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Found this in todays Orange County Register,letters section.Pretty damn sad if you ask me.I don't know which is worse the people teaching the program,the teacher for not putting a stop to it immediately or the school administrators for letting it happen.If it were my kids I would be furious!

Friday, March 7, 2003

As a substitute teacher (grades 6-12), I see the best and the worst of public education. I recently experienced something disturbing. My 8th-grade class participated in the "Circles of Compassion" program. The presenter pretended to be an extraterrestrial who wanted to understand our mores. The discussion started with killing other people but quickly shifted to killing animals. She said, "Why would we do that? To eat them? Why would we do that? Because they tasted good?"

Resuming her real persona, she asked how many of us had cats or dogs as pets, then, "Would we brand them with a hot iron? No? Then why was it OK to brand cattle? What about castration? What about cutting off the beaks of baby chicks with hot wires so they wouldn't peck each other?" She ended by soliciting brands of hygiene products used that morning. Only the brands mentioned by her and a companion made the "not tested on animals" list. As the children left, she was describing rabbits with their eyes taped open so shampoo could be poured into them.

When I shared my concerns about the class with the administration, I was told it had been described as a program about "respect and the circle of life." These concepts were mentioned only peripherally. The program was a one-sided indoctrination. It took me only five minutes on the Internet to discover that branding can be done with hot or freezing irons. There are specific techniques to minimize pain. Alternative identification methods also have problems; for example, rustlers simply cut out ear tags. However, none of these points was mentioned because the program was not intended to stimulate debate and informed opinions. It was designed to present emotionally charged images that would elicit emotional responses from 13-year-olds.

As a parent and teacher, I am disturbed by this proselytizing of our children under the guise of education. Parents, do you know what your children were taught today?

Marlys Stapelbroek

North Tustin

Left coast liberalism run amok.

Sounds like PETA. Not to worry, it's not a big deal. Just figure that being exposed to left wing drivel is part of a balanced education. I'd be a lot more upset with the teacher who badmouthed military parents and I believe that teacher got a both-barrels-between-the-eyes response.

When I was in high school one of the most popular teachers spent at least one or two sessions a week goofing off talking sports. The physical ed teachers usually took roll call, sent the students off to the field and went inside to polish their seats. I can't remember that a physical ed "teacher" ever actually taught anything. When I was in college one of business profs spent about 25 percent of the semester talking about his vacatioon travels. Students voted him prof of the year. I have to smile and shake my head when I hear teachers wail and knash teeth about how tough their job is and how they should be receive a years pay for working 9 months. I vote against every school levy that comes to the ballot.

Sad but true jj.
I heard a story from an old Cuban man about him being in 3rd or 4th grade when Castro came into power.
Some of Castro's military came into his and other classrooms. An officer removed the everpresent crucifix from the wall and told the children to ask God for ice-cream. All the children prayed for ice-cream. The man looked around the room and said, "Hmmm, no ice-cream. Now, ask me for ice-cream." The children all voiced a desire for ice-cream and three more military men came into the room with ice-cream for all of them.
Point: Castro was able to get an entire country to believe their government could give them everything they want and he started with the most vulnerable minds.

Bad teacher, regardless of politics.

Anyone who votes down all education iniatives regardless of merit and without consideration is to blame for how poor our educational system has become. Along with the parents who don't get involved with there childrens education or talk to their teachers it's a wonder we're not ranked last yet...

"""So long as the school system can afford to leave billions and billions of dollars worth of facilities idle 25% of the year I will indeed vote down all education intiatives without further consideration. """

I wouldn't say they were totally idle. It usually takes the better part of the summer break for most school districts to catch up on building maintainence. Maintainance that cannot be accomplished during the school year.

I can offer the example of my own daughter's school.
Because Ivolunteer there a lot, I find myself up there often during the summer break. I can tell you that throughout those months, they are constantly ripping out walls, rewiring elictrical. replacing A/C units, restoring dining room tables, repairing the plumbing and adding on class space. And this campus is only 45 years old.
The High school I graduated from is still in use and was built in 1922. I can only imagine the challanges facing that maintainance man.

I would like to eat PETA members.

No, you're thinking of Micheal. Bon apitit.

No efm,your thinking of Michael.I'm definitely thinking of Janet.