February 11, 2003

Expelled

I am very tired today. My sinuses are plugged up and my head feels as if it is stuffed with cotton wool. So I can't think of anything to say that would sufficiently describe what I felt when I came across this article, about a mother who successfully got the word "gun" removed from a spelling test in her daughter's class, because:

Amanda and Mark Sousa, who consider themselves to be pacifists and who are raising their two young children with this governing belief, were shocked when Amanda's spelling list last week included the word gun.

"I realize people hunt in this area, but I still don't think that warrants the teaching of this word to my daughter or any other child," said Mrs. Sousa.
[...]
"I don't think this is an issue of political correctness. It's an issue of protecting your child from violence. Guns are violent. End of story," said Mrs. Sousa.

You are stupid. End of story.

(Note: look at the response of the commenters at the end of the article. Wow.)

Via Daimnation!.

Posted by Andrea Harris at February 11, 2003 03:03 PM
Comments

I am offended by the English language. I insist that it be abolished immediately! ;-)

Posted by: David Jaroslav at February 11, 2003 at 03:18 PM

I particularly liked this comment:

I hope their kid grows up and joins the army.

Posted by: Tracey at February 11, 2003 at 03:29 PM

If I had a child, I would like to protect him/her from many things. I did not know that ignorance as to spelling could provide such protection. Now that I understand that, I shall begin to compile a list of words which I might ask a teacher to remove from any spelling list or other lesson plans. Here is my start:

sadness; bigotry; skinned knees; disappointment; embarrassment; obesity; cancer; broadcast television; sinusitis; wedgies; moral relativism; Carrot Top; . . .

Posted by: denise at February 11, 2003 at 03:46 PM

How about eliminating the word "Life"? Everybody who lives eventually dies. Isn't that sad? Why would anyone want to admit such a concept to their perfect world? Ban "Life" now!

Posted by: Robert Speirs at February 11, 2003 at 04:14 PM

Let's eliminate "Bin Laden", "Iraq", "North Korea", etc. from our language. This way we'll avoid war.

Posted by: Stan D at February 11, 2003 at 04:52 PM

"Gee, I wonder what word I should use for that metal thing the mugger is pointing at me?"

Posted by: Michael Lonie at February 11, 2003 at 06:20 PM

Anyone else as frightened as me that these people are breeding?

Posted by: Emily at February 11, 2003 at 06:27 PM

One of my son's friends had very nice, easygoing parents who let him do pretty much as he pleased - except he was forbidden to have pastries. I don't know what the problem was with pastries, he was allowed other types of sugary foods..

Anyway, he was determined to become a baker when he grew up.

Posted by: mary at February 11, 2003 at 11:49 PM