London, July 2007
I see in the comments and in some letters to the editor etc. that there is some residual reaction to the state board's ruling, but I don't see the point at this time in fighting over every little outburst. The more they talk, the more articles and letters they write, the clearer it becomes, what's actually going on.
As I mentioned, I'm feeling a little worn out by it all. I think the sex-ed controversy has been laid to rest, unless the CRC decides to continue the Black Knight routine and file another lawsuit. ("It's just a flesh wound!") In the meantime, we will keep an eye on the various outbreaks of outrageousness.
Which is all a way of saying, I'm in London attending a conference, and I thought I'd share a few of my photographs with you.
Some of these are from the neighborhood I'm staying in, which is called Camden, some are from the university where the conference is held, and I took a few last night at the Natural History Museum. Hopefully these aren't so big that they bog down your computer -- if they do, please let me know, and I'll cut a couple of them out, or maybe I can make them smaller...
Enjoy.
Near Russell Square.
University College London (UCL)
We had some rain yesterday
Lady in a darkened car
Natural History Museum right after a rain
Natural History Museum after the debate on evolution
Again, after the debate
Cheer in a dreary churchyard
It really is a beautiful city, full of life, I only wish my pictures could show you.
As I mentioned, I'm feeling a little worn out by it all. I think the sex-ed controversy has been laid to rest, unless the CRC decides to continue the Black Knight routine and file another lawsuit. ("It's just a flesh wound!") In the meantime, we will keep an eye on the various outbreaks of outrageousness.
Which is all a way of saying, I'm in London attending a conference, and I thought I'd share a few of my photographs with you.
Some of these are from the neighborhood I'm staying in, which is called Camden, some are from the university where the conference is held, and I took a few last night at the Natural History Museum. Hopefully these aren't so big that they bog down your computer -- if they do, please let me know, and I'll cut a couple of them out, or maybe I can make them smaller...
Enjoy.
Near Russell Square.
University College London (UCL)
We had some rain yesterday
Lady in a darkened car
Natural History Museum right after a rain
Natural History Museum after the debate on evolution
Again, after the debate
Cheer in a dreary churchyard
It really is a beautiful city, full of life, I only wish my pictures could show you.
posted by JimK at 9:17 AM
37 Comments:
Looks cool.
Prince Charles is always talking about how ugly the architecture is. Any idea what he's talking about?
The city has "character," he might find that a little embarrassing, being a prince and all.
JimK
Thank you for sharing these pics, especially the hollyhock (my wife has some planted that just started blossoming out this last week; she planted them two years ago, but apparently it takes that long from them to mature and actually blossom).
And this from today's Washington Post,
Tolerance Is a Two-Way Street
Tuesday, July 10, 2007; A14
Regarding Patricia B. O'Neill's July 8 Close to Home article, "Tolerance Wins in Maryland":
Ms. O'Neill, the other members of the Montgomery County Board of Education and School Superintendent Jerry D. Weast have time and again turned a deaf ear to the thousands of parents who have expressed concern with the new health education curriculum on religious, moral and scientific grounds.
"Thousands"??? Ok, maybe I am missing something out here in "flyover country" but I do not think this is any sort of supportable assertion. Sounds more like an exaggerated claim...
Ms. O'Neill has gone so far as to describe the board's decision as showing "courage in the face of bigots." Why is it that she can use name-calling to brand a group of people 'bigots' while at the same time claiming to be tolerant?
So far so good...to engage in name-calling while calling for "tolerance" is to speak out of both sides of the mouth. I mean, how is any opponent of this curriculum to interpret this remark,
Montgomery board member Patricia B. O'Neill (Dist. 3) of Bethesda, who has been involved with the sex-ed discussions for five years, said the board showed "courage in the face of bigots" in adopting the lesson plans.???
We all know the teenage years are full of uncertainty and self-discovery. When confused teenagers brand themselves as gay at a young age and are accepted into that lifestyle, it becomes even harder for them to recant later in life even if they know the opposite to be true.
