 On Point Vincent Carroll, editor of the editorial pages, writes his On Point column most weekdays. He is also an author and freelance writer. Reach Vincent Carroll at carrollv@RockyMountainNews.com. |
Carroll: Good sense recanted
In a moment of clarity a few days ago, the president of the Boulder Valley school board, Helayne Jones, admitted it had been a “huge mistake” to schedule a panel condoning teen sex at Boulder High School — and then require some students to attend.
Poor Jones. Her brief flirtation with the wrong sort of people, those hideous critics of sexual fulfillment for the young, was too much for her. So at Tuesday’s board meeting, she emphatically recanted. She said she regretted calling the panel from the Conference on World Affairs a huge mistake. And she defiantly pledged not to permit a “vocal minority with a political or religious agenda to misrepresent what is happening in our schools.”
Superintendent George Garcia ended up in the same sad place, although without the truculence. He issued a statement apologizing for the mandated attendance and admitting that the panel violated district policy by not reflecting “a broad range of views and perspectives, much less opposing points of view.” He even conceded that “certain points” were not only “unnecessarily crude” but also “in direct contradiction with district health and conduct standards.”
But like Jones, Garcia would not be stampeded into an alliance with the dark side, the “vocal minority” of outraged critics. “Overall,” he insisted, “the panel was appropriate for presentation to high school students.”
It was appropriate, in other words, except for the inappropriate parts. Garcia seems to have taken lessons from a friend of boxer Sonny Liston, who once quipped, “Sonny has his good points. It’s his bad points that aren’t so good.”
If Garcia meant that the four-person panel did not spend most of its time condoning teen sex, drug use and drinking, he is correct. Panelists spent only some of the time doing that. They also spent time issuing caveats about indulging in these pleasures carelessly or before a student might be emotionally ready, as if she or he would know. For that matter, they also squandered time in incoherent and vulgar blather, particularly when performing artist Antonio Sacre was holding forth.
But as Liston’s friend might say, the panel’s bad points were genuinely not so good. In fact, they were atrocious. Psychologist Joel Becker glibly encouraged kids to embrace “healthy sexual behavior,” and his rationale — that they were going to anyway, so why buck the tide? — was shared and endorsed to varying degrees by every other panelist.
Meanwhile, at a critical moment all four failed to caution Boulder students — minors, lest we forget — against using classmates as mere instruments of pleasure. To the contrary, each one said it was OK.
Board president Jones is quite right that we should not let a vocal minority “misrepresent what is happening in our schools.” And that may be especially true when the vocal minority is on a school board.
Vincent Carroll is editor of the editorial pages. Reach him at carrollv@RockyMountain
News.com.
Where is the community outrage over these atrocities? Does this not scream for more choice in our schools? We are forced to pay taxes to these idiots who find a way to justify the crap they are feeding to our kids. The colorado legislature this past session killed a bill that would require high school seniors be literate in the english language - then this story comes out. Where are the priorities of our educators? It is past time for school choice, competition and vouchers as Mr. Rosen puts it.
Posted by BB on May 25, 2007 07:23 AMThe reason there is no public outrage is because in Boulder, people don't speak up for fear of being called a religious bigot, racist, or OMG!, a Republican. There is already a smear campaign started by the Board President, Helayne Jones, against those who have spoken up. How typical. There is no religious or political agenda for those showing outrage at what happened at BHS, but this just feeds right into the hands of those who think a culture war is happening in the US. Strike another one up for the Thought Police in Boulder!
Posted by Anne Baldocchi on May 25, 2007 08:35 AMhaha, atrocities... you guys are nuts
Posted by benn on May 25, 2007 08:48 AMThere is no religious or political agenda for showing outraged at the extremlely inapporopriate remarks made to children who where forced to attend without prior notice to opt out. I thought teachers had their teaching credentials pulled and revoke for contributing to and encouraging leud behavior to students. All I can say to the ilk of those who forced this "conference" on impressionable young is ; SLEEZY, DIRTY,FILTHY, SCUMMY, PORN not worthy of
serious discussion. Please leave the kids
alone with your agenda !
h
Posted by Larry LeBlanc on May 25, 2007 01:04 PMI wish the RMN, or anyone, would be as concerned over the trash shown on television 24/7--some which is not too much different than what was supposedly presented at the school.
