Dear Editor,
It is unfortunate that there is a segment of the community that
is unwilling to hold a reasonable discourse. The individuals who
make up this section of the populace would rather bully and
intimidate than discuss.
Dear Editor,
It is unfortunate that there is a segment of the community that is unwilling to hold a reasonable discourse. The individuals who make up this section of the populace would rather bully and intimidate than discuss. People of this ilk would rather throw childish accusations in the form of personal attacks than sticking to adult world of ideas and logic. These individuals are not accountable to anyone or anything, least of all the truth.
Columnist Denise Apuzzo recently wrote, “[Mr. Scott] may also be perturbed at parents in general, given the fact that NO parent has come forward to endorse teacher participation in the Day of Silence.”
Although the lack of parental endorsement is true on the surface, considering that a parent of two GHS students participated in the Day of Silence, the comment passes into the realm of half-truth. Such half-truths are a frequent tactic of those who wish to dominate discourse rather than conduct an adult conversation. The rest of Ms Apuzzo’s diatribe should be discounted in light of this and similar tactics.
Columnist Cynthia Walker’s has come back for another round with “that problem,” Mr. Scott. Still licking her wounds from the “AP scores are statistically valid” fiasco of last year, Ms. Walker has launched into her second personal attack upon me. Her most recent is just as baseless as her first. Unless Ms. Walker rejoins the realm of ideas and logic, her comments regarding me should be dismissed out of hand for the personal vendetta they are.
The only argument given by either of these bulldogs of editorial commentary that can be given any credence from a logical view of the facts is the charge that I do not want parent involvement at GHS. This twist of logic stems from an email I sent regarding my non-support of the GHS Parent Club.
The charge that I am against parent involvement at GHS is counter to the evidence. As a member of the GHS School Site Council, I nominated a parent to chair the council. I have a very good working relationship with the parents. These are not the actions and attributes of one who despises parent involvement.
My email regarding the parent club is logically simple. I do not believe that one can partake of any goods or services from the parent club without tacitly endorsing the parent club executive board’s stand against teacher participation in the Day of Silence.
Accepting goods or services from the parent club or supporting the parent club in any way sanctions future attacks from the executive board upon teachers and administrators. Any implied support for either situation is morally repugnant. I will have no part in endorsing the recent actions of the executive board. I will have no part of encouraging future attacks. My colleagues should consider doing likewise.
I will attempt to bring the discourse back into the sphere of ideas by making my logical points clear.
• Those who say that teacher participation in the Day of Silence constitutes bringing partisan and controversial issues in the classroom do not support California law which clearly makes it illegal to discriminate against people based upon sexual orientation.
• Teachers who participated in the Day of Silence had reasonable accommodations for their silence and high quality education occurred as a result of their preparation.
• Those who say that teacher participation in the Day of Silence undercut student learning because teachers did not use all of their abilities to teach by logical extension are saying that disabled teachers are less capable teachers.
I will be very happy to carry on a reasoned dialogue with anyone who wishes to take issue with these stands. Additional attacks upon me, other teachers or administrators will be dismissed for the ugly attempt to dominate the conversation through intimidation that they are. I hope that the bullies will grow up, stop the personal attacks, stop the temper tantrums and join the adult word of logical discourse.
Wayne Scott, GHS, mathematics teacher