I understand this all too well...the angst, uncertainty, etc.
The decision by the board not to include ex-gays in the curriculum or, at the least, a statement that change is possible is a gross injustice to our students and blatant pandering to the homosexual lobby. Calling opponents "bigots" while claiming to be for "tolerance and empathy for everyone" shuts down rational discussion and is just plain wrong.
Ok, I am trying to be understanding here, but what is up with this fixation on including "ex-gays"??? Clearly I am sympathetic, but this element of CRC's strategy is both weak and puzzling. There are so many ways of attacking this curriculum that to choose to use one of the weakest arguments strikes me as...well, odd.
LAURA QUIGLEY
Gaithersburg
The writer was a founding member of Citizens for a Responsible Curriculum.
Bottomline? O'Neill had an opportunity to be magnanimous in what is clearly a victory, and passed. Now this can be understandable in light of guerrilla methods that CRC has used , but does this do anything to reach out (and in the process take some of the wind out of CRC's sails? No, it does not.
Jim, your photos make it appear that the debate on evolution brightened the museum considerably.
I have read some of the Prince of Wales's writings on the "ugly" city of London, and he is an ardent preservationist. He celebrates the way that London's long history lives on in the cityscape; medieval mews and alleys to Georgian squares to Victorian monuments. What he doesn't like is the street straightening and the big-box nature of the modern building which he fears is not only dominating the look of the city but destroying the ancient cityscape. He is not usually considered the brightest bulb on the string, but he has reasoned his opinion pretty carefully.
Orin, Hollyhocks are biennials, growing for two years and blooming in the second. In some climates they are perennials, but not long-lived ones. Gardeners who want Hollyhocks usually sow them two successive years. They self-seed pretty generously, so if they're happy they will re-plant themselves and thereafter the two-year cycles repeat and the hollyhock bed persists. This is also true of Sweet William and Lunaria (money plant).
One winter of planning, two years of seedlings, and then it's clear sailing year after year. Add Delphinium ( a slightly higher maintenance biennial) and something is in bloom from May to October and little weeding is needed.
Orrin, you have been hanging around this blog so long you seem to have gone over to the other side! I am disappointed in you.
The 'thousands' could truthfully be a reference to the 4000 or so signatures the CRC garnered on the petition drive a few years ago.
Orin
That was not the usual anon who wrote that last comment but I was about to make the same observation about the signatures. An additional truth is that a larger proportion of the local community would not support the curriculum but there is a fatalism about the political situation here. The education establishment has just stacked the deck to the extent that few think it's worth getting into this. There are so many larger issues and they feel they can deal with stuff like this in different ways.
"I'll bite your legs off!"
-Another claim of the Dark Knight, after he had been rendered armless and legless by opponent.
Andrea- not anon
Jim,
I miss London- it has been two and a half years since I have been(my 24th visit). I usually stay in Kensington. I like the Muffin Man near the Kensington Close Hotel and the M&S at the Kensington High Street Underground has a great market.
The 'thousands' could truthfully be a reference to the 4000 or so signatures the CRC garnered on the petition drive a few years ago.
Just when did 3500 become 4000?
"Mrs. Turner said CRC filed its lawsuit because the board refused to meet with them after they presented 3,500 signatures on a petition opposing the sex-ed course last month."
From: Tug of war over sex education in schools
By Jon Ward
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Published May 16, 2005
Msg Topic [1 Reply Last Reply:01-20-2005 - 8:24 AM ]
Bring the Petition to the MARCH FOR LIFE
The March for Life is Monday Jan 24th. We are going and will bring lots of hardcopies for people to sign who come to the March (remember they DON'T need to live in Montgomery County to sign!). All we need to do is canvas folks who we see.
Also - if your church is going down in buses as a group, ask your Pastor if you can circulate the petition on the buses for them to sign!
We can get many, many, many signature that day!
