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Message |
    
Josh M.
Citizen
Username: Jmaxlaw
Post Number: 188
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 15, 2004 - 12:18 pm: | 
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Someone who's posts are always intelligent, enjoyable, and thought provoking finally gets the publicity she deserves!!!
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/15/nyregion/15towns.html |
J. Crohn
Citizen
Username: Jcrohn
Post Number: 1981
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 15, 2004 - 2:18 pm: |
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Hey, that's very kind of you, Josh M.
(I only found out about that quote this morning when a friend of mine told me about it, so it was a bit of a surprise.) |
cmontyburns
Citizen
Username: Cmontyburns
Post Number: 566
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 15, 2004 - 4:09 pm: |
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My favorite quote from that piece:
"It's horrible; someone who wants to take Christmas music away from the children is a Grinch," said Shirley Babilya, who has a seventh grader in the district and has circulated a petition against the policy. "You hear rap music all the time and they want to do away with Christmas songs? I don't think they have enough to do."
As if the school planned on having kids get up on stage and sing "Gangsta's Paradise" during the holiday concert.
By the way, for my own clarification: Does the school policy really ban "Christmas Songs" -- as in jingle bells, frosty the snowman, rudolph the red-nosed reindeer -- or only religious christmas songs like silent night, away in a manger and the like?
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J. Crohn
Citizen
Username: Jcrohn
Post Number: 1984
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 15, 2004 - 6:53 pm: |
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"As if the school planned on having kids get up on stage and sing "Gangsta's Paradise" during the holiday concert."
Hee hee hee...
"Does the school policy really ban "Christmas Songs"...?"
The policy:
"Music programs prepared or presented by student groups as an outcome of the curriculum shall not have a religious orientation or focus on religious holidays."
As I understand it, the policy has been interpreted to mean that any mention of Christmas or Chanukah is out, as are any songs whose lyrics might be judged devotional in nature--even if the works are instrumental and the lyrics therefore are not being sung. (I don't know about "Jingle Bells"--hasn't that melody already been appropriated by Elmo? "Com-pu-ter, Com-pu-ter, Com-pu, Com-pu, Ter..." Really, somebody needs to get out into Ricalton Square and sing the PBS variation on Christmas Eve.)
But, as Bob Little has gently pointed out in his thread ("One Board Member's Approach"), an interpretation of Board policy that requires a ban such as we have now seems not to be in keeping with the BOE's Belief Statement, which claims that a district objective is...
"...to teach about the particular qualities, contributions and historical experiences of the various groups that together comprise American society; and to infuse this subject matter into the regular instructional content of the schools as well as using special school projects and events to augment the schools’ curriculum."
Just seems to me the holiday concert should be molded into an opportunity to serve that goal--unless for some reason the "qualities and contributions" of religious groups that "together comprise American society" are somehow outside the ambit of a good public education.
One of the contributions of religious groups to American society is their music and, yes, even their holidays. I believe it should be possible in a community as culturally sophisticated as this one to present a fair range of that music in a performance setting that is neither religiously coercive nor too easily confused with worship. |
Josh M.
Citizen
Username: Jmaxlaw
Post Number: 191
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, December 16, 2004 - 10:51 am: |
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Whether or not the policy is right-- something should be said about the approach:
1. In politics, it is never a good idea to say "we're just enforcing a law that's been on the books for awhile." People have never bought that argument-- because it will always be "new" to the general populace.
2. Instead-- if there was an outcry-- or something like it-- that's an opportunity for a public discussion and an independent committee. Going back to politics-- generally people don't like to be surprised-- nor should they like to be surprised.
3. I think a choral rendition of "Gangsta's Paradise" would be amazing. Further, since Coolio has been relegated to the Hollywood Squaresesque D-List-- he may even be available to come in and play a part in the production. |
cmontyburns
Citizen
Username: Cmontyburns
Post Number: 570
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, December 16, 2004 - 10:55 am: |
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COOLIO IS ON HOLLYWOOD SQUARES?!?!
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Josh M.
Citizen
Username: Jmaxlaw
Post Number: 193
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, December 16, 2004 - 3:33 pm: |
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Yes-- there was also a Coolio sighting on Bravo's "Celebrity Poker." |
Pizzaz
Citizen
Username: Pizzaz
Post Number: 1355
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, December 16, 2004 - 7:05 pm: |
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Nice picture in the News-Record today, Josh. Congratulations and best wishes. |
mary032
Citizen
Username: Mary032
Post Number: 115
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Friday, December 17, 2004 - 10:21 am: |
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So that's how Josh M. looks like! 
Congratulations Josh. |
Josh M.
Citizen
Username: Jmaxlaw
Post Number: 194
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Friday, December 17, 2004 - 2:32 pm: |
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Was that my wedding announcement? I wasn't sure if my future mother-in-law was actually going to put one in...
Thank you for your wishes... I am the luckiest person I know.
Unfortunatly-- we had to settle for a band instead of Coolio for the musical entertainment... 
Out of curiosity-- how did you know that was me? |
Pizzaz
Citizen
Username: Pizzaz
Post Number: 1359
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Friday, December 17, 2004 - 2:47 pm: |
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Josh: I don't know you personally, although, I do know your mom. Members of my family know you. You've been a spirited contributor to this board, and I wanted to wish you and your fiance well. |
Josh M.
Citizen
Username: Jmaxlaw
Post Number: 195
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Friday, December 17, 2004 - 2:57 pm: |
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Pizzaz--
Much appreciation... thank you for your good wishes.
Josh |
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