my daughter -- climbing to new heights
My daughter, like many young kids, finds transitions difficult. Now that she’s been in Kindergarten for one month, things are getting better for her. We were thrilled when she was awarded “Community Leader of the Week” at her school last week, for exercising all of the school’s five “be’s” and in particular for being a good listener. Here are the five “be’s:”
- Be Safe
- Be Respectful
- Be Responsible
- Be a Listener
- Be a Learner
It warms our hearts endlessly that she has achieved so much in so short a time. Her moms are especially proud of her earning the award for listening. We could all stand to listen a little closer, so I’m paying attention to my daughter for tips here.
I’m particularly interested today, as the Maine Yes on 1 folks release their “It’s everything to do with schools” ad (see Julia Rosen’s post from today for a good summary of it), in the quality of Being Respectful.
In the ad, Charla Bansley re-introduces the Wirthlin family clip from last year’s California Prop 8 ad. The Wirthlins are the ones who warn us of gay marriage being taught in schools. They even took this to court. In the court’s ruling, from a post over at Dirigo Blue, is the following:
An exodus from class when issues of homosexuality or same-sex marriage are to be discussed could send the message that gays, lesbians, and the children of same-sex parents are inferior and, therefore, have a damaging effect on those students. … It might also undermine the defendants’ efforts to educate the remaining other students to understand and respect differences in sexual orientation.
This is what’s really going on here. The Wirthlins and Charla Bansley have no respect for me and my wife, and want us nowhere near their children. Charla Bansley goes a step further in this word-for-word quote, as Julia Rosen reports:
Public display of psychosis and we have dealt with it by redefining decency down so as to explain away and make normal what a more civilized, and ordered, and healthy society would label deviant and the result has been a stunning failure.
Not only do you not want us around, Charla Bansley, but you find that we are psychotic, deviant, indecent, AND a stunning failure. Really Ms. Bansley? If you met me, would you say that to my face? Would you say that to my five-year-old girl?
In reality, Charla Bansley, the Wirthlin family, dear people of Maine (and California): If you vote to pass Question 1 just as California voted last fall to pass Proposition 8, we are not going to disappear. And furthermore, if we met you while we were dropping our kid off at school, we’d have a smile for you — maybe even a hug, especially if you were having a hard drop-off — just like for the rest of the parents we meet. I am delighted that my child is at a school that teaches respect and inclusion, and I would be happy to teach my child to respect your child even if they are different in any or many ways.
I just want to close with this, if I have your attention: If you can’t treat us with respect in return, would you please at least not teach your children to hurt us, or to ask us to die, or otherwise bully us? Kindergarten can be hard enough as it is (and it looks like some of us could stand a refresher on the curriculum of being respectful).
PS: Take a look at last year’s California ad side-by-side with today’s Maine ad:
Moya Watson 
I would like to know how a school system could ever hire someone so closed minded. I’m surprised Ms. Bansley still has a job teaching after showing her ignorant face all over Maine broadcast television. My wife and I will both be voting “NO” on question 1.
Scott Tilmont
Sorry. I didn’t realize that Ms. Bansley was a teacher at a private christian school. I thought she worked for the public school system. I’ll have to open up the bible and see where it gives her the right to judge others. I seem to remember that was up to God.
Scott Tilmont
Scott,
You are indeed right that Ms. Bansley teaches at a private Christian school. This doesn’t stop her from being heavily critical of what does or does not go on in public schools, as you’ve seen.
She’s entitled to her beliefs — and in fact, I would be very interested in sitting down with Ms. Bansley if she ever wanted to share them with me — but get involved heavily with stripping away my rights and dignity? Why you gotta do that, Ms. Bansely?
Like Ms. Bansely, I am also very concerned with what my daughter learns at school and I just hope it’s not shame and bullying. Right now we’re very happy.
And as for You, Mr. Scott Tilmont, coming out of your way to leave this post on my blog to show you and your wife’s solidarity:
i thank you so much. and i don’t know you, but i love you. thank you for helping me feel a little better in the middle of another nasty fight. it’s learning about folks like you that light up my life.
-m
Charla Bansley is a crusader, and has no problem blurring the lines to get what she holds religiously dear. I am tired of people believing that their religious views should influence, or even determine, public law. Jesus told them to “render unto Caeser’s that which is Caeser’s,” meaning that they should live their lives with their faith, but obey public laws. This does not mean they should actively try to overturn those public laws to what they believe their faith says. Doing so actually shows their ignorance toward their own religion. Charla Bansey is an idiot, like every right wing religious usurper. I bet she’s had some girl/girl experiences in her past, and that is why she is acting so against it now.
Remember to be the calm through the storms that are all around you. That sounds silly, I know. But staying on your path can help guide your family through turbulence like this. :)