TonyC
[Date=01-14-2005] Name: TonyC ajcnet100@yahoo.com, [Msgid=764069]
http://www.teachthefacts.org/2005/07/frivolous-lawsuit-defined.html
Hey, Orin and Anon... do you guys think we should eliminate all minorities in MCPS?? You two make a LOT of people sick. Shame, shame, shame!!
How much hate will it take?
Tish writes,
Orin, Hollyhocks are biennials, growing for two years and blooming in the second. In some climates they are perennials, but not long-lived ones. Gardeners who want Hollyhocks usually sow them two successive years. They self-seed pretty generously, so if they're happy they will re-plant themselves and thereafter the two-year cycles repeat and the hollyhock bed persists.
Thanks for the info...it appears that my yard is only one of two yards that has them on our part of town.
This is also true of Sweet William and Lunaria (money plant).
One winter of planning, two years of seedlings, and then it's clear sailing year after year. Add Delphinium ( a slightly higher maintenance biennial) and something is in bloom from May to October and little weeding is needed.
I've heard of Delphinium, but no the other...my yard looks good this year, even with the dryness.
Anonymous writes,
Orrin, you have been hanging around this blog so long you seem to have gone over to the other side! I am disappointed in you.
First off, my name is spelled with one "r" not two (that's ok though; my 17 year old sometimes calls me "Owen Lee" as Lee is my middle name - LOL).
I am sorry if I have disappointed you. Permit me to explain a little more here.
I apply skepticism where I think it is warranted and the claim that thousands of parents were ignored by the MCPS simply does not pass what I call "the scratch test" - it just does not smell right (I liken it to paying for good arabica coffee beans and opening the bag onnly to smell "Folger's"...). Yes, CRC was able to get adults (parents) to sign a petition, but what did these petition signers do next? Did they show up to the CAC meetings, did they write the school board and Supt. with non-scripted letters making a case for a more conservative sex ed curriculum? Did they get other parents interested and involved in opposing the direction the curriculum went?
I was involved here in this same sort of process with local versions of those on the CAC. I even applied for a position on the Poudre School District Health Curriculum Advisory Board (HCAB), and had to settle to be a silent public observer. And in 18 months of meetings I attended, I can count on one, yes ONE hand (and that is with fingers to spare!) the number of other people that also attended these meetings. I tried, behind the scene, to tweak the direction of this group towards a genuine abstinence message, but to no avail. I even had private discussions with a couple of HCAB members I thought would listen. One even gave me material supportive of abstinence education, but also gave me this warning (which turned out to be true) that if more parents did not become involved in this process, the condom pushers and their educrat allies would safely assume they could do whatever they wanted to, and this did turn out to be the case. When the final curriculum was presented to a parents meeting, only about a dozen parents bothered to attend. And when this curriculum was presented for an up/down vote to the BOE I was one of only 3 people that spoke publicly (how does one distill 18 months and countless hours of meetings attended into 3 minutes at an open mic? - I tried). Much like Jim, the experience left me drained, defeated and disillusioned - though for Jim et al, the result was a victory for a POV that feeds our children to the wolves of a sexually licentious culture.
The 'thousands' could truthfully be a reference to the 4000 or so signatures the CRC garnered on the petition drive a few years ago.
My experience is that there is NO substitute for showing up...petitions are easily ignored by public officials when they do not see these same people in meeting after meeting.
Another Anonymous writes,
Orin
That was not the usual anon who wrote that last comment but I was about to make the same observation about the signatures. An additional truth is that a larger proportion of the local community would not support the curriculum but there is a fatalism about the political situation here.
Ok, so this "larger proportion of the local community" does not support the curriculum...what are they prepared to do then? Here the answer was a big, fat, nothing...heck, I even went to a local religious leader with my concerns about the sex ed curriculum, a leader that could have made a difference in the outcome, and this leader choose to do nothing.
The education establishment has just stacked the deck to the extent that few think it's worth getting into this.
