Koleszar vs. Adams: Communism in Albemarle County’s Woodbrook Elementary?

where does one start?
I listen to the interview today and was very sadden that instead of starting out with a new yr, we are still saddled with the same old trash. This show that no matter how many people tell me that goverment can do it all show me — no!

Where is the evidence that Kid Pan Alley was invited in help kids write a political song? Where is the evidence that these kids didn’t just write about what some of their parents were talking about at home? Where is the conservative counterpart to Kid Pan Alley that was denied admission to the schools? Where is the radio host that will dare to answer these questions?

Ken,
There is a past relationship between Woodbrook Elementary and Kid Pan Alley which you can see on the Kid Pan Alley Website: (http://www.kidpanalley.org/?section=recent_residencies) Given that the class activity was similar (writing a song), my initial speculation is that it is a similar collaboration. I am willing to be corrected if the facts show otherwise. But given the past activity, why would you assume otherwise when the initial reports link them? As to your second question regarding the topic being about something their parents were talking about, I think you would probably agree that if the parents were talking about how the government taxes too much and used language like “I’m going to throw a tea party and downsize this beurocracy” you would be right in saying that this is first, stemming from a political social agenda, and should not be in the school, and second, that some leadership by the teacher would be expected to steer the subject matter to one that is less controversial for the sake of everyone. Many families talk about their religion at home, but would you defend it if the kids came up with a song endorsing a particular belief over others? My guess is you would not defend that just because it “came from the children.” Besides, I have a hard time believing that 3rd graders (I have one) are much concerned about taxes or income inequities. My girl is far more concerned about Barbies and Princesses and riding her bike. As to the “conservative counterpart” who may have been denied, there has been at least one example I can think of regarding Albemarle County Schools, but it is besides the point (not music related). Just because the “other side” hasn’t been denied the opportunity to indoctrinate children does not mean that occupy indoctrination is something we should approve. The logic doesn’t work. It might if the argument were: “side A got to do it so side B ought to be able to.” But you are, instead, asserting that: “side B isn’t wrong in doing it because side A hasn’t been turned away.” That is fallacious reasoning. Side B’s activity should be judged on its own merit. At best, the teacher involved in the project showed a complete lack of judgement (and I say this agreeing with some of the occupy tenents), at worst, left leaning social indoctrination is happening at Woodbrook elementary school by faculty and with the approval of administration. All parents should be angry at the lack of judgement. The people who made this bad call are instructing your children! Scary thought.

I would love to see the names on the grant application from the county. If people are out there looking for grants, they need to look into the funding source. Someone is responsible for asking for the funding from this group. I’d also like to see the guidelines for accepting the grant money.

I also understand that there if a form for parents to fill out to allow their children to participate in this program. If parents do not want their children involved, they need to pull their children from the program. If they lose enough children in the program, the funding will also go.

Update for Ken: My wife spoke to a school district representative who said that “Kidpan Alley has taken steps to correct their facilitator’s actions on their own because they realize that it is damaging to their organization’s work.” (so it has been proven they were involved – in fact they have done hundreds of song workshops without incident, in multiple states, so we may assume they have no indoctrination agenda.) He also said that “They are looking into what the school teacher was doing at the time.” Admiting it was a mistake, he also said, “It won’t happen again.” That satisfies me so I guess we don’t need a radio show host to ask your questions after all.

My son is at Broadus Wood Elem. in Earlysville where they showed a Sesame Street presentation which all but excluded Christmas as a reason for the season. Ramadan and Kwanzaa got more coverage!!

Where are the county residents, most of whom surely are not aligned with this garbage, and why are we not organized? We MUST let the schools and Board know this is just not acceptable any longer – IT HAS GONE TOO FAR!!!

PS – Why is it still okay to say “Happy New Year”? Do the PC-ists running amuck in the public school system not know the year is 2012 “AD”? (For those who do not know, it is “Anno Domini” – Latin for “the year of our Lord”)

Erik, I didn’t question whether or not Kid Pan Alley was invited in to collaborate with kids on a song. Of course they were. That’s that’s what the organization does. I asked instead for evidence that Kid Pan Alley was invited in help kids write a political song, instead of just a song emerging from the the kid’s suggestions.

