November 21, 2007

• In the News Today…

  Hey all. I figured I’d update you again…seeing as how apparently, I’m being tested/challenged. I think the best way to give you an idea of what’s going on is to simply post the email correspondence that has occurred in the last few days. So here goes.

  11/14/07

  Hi Mrs. M,
   
  Alfonso told me about the project assignment. He chose China, but he wants to change it to Christianity. This is our faith, and he would be able to give a better report on it, as it is something he knows about personally. 
   
  He was supposed to let you know this today, but he had an accident this morning at school and I had to pick him up before he attended classes. His left arm is fractured, and it was splinted today, but we have to return tomorrow to get the casting done so he will not be in school tomorrow as well.
   
  Considering this, I will have to give him some assistance in the typing the report, but everything will be done in his own words. As a result of this situation, I am not sure we can get the project done by Tuesday, and if you could give an extension it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
   

  Understand…my son told me this was about religion, so I was wondering why he picked China for the country. I got no response from her. The following is a copy of the second letter to the liberty counsel minus some email addy info, which contains my response to both the teacher and the school board.

  Hi C,
   
  I figure your office might be closed tomorrow for the holidays, so I’m emailing this info to you. First, a copy of what I sent the supt’s of our county’s school board after his office received the same copy of the letter I sent to the teacher, that you received. I sent this reply to their response:
   
  

  RE: The project you assigned‏
  From:	SMU
  Sent:	Tue 11/20/07 12:31 PM
  To:	Supt N

  
   
  The school is R Middle. The vice principal called me on speaker phone with the teacher, Mrs. M present after she received my email yesterday. He claimed it was a misunderstanding. I informed him that I was aware that it was a culture project with religion involved. My son presented it to his class today. His subject was China, and religious focus was Christianity in China. My son informed me that the teacher asked him why he told me that she said that and denied making her statement that ‘Christianity is a myth,’ however, I know this was not something my son made up because he wouldn’t have used the word ‘myth’.
   
  My concern at this point is some form of retribution now or in the future against my son by this teacher, because she has already indicated previously that he annoys her and she seem to have no patience for him.
   
  My son has been struggling in all of his classes, but he is showing signs of improvement. Yet, because of this, I don’t have much confidence that she will be impartial and fair in grading him. I am concerned that because I have challenged her on this, she will do everything she can to fail him, and/or ignore him if he reports some kind of problem or issue to her.
   
  My son said the comment she made, above, was said under her breath, but he heard her distinctly and even indicated the area of the classroom she was in at the time she made the statement. Even if her beliefs are contrary to ours, it is very unprofessional for her to make such a statement in her classroom. This makes me feel that her view towards Christians is discriminatory and this is why I have concerns of more unprofessional behavior from her in regards to my son.
   
  In addition, the hospital my son was treated in, informed me that the school has insurance and should be paying for my son’s treatment, since the accident happened on school grounds. Therefore, I will need to receive whatever insurance forms the school has to take to the hospital so that the bills can be taken care of. Thank you.
  
  
  > Date: Mon, 19 Nov 2007 07:33:25 -0500
  > Subject: Re: The project you assigned
  > To: SMU
  > CC: shafeza.b@browardschools.com
  > From: supt_n@browardschools.com
  >
  > Your email has been received the Superintendent’s office. Please advise
  > the name of the school it involves so that it may be referred through the
  > appropriate channels.
  >
  > Thank you.
  >
  > (D)
  > Superintendent’s Office
  > XXX-XXX-XXXX
  
  I was called by one of the school’s vice principals, James something. Anyways, he put me on speaker phone with this same teacher, Mrs. M, in the room, although she didn’t say a word the entire time. He attempted to tell me that I needed to understand that this was a culture project, not a project on religion, but stated that religion was one of 5 things that was part of the requirements of the project. (It was actually six things) I told him that I understood that, and that the project was already completed. Apparently, he thought we had reached an understanding, so he hung up.
   
  The following was what was listed on the Culture Rubric as the project requirements:
  

  1. Location
  2. Holidays
  3. Religion
  4. Food
  5. Music
  6. Fun Facts

  Yesterday, the same day she received my email, Mrs. Moonab wrote this on the board in her class on how to present these projects. Note the additions:
  

  1. Say your name
  2. What is the name of your culture?
  3. Religion
  4. Location
  5. Food
  6. Music
  7. Language
  8. Fun Facts
  9. Holidays
  10. What I learned from the report

  
  Today, the following happened:

  She called my son up to present his project. Everyone was allowed to present their projects in however long it took. Someone took ten minutes. Alfonso was called up last, five minutes before the bell rung. He presented his project. He spoke about everything that was on the original list. She asked him what he had learned from the report, and he said, “I learned that Christians were killed every day in China because of what they believe, and that it is only allowed in certain parts of China at certain times.”

  She then called him to give her the Rubric and the report before the class was ending, and began to berate him in front of the class asking, “Did anyone do what you did? He was puzzled and didn’t answer. Then she said, “Did anybody do what you did to present your project?” He still didn’t answer her, because he was confused as he saw no difference in his presentation, vs. anyone else’s. She then told him to “get out of her face,” so he went to sit down.

  Then she called him up right before the bell rang. She started asking him, “Did you do your report the way the rubric said?” He said, “Yes.” Then she said, “You cannot write a report on any religion.” He was going to tell her that the rubric said religion, but she kept on talking. She kept repeatedly saying, “You can’t write about the religions, because some religions are fake including Christianity. You must listen to me for every single project I give you or I will keep failing you.” This was said in front of the class. The bell rang, and she kept repeating, “You must listen to me or you will fail every single project I hand to you.” Alfonso said to her, “I did listen on what you said about how to do the project, and I did exactly what you said.” Then she said, “Apparently you didn’t, because you keep on failing all the projects that I give you. I’m going to let it slide because of how many projects you’ve failed.” He failed two projects.

  We followed every requirement on that project as it was originally given on the original rubric. What I listed above are the only instructions on that rubric, and I was supervising my son’s work on this to make sure every requirement on that project was met. I purchased cookies in an Oriental store from Hong Kong for the food part. He took two Christian music CD’s, which he didn’t get a chance to play. A copy of his report is attached as a word doc. to this email. If you have any more questions please feel free to call me: XXX-XXX-XXXX.
  

  So now, I’m waiting to see what the grade is that she’s going to give my son, as she has stated (above) that she intends to keep failing him if he doesn’t do what she says. So his ability to pass is not necessarily predicated on if he completes his assignments, but more on if he does what she says. Bear in mind, not only does she come off as vindictive, but she is also very pregnant…at least 6-8 months.

  So this is where things stand at the moment. This woman…of a pagan religion, or possibly no religion, does not like the fact that my son and I challenged her on this. I made sure that the report was exactly what she requested in the rubric (her word) that she originally gave the students. So now, I’m going to wait and see what she does.

  So…in the spirit of thanksgiving…I must say that I’m thankful that God sees me as worthy enough to test in this manner. I’m also thankful that on other fronts…God is opening doors. Today I God turned me around after I had drove from Broward Blvd, almost all the way home…two exits away on 95, and had me go back to Broward Blvd to go to the main library. I went to the small business section, where I met this lovely lady who, by divine appointment, she gave me oodles of needed info on starting a nonprofit. In addition, she has a product that may work in my project, so we may be working together because our goals are the same, and her desire to serve is the same as mine for this project. I love how God just places people in my path that are so relevant to what I want to do. And here I was wondering how all of this could possibly happen. God is soooo amazing. Peace and blessings and Happy Thanksgiving all.

  • 9:29 pm
  • 18 Comments