And that, in a nutshell, is why TTF et al prevailed. Additionally, when CRC choose to make inclusion of "ex-gays" a central thrust of their strategy with this curriculum they choose a weak argument that only made them look silly to the "experts" and educrats. Sorry, but I call them as I see them...
There are so many larger issues and they feel they can deal with stuff like this in different ways.
"Larger issues"??? News Flash! There is a reason this area of education/public policy is so hotly contested: because it DOES matter. It is a long-term, incrementalist strategy to change the culture from the natural, nuclear family culture to a "your family is whatever you define it to be" culture.
I am trained to teach an abstinence-only curriculum, I have read many books on this and related subjects (Why Johnny Can't Tell Right from Wrong, by William Kilpatrick - a book which has devastating chapter as analysis of contemporary sex ed), I have appeared as THE lone voice in support of abstinence-only on a local public affairs program, and countless hours attending meetings as the unapologetic advocate for abstinence. And I look forward to the next opportunity to advocate on behalf of abstinence-only as a directed curriculum.
I have not gone to the other side...
And while I was posting the last entry, yet Another Anonymous wrote,
Hey, Orin and Anon... do you guys think we should eliminate all minorities in MCPS??
Could you be more specific?
You two make a LOT of people sick. Shame, shame, shame!!
While I cannot and will not speak for Anon, whoever that may be, I can and will speak for myself.
Apparently you are sickened by what I write...why is that? Because I think a sex ed curriculum should remain focused on sex ed, and not thinly veiled political advocacy?
My closest friend, a friend of almost 25 years, is gay. He even monitors this forum. And while he disagrees with most of what I write here, he understands where I am coming from and respects me for my courage (his words, not mine) to speak out so publically. He also knows that I am not inclined to bully or be bullied...so spare me the "you make me so sick" and "shame, shame, shame" schtick - it does not impress me a bit.
How much hate will it take?
Orin, I just need to toss a word in here. You misquoted me when you said "... Much like Jim, the experience left me drained, defeated and disillusioned ..."
I never said "defeated" or "disillusioned." I am a little drained and battered, but I am quite pleased with the outcome of this battle and am satisfied that we were effective in communicating our message where it needed to be communicated.
You typify all this as "... a long-term, incrementalist strategy to change the culture from the natural, nuclear family culture to a "your family is whatever you define it to be" culture ..." I'm not going to explain what's wrong with that statement, but I can't just let it pass, either. You know what's wrong with it.
JimK
"4000 or so signatures the CRC garnered on the petition drive a few years ago."
I suspect most of those signatures were from out of the county.
"You typify all this as "... a long-term, incrementalist strategy to change the culture from the natural, nuclear family culture to a "your family is whatever you define it to be" culture ..." I'm not going to explain what's wrong with that statement, but I can't just let it pass, either. You know what's wrong with it."
We all do.
It's an inconvenient truth.
""4000 or so signatures the CRC garnered on the petition drive a few years ago."
I suspect most of those signatures were from out of the county."
Any proof?
BTW, you don't live or work in Montgomery County, do you, Robert?
"Cheer in a dreary churchyard"
Everyone will note that Jim found drizzly London beautiful and full of life except for a churchyard, which was dreary.
Wonder why?
Jim writes,
You typify all this as "... a long-term, incrementalist strategy to change the culture from the natural, nuclear family culture to a "your family is whatever you define it to be" culture ..." I'm not going to explain what's wrong with that statement, but I can't just let it pass, either. You know what's wrong with it.
Oh, but please do explain...you have made an assertion that it is wrong...time to back that up.
Then Robert writes,
"4000 or so signatures the CRC garnered on the petition drive a few years ago."
I suspect most of those signatures were from out of the county.
Does it really matter?...here's how I would look at it if I were a BOE member: how many personal letters (and no, form letters do not count) and phone calls and contacts do I receive from concerned parents? How many parents bother to show up for public meetings? Etc.
