverage continues but should die down quickly. The School Board now has thirty days to answer the ACLU’s letter.
The Mobile Press-Register, (with Brendan Kirby and Rena Havner reporting), quotes Mobile County School Superintendent Roy Nichols as follows:
“You get some research reports that show that girls do better in all-girl math classes and some other researchers that say boys don’t act out in classes where there are only boys. Other research reports say the exact opposite.”
Let me ask you, what kind of non-statement is that? Anyhoo, the Press-Register will be running a full story on the topic in the morning.
MOBILE, AL – After hearing from outraged parents of students who, without notice, were involuntarily segregated by sex at Hankins Middle School in Mobile, Alabama, the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Alabama sent a letter to the Mobile County School System today warning that mandatory sex segregation in public schools is illegal and discriminatory. The civil liberties organization also asked, under the Alabama Open Records Act, that the school district make public any and all documents relating to sex segregation policies in Mobile County schools from the past two years.
“Mandatory sex segregation in public schools is not only clearly against the law, it’s also an empty promise for failing schools,” said Allison Neal, staff attorney with the ACLU of Alabama. “Inevitably these experimental programs deny equal opportunity to girls and boys and distract much needed time and money from efforts that we know work like smaller classes, highly trained teachers, sufficient funding and involved parents. Sex segregation doesn’t make public schools more like private schools. If some private schools provide a better education, it’s because of their resources, not because they are single-sex.”
Without notifying parents, Mobile County School System segregated the entire student body of Hankins Middle School by sex for the 2008-2009 school year and failed to provide any coeducational option. In addition to segregating students for all academic subjects, the sex segregation program goes so far as to punish boys and girls who are caught speaking in the hallways.
The ACLU charges that mandatory sex segregation in public schools violates Title IX of the Education Amendments, the Equal Education Opportunities Act and the U.S. Constitution.
There is more. You can find it all here. The “Mark Jones” mentioned is, of course, Yours Truly.
The Bulldid contact the ACLU. The ACLU did find the matter as disturbing as I – and – they agreed to take action on the matter. The Mobile County School Board and the Principal of Katherine H. Hankins Middle School, Ms. Cheryl Wittner, will be receiving a letter from the ACLU legal-eagles this morning. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the local media outlets will be getting their press release packets on the matter at the same time.
My position is simple. Either the County and the school can drop this ill-conceived idea of sexual segregation or I’ll fight.
I discussed he matter at some length with Ms. Wittner since my original post. However, she was not in the least willing to consider, or even listen to, any ideas other than her own. Sad, really. My son, Jake, pointed out to me something I find very troubling. The school’s mission statement reads:
Katherine H. Hankins Middle School will guarantee a learning environment for all participating students to achieve the necessary skills to succeed at their next level of academic, social, and physical potential.
Social? How can students achieve their social potential when not only are they being segregated by sex under penalty of suspension and the very curriculum they are being taught is based on the notion that the girls can only perform well, and I quote, “a few day per month” due to their menstrual cycles? Anyone with a daughter should be up in arms about the entire mess. Why aren’t they? Because not only was the curriculum not explained to the parents, the parents were not even notified that the curriculum was being changed! Nor were we notified of any plan to segregate our kids. The usual horse crap we here in Mobile have come to expect from our School Board.
Well, I can only hope that the Board is ready for the feces to impact the rotating atmospheric oscillator. I’m in this until this madness is defeated or until Lady Beth buries me. So here’s your ‘heads up’: Expect a regular stream of post on this fight for the next several months. I’ll keep you posted unless gagged by a court order. If that happens I know someone else will do it for me!
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Religion of Peace? My left nut! I'll change my opinion if Muslims start to police themselves. Until then they should be treated like criminal, deviant swine.
I guess my lessons on critical & independent thought are paying off…
Anyhoo, the Press-Register will be running a full story on the topic in the morning.
How can students achieve their social potential when not only are they being segregated by sex under penalty of suspension and the very curriculum they are being taught is based on the notion that the girls can only perform well, and I quote, “a few day per month” due to their menstrual cycles? Anyone with a daughter should be up in arms about the entire mess. Why aren’t they? Because not only was the curriculum not explained to the parents, the parents were not even notified that the curriculum was being changed! Nor were we notified of any plan to segregate our kids. The usual horse crap we here in Mobile have come to expect from our School Board.