Posted by anderson on May 25, 2007 01:09 PMIf people are so upset at what happens in their school, they should get more involved! (Including columnists) Whether you have children in school or not, every school district in America needs more volunteers. Armchair ranting does nothing to improve the quality of our schools. Once you get into the system you'll see more good things than bad. And hopefully you could help make things better.
As Ghandi said, "Be the change you wish to see in the wolrd."
Posted by on May 25, 2007 10:45 PMFrom anderson:
"I wish the RMN, or anyone, would be as concerned over the trash shown on television 24/7--some which is not too much different than what was supposedly presented at the school. "
We can turn off the T.V. We can't stop our children from being exposed to a MANDATORY panel with no warning from the ones in charge of educating our young. The whole thing makes me sick.
Also, SUPPOSEDLY presented? It's been documented. Wake up.
I wasn't there, and I highly doubt you were either. So spare me your shitty comments, and assumption that you know exactly what went down.
The world is a lot bigger than you, and your specific response to television.
Posted by anderson on May 27, 2007 10:48 AMLet me get this straight. Those concerned parents clearly have no problems with Boy-George's lies (WMD, exterminating Muslims and stealing oil, completed his obligated military service, etc.), USAG Gonzo and his lies under oath, Scooter Libby, Cheney, Haggard, Halliburton...........
Posted by jjtarheel on May 27, 2007 10:23 PMVote in November for change in BVSD. There are four school board seats up for election a majority of the board seats. I want to vote for a slate of candidates who support vouchers. It appears the citizens of Boulder County are content complaining and letting the "vocal minority rule the roost."
Posted by Soul2Surf on May 28, 2007 12:06 PMVolunteering in schools is a noble deed. Only if you close your eyes to what is really going on and be a yes person for the people running the school.
If you see something that isn't right they don't want you to volunteer anymore.
If you speak out against something that is clearly wrong ,they have an excuse on why it it so.Usally the line is administration rules.
I've seen the education our children are getting today from the elementary level,which is supposed to be the foundation.
It isn't pretty.
I volunteered in two classes last year and was retaliated against for speaking out about one of worst teachers I have ever met.She had numerous complaints against her but the principal did nothing.
I may volunteer again this coming school year,but it left a horrible taste in my mouth.
Our kids are in trouble,big time.
Posted by Can I get an AMEN! on May 29, 2007 07:40 AMIf someone gives you an Amen, will you stop posting comments?
Posted by on May 29, 2007 09:13 AMClearly, anyone too young for military service is too impressionable, too tender, and too dumb to be exposed to the controversies of our times. Schools should be immediately cleansed of any opinion-oriented subject matter (sorry, Vince, that also includes columns from you) and stick to the 3 R's. Kids can always learn how to think on their own later on, right?
Posted by jtg on May 29, 2007 11:19 AMIt's outrageous that our tender youth should be exposed to such hazzardous ideas. Their innocence must be protected and nurtured like the delicate flowers they are, and not sullied by these "sexperts". We all must rally together to rectify this attack on traditional values. For God's sake, remember the children!
Posted by davis vardaman on May 29, 2007 07:03 PM"The reason there is no public outrage is because in Boulder, people don't speak up for fear of being called a religious bigot, racist, or OMG!, a Republican."
Sad. the 'tolerance' police have gotten the adults cowed into the Silence of the lambs.
Boulder obviously is in desperate need of PARENTAL SUPERVISION. These school officials deserve to be fired pronto, and anyone defending this farce either is not a parent or has decided to give up on raising them with a conscience.
"I wish the RMN, or anyone, would be as concerned over the trash shown on television 24/7--some which is not too much different than what was supposedly presented at the school."
For example, as parents we control what our kids watch ... one thing we do NOT do is charge someone else $7,000 a year to 'teach' their kids and then sit them in front of garbage. This analogy is therefore inapt.
You are only free to abuse your OWN children this way, not someone else's! and NOT on taxpayer's dime!
"Schools should be immediately cleansed of any opinion-oriented subject matter " sarcasm? Well,
IT WOULD BE A START to get rid of fluff, garbage, vulgarity, things-they-can-pick-up-from-MTV, and indoctrination into cultural degradation.
"stick to the 3 R's. Kids can always learn how to think on their own later on, right?" ... duh, you have to *think* to do math. And if you think some actor babbling incoherently on vulgar topics is somehow a lesson in how to think, you've been on a few too many 'trips'.