Anonymous writes,
"You typify all this as "... a long-term, incrementalist strategy to change the culture from the natural, nuclear family culture to a "your family is whatever you define it to be" culture ..." I'm not going to explain what's wrong with that statement, but I can't just let it pass, either. You know what's wrong with it."
We all do.
It's an inconvenient truth.
Thank you, Anonymous...
Anonymous writes,
""4000 or so signatures the CRC garnered on the petition drive a few years ago."
I suspect most of those signatures were from out of the county."
Any proof?
BTW, you don't live or work in Montgomery County, do you, Robert?
I don't...but does that really matter? Well, yes, it does. Elected officials are elected to represent majorities, keeping in mind that minorities matter as well. But when a decision must be made, it is the majority that carries the day. In this particular controversy it was TTF that won.
Anonymous writes,
"Cheer in a dreary churchyard"
Everyone will note that Jim found drizzly London beautiful and full of life except for a churchyard, which was dreary.
Wonder why?
Freudian slip? Just guessing...
Andrea- not anon
How many of those signatures came from parents of MCPS students? Not too many and why should MCPS listen to a parent of a kid who goes to a private school or is homeschooled about what is to be taught to kids in MCPS. Right, they pay taxes- well, I pay taxes too- and religious organizations get tax breaks but they don't have to listen to me. Why is it that CRC keeps claiming that MCPS parents have no voice in anything- just because they don't support CRC? Parents can have as much or as little voice as they want. I was involved in many issues when my kids were in MCPS- health, reading lists, math, special ed, speech therapy(my only testimony in front of the board but not my only appearance). It is possible(and so very likely) that parents are not supporting CRC and do want their kids to learn what is being taught- if not, they can opt not to have thier kids take these lessons. I only wish I could have opted my son out of tech ed and the really low level computer class he had- not just a few sessions but a whole semester.
Andrea writes,
How many of those signatures came from parents of MCPS students? Not too many and why should MCPS listen to a parent of a kid who goes to a private school or is homeschooled about what is to be taught to kids in MCPS. Right, they pay taxes- well, I pay taxes too- and religious organizations get tax breaks but they don't have to listen to me.
I think there is a theoretical and practical consideration to this issue. The theoretical approach suggests that since public schools are paid for out of taxes, that the public, whether or not they have students in the public schools, have an interest in what takes place in them. I learned this the hard way the last two years of high school when my parents moved to what was then a retirement community; everything the high school had was old and worn out. When I asked why, I was told that every bond issue would get voted down by the majority. When my family and I moved to Fort Collins in early 1999 a school bond issue came up; both the wife and I voted for it.
The practical consideration is that school boards and supt.'s of necessity must take into consideration the population present in their schools, and not those in religious schools or homeschooled. Both of my girl's attend the public schools in part because of this...
And comparing public schools to religious organizations is comparing apples to turnips. Property taxes (customarily used to support public schools) are not the same as tax exemptions, which is what religious organizations receive out of respect for the First Amendment. For example, the parish I attend here finished a social hall and religious education building two years ago - the only people that paid for it were the parishioners themselves, not the taxpayers of the City of Fort Collins.
Why is it that CRC keeps claiming that MCPS parents have no voice in anything- just because they don't support CRC? Parents can have as much or as little voice as they want.
I could not agree more...the above sentiment of the CRC strikes me as little more than crying, whining, moaning and complaining...not to mention playing the victim, an emotion I have little patience for...
When I have discussed the sex ed curriculum here with the director of the crisis pregnancy center (a friend of mine) here in town we are both in agreement that there would have been a different outcome had parents actually cared enough to do something about the situation. As it was the person that received the most attention was a local pro-abortion supporter (and was she involved in the process!); yes, this person is not simply pro-choice...no, she is only about supporting the choice of abortion. Needless to say, she was happy with the curriculum...
And once again, anyone can and often does sign any sort of petition (as passive an act as any); what really matters are those that get actively involved in the process. For those of you that are CRC or support CRC, I am sorry, but surely you must know that this is the truth. That does not mean you should give up...and yes, with the internet and modern technologies there are alternatives.