In regards to my reaction to a pro-Tea Party song, no I wouldn’t object to that, and frankly, your presumption that I would is tiresome. Just because Rob and it seems like most of his listeners are relentlessly partisan in a sadly brain-deadening, heart-closing way, that doesn’t mean everyone is.

Religion in public schools is another issue because of our separation of church and state tradition (and I’m a conservative in my understanding of original intent there, not a liberal). No I don’t think that third-graders are concerned about taxes or income inequities. I think that some parents still have dinner with their children and talk about serious matters in a way kids can understand, and that these conversations come out in the classroom.

In regards to your last paragraph and what’s logical, I agree with you, but the bad logic isn’t mine, I’m just responding to something said or implied in that video which I don’t have time to listen and cite to now.

Finally, I’ll ask you the same question I asked Rob in an email. Would you stand opposed to most conservatives and object to prayer in the schools, another activity in which the minority view is suppressed in favor of the majority one?

And Rob, songs celebrating drug use and misogynist rants would not be political speech, and would be censored by both liberals and conservatives.

@Ken,
Thanks for the thoughtful reply. Since Kid Pan Alley has admitted to correcting their facilitator in regards to the content, I think we can settle that issue as an answer to your concern about them writing a “political” song. They did it, and by making “correction”, are fixing the problem. The open question is what the teacher’s involvement was at the time, if any.
I’d object to a tea party song on the grounds that it just doesn’t belong in a 3rd grade classroom. I have no problems with high schoolers discussing current issues, even middle schoolers, but doing it in 3rd grade is indoctrination. School songs probably should be about things pertinent to 3rd graders. If they want to sing about parents losing jobs, especially from personal experience, I’d be ok with that, at least up until someone blames Obama or Bush for it. Then it crosses the line. This stance may be a little gray in definition and need to be taken on a case by case basis, but clearly these people got it wrong (and have admitted as much by saying it wont happen again.) I don’t think it is asking too much for our educators to use good judgement. By the uproar this caused, they clearly didn’t.
And yes, I would stand opposed to prayer in school (but not a moment of silence). While I think the moral tenents of the Christian religion have historically been of great use to the instruction of young citizens, today’s secular plauralistic society would necessitate that we give equal time to all religions rather than just one or two. This seems pragmatically impossible to work out fairly and so I do not support it. If we could figure out a way to do it fairly, then maybe it has some value. Historically the “McGuffey Readers” were textbooks used throughout America from the mid18th to the mid19th centuries. I do not know where these were challenged as a problem with the church and state issue though they are full of biblical examples. America is different today though and I respect that. I would be interested in seeing if prayer in schools was held to a popular vote how popular it would be.
I apologize if I misunderstood you on the logic paragraph. I merely saw your question and responded to it as it was.
Thanks,
Erik

Eric, thanks in turn for your own thoughtful reply, and I also appreciated the first. Yes, KPA facilitated a political song, and they’ve now said they shouldn’t have, but I see no indication that any adult intended the song to have political content before the kids began giving suggestions. That’s all I was saying in regards to intent.

I agree with your last paragraph and it’s refreshing to see a conservative (or at least I presume you’re a conservative) write it, and to hear Rob take a moderate position on prayer in the schools. I’ll just say that when Rob and others gripe about liberal bias real or imagined in the schools, they should remember for how long their religious and political ancestors controlled the schools and marginalized other points of view. I’d think that scripture-confessing Christians would acknowledge their own side’s faults, but no, it’s always “The Magnificent History of the United States” and don’t-those-liberals-act-badly?

Ken,
You guessed correctly that I am a conservative. And I will remember how long our Christian ancestors monopolized school instruction and hope you will keep in mind that it was Christians who founded many of this nations schools and hospitals in the first place.
Cheers. ;-)

Bob- Kwanzza is a fake – not worth mentioning http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kwanzaa

Ken- think about it! Third graders want everything including yachts and planes………..

All- I would like to see if you could get permission to have the third graders state the Pledge of Allegiance or the Lord’s Prayer.

How about having The Schilling Show on the PA system from noon to 2pm?

I will remember how long our Christian ancestors monopolized school instruction and hope you will keep in mind that it was Christians who founded many of this nations schools and hospitals in the first place.

Deal. I’ve made that same point to anti-Christian liberals.

That song is VERY, VERY disturbing! Clearly, the adult who wrote it needs to go back to 3rd grade and start to get a handle on the writing process!

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