Posted by PJ on May 29, 2007 11:25 PMBrilliant argument 'anderson'! That GED certificate must be displayed proudly on the wall of your momma's basement.
I suspect you can't switch the channel on the tv not because the world is too big, but because the crack pipe is always a little too full.
It happened--even the school board admits it happened--so you can act like a tantrum throwing two year old and say 'No!' all you want. Doesn't change the facts.
Reality sucks sometimes, huh!
Posted by U_Cant_B_Serious on May 30, 2007 01:25 AMU Cant: hey two-bit sniveler, join the argument when your ready, if you have any. My writing is by no means perfect, but in this instance, if you can't comprehend the nuances of what I said, it's your problem, not mine.
Posted by anderson on May 30, 2007 11:50 AM"I wasn't there, and I highly doubt you were either. So spare me your shitty comments, and assumption that you know exactly what went down.
The world is a lot bigger than you, and your specific response to television.
Posted by anderson on May 27, 2007 10:48 AM "
You post your "comments" on a "comment board" and now you're pissed because someone had the audacity to "comment" back and no tagree with holier than thou YOU!.
I hate to point out the little FACT that there was audio tape so it wasn't really necessary for "Chris to actually be there Big Brain Brad.
I'd say "Chris" is the one looking at the outside world and grasping that people like you are the outcome of such a poor and misguided educational system.
As someone who has a little daughter and lives in Boulder I'm appauled at this type of so called"education" and blatent misuse of my taxdollars. Is that realy so difficult to comprehand?
Posted by Kilroi on May 31, 2007 11:11 PM"Let me get this straight. Those concerned parents clearly have no problems with Boy-George's lies (WMD, exterminating Muslims and stealing oil, completed his obligated military service, etc.), USAG Gonzo and his lies under oath, Scooter Libby, Cheney, Haggard, Halliburton...........
Posted by jjtarheel on May 27, 2007 10:23 PM"
And talk about twisted logic my friend? I guess you couldn't handle the issue at hand so you had to duck right back to your memorized talking points. My bet is you went to Boulder HS.
Posted by Kilroi on May 31, 2007 11:14 PM"U Cant: hey two-bit sniveler, join the argument when your ready, if you have any. My writing is by no means perfect, but in this instance, if you can't comprehend the nuances of what I said, it's your problem, not mine.
Posted by anderson on May 30, 2007 11:50 AM "
Argument? Are you intending on letting us know when you have a coherent"arguement?"
How should someone "comprehend the nuances" of your garble?
You stated that wished somene cared about the contet of TV to the same extent that they cared about what happed in BHS. OK, fair, I'm sure we would agree on that point, but being angry about what's on TV isn't relevent to my not liking what I see on TV. Does that make even a bit of sense to you?
Posted by Kilroi on May 31, 2007 11:29 PMCongratulations, Boulder, on finally exposing children to the possibility that healthy sexual relationships can exist, that people should make up their minds about when and how they want to start having sex for themselves, and that perhaps imprisoning harmless non-violent offenders for drugs is usually more harmful than the drug itself. Glad there's at least a little truth in somebody's school system.
Posted by Cid on June 1, 2007 05:16 PMKilroi, in any communication, you can make *some* effort to try to meet another person half-way, or, you can make no effort and just assume they're your opponent (as you apparently have with me), extrapolate into positions they've never expressed (you thought I was defending the school?), and attack that person for good measure. Sorry to interrupt the Boulder bashing with any contrary thoughts whatsoever. Did you see Dave Kaplan's column today? (I'm not asking for a response).
Posted by anderson on June 2, 2007 10:33 AMOn Ritter's veto of easier Driver's License for Illegals comment by the bill's sponsor Rosemary Marshall, D-Denver, in Sat's RMNews page 4 "The anti-immigration zealots managed to get their voices heard over the citizens of Colorado". Doesn't she mean, the law abiding citizens are getting tired of rewarding law breaking and elected representives who refuse to follow the law? Isn't that really the problem? (hint, name-calling doesn't change your fact that you are refusing to follow our laws!) We have a regulatory department and it is already too easy for illegals to get a license. Just wait until the next election. We'll see how the majority of this Country really feels!
Posted by Zinger on June 2, 2007 09:34 PMWhy isn't the school board and school officials booted out for their recklessness? Their needs to be an investigation of this whole sleezy afffair.
Posted by neal on June 7, 2007 08:12 PM