It is time to think outside of the box...
Oh, and by the way...
I stand rightly corrected by Jim; it was only draining for him.
For me it was that and defeating and disillusionioning (mostly borne from parents either "asleep at the wheel" or indifferent.
Orin
I agree, what should matter to politicians is people getting involved in the process, not # of emails (the religious right can out-email the lgbt-supportive community on any issue by a factor of about 5-1; in the same way, when groups like PFOX or Concerned Women want to hassle an lgbt-supportive or gay teacher, they can generate parent complaints).
What matters to politicians in the end are votes in November and costs (such as lawsuits; MoCo didn't back down on that one, nor did Arlington, but Fairfax did).
Anonymous asks:
"BTW, you don't live or work in Montgomery County, do you, Robert?"
It's a good question, dear Anonymous: Why is Robert Rigby, a resident of Arlington and employee of Fairfax, concerned about what happens in Montgomery?
There are two reasons: 1)I think of Montgomery as "part of my neighborhood"; i.e. part of the Washington metro region, of which I am a resident. As most people, I'm more conerned about what happens in my neighborhood that what happens in more distant areas;
2)more importantly, I serve and know youth who attend public schools in Montgomery county, and know teachers who work there; at each event we do for LGBT youth (conferences, dances, workshops, bar-b-cues), there are from 5 to 30 students from MoCo in attendence, and we often have teachers from MD as chaperones or volunteers. These are my friends and acquaintances.
I assure you, however, that I have never sent an email, written a letter, signed a petition, or anything of the sort in Montgomery County.
Hope that answers your question.
BTW, do you know LGBT students in MCPS?
rrjr
A little background on numbers here in Montgomery County. In the winter of 2004-05, when the sex-ed issue in Montgomery County became widely publicized, the Board of Education staff reported that the letters, e-mails, phone calls, etc. ran by a margin of 5-1 IN FAVOR of the steps the Board was taking.
Last year, all four BOE members who were elected ran publicly expressed support for the approach taken by the Board (indeed, the positions they took went further than that recommended by the Superintendent and finally adopted by the Board). I would further note that all four won by overwhelming margins.
Orin said "to engage in name-calling while calling for "tolerance" is to speak out of both sides of the mouth.".
That's where you're wrong Orin. If you want tolerance in general you can't tolerate intolerance. If a person says blacks shouldn't be allowed to use the same facilities as whites we shouldn't hesitate to call that person the racist he/she is. To fail to do so is to suggest there is validity to the racist viewpoint. Its the same with people who want to deny gays equal rights. To fail to call them the bigots they are is to suggest that there is validity to that hateful destructive viewpoint. We still tolerate bigots in that we support and fight for their equality with us, but we don't tolerate their sinful desire to be superior to others.
Andrea- not anon
in case GA comes back with that same silly comment(as if it would matter if true since this is in MC) that the rest of the state looks different from MC or MCBOE- we elected O'Malley/Brown and Ben Cardin and our new County council members. No doubt, GA and the CRC believe this is because people don't know what is going on- only they can "see" the truth. In the next election, I am pretty sure Steve Abrams will be gone from the board- the Democratic party will not support him - claiming he is a Democrat is a joke and his fighting in the stairwell should eliminate him from any consideration by anyone else.
"in case GA comes back with that same silly comment(as if it would matter if true since this is in MC) that the rest of the state looks different from MC"
How about this: Upper Montgomery is alot different from Downcounty.
Statewide, getting elected is like getting into college. Once you get there, you have to perform.
How do you like that loser O'Malley so far? Maryland will probably swing with the rest of the country in 2008.
Independent.
"our new County council members"
Interesting how the elected officials always get a pass around here. Everyone here was up in arms about the Downtown Silver Spring situation and yet not one word of criticism was directed at the local idiot officials who signed the deal.
Anonymous: More of your whining and hand-wringing. It seems you never have anything positive to say - you must live a very sad, lonely existence (negative people are often that way). "How do you like that loser O'Malley so far? Maryland will probably swing with the rest of the country in 2008." "Interesting how the elected officials always get a pass around here"....there is nothing worse than a sore loser!
You want to see sore losers? Go back to this blog in the Spring of 2005.
Randi writes,
That's where you're wrong Orin. If you want tolerance in general you can't tolerate intolerance.
LOL!!! Goodness gracious...have you ever read 1984? If not, you really should take a break and give it a read. The above is a classic example of what is called "doublethink".
We still tolerate bigots in that we support and fight for their equality with us, but we don't tolerate their sinful desire to be superior to others.
"Sinful"??? Uh, newsflash Randi: the very concept of sin is RELIGIOUS, but you already knew that, right?
Oh, and thanks for "tolerating" me...lol.
Robert writes,
What matters to politicians in the end are votes in November and costs (such as lawsuits; MoCo didn't back down on that one, nor did Arlington, but Fairfax did).
Yes, votes, costs, and might I add, the principle of representation that represents and takes into consideration the greatest number.
There are 2050 signature on the online petition today (the one against the current petition).
We mailed close to 3000 pieces of information during the last election. We manned about 10 voting booths during the primaries. Of the 3500 signatures from last time, about 80% are county residents. True, during the general election it probably won't make a difference but during the primaries for the BOE (40,000 approx vote state wide) - it definitely does. During the general election folks generally follow the apple ballot, and anyone not endorsed by the MEA is out of luck (Dana will agree with me here).
There are 2500 people on our email list today. I would estimate that 95% are Montgomery county residents.
Those are facts. And as more parents find out what is actually in this curriculum, the more incensed they are. We are on the outskirts, the vast majority of the public simply is not aware of the issue yet (very few are politically involved). But, when it goes full scale this fall, guess what ? they will find out.
Theresa
whoops, I meant 40,000 total in primaries for BOE MC vote, obviously.
theresa
Andrea- not anon
Teresa- CRC's claims about the lack of knowledge and ignorance of MCPS parents is tired and ridiculous. You lost the elections,you lost this "cause". Based on previous information and numbers(like your opt out claims for the pilot), your "current" numbers will have no effect. as I pointed out before- MCPS will pay more attention to actual parents of MCPS students- we may all pay taxes here but parents of the students will have more say than people whose kids go to private schools or are homeschooled- as it should be.
GA- I am sure your predictions are so accurate- as much as everything else you say.
Orin said "have you ever read 1984? If not, you really should take a break and give it a read. The above is a classic example of what is called "doublethink".".
Let me put it to you this way Orin:
If you tolerate the opposite of tolerance you won't have any tolerance. Intolerance is the opposite of tolerance. If we tolerate people disparaging blacks as inferior we won't have any tolerance for blacks. If we tolerate Christians demeaning Jews as Christ-killers we won't have any tolerance for Jews. Simply put intolerance, of gays or any other group, can't be tolerated. What you're doing is saying that if we aren't tolerant of murderers we're doing something wrong, we're debasing the concept of tolerance - its quite the opposite.
Orin said "the very concept of sin is RELIGIOUS, but you already knew that, right?".
No, in the vernacular sin is the harming of others. Its the same as saying someone exercises religiously - its clear to rational people that we don't mean they see exercise as a supernatural being to be worshiped.
Orin said "thanks for "tolerating" me".
I tolerate you, but not your intolerance for gays - that's a sin and its time you repented.
Theresa,
When you're right, you're right. It's very difficult to defeat the Apple Ballot without a great deal of name recognition, lead time and hard work. They had a 90% success rate last cycle.
We have new elections coming up in a few months -- District 2, Rockville-Potomac and one at-large seat.
BTW, Dr, I saw that twerp that beat you out in the election on July 4th giving a "baby-kissing" type speech in Kensington.
What a bore.
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