[SwinusMaximus]

Hi folks. I've been around for a while but I seldom post ... mostly because I'm always up to my ears in alligators. This one I couldn't pass up.

The author is my brother. Is he angry? You betcha!

He suspects the school board will call sometime soon and try to make nice but he's not having any of that. His "terms of surrender" are: (1) A formal public apology to him and the newspaper; (2) The teacher who wasn't "answering any questions" (Jeff Clark) to be reprimanded and forbidden from having any involvement with student government; (3) An assembly at the school of all students and teachers where he will read the Principal's apology and hopefully be able to present the other side of the argument.

He has been in contact with Lieutenant Governor Brian Dubie who has expressed his interest in attending and presenting at the assembly should it come to pass. Mr Dubie flew missions over New York after the 11 September attacks as a pilot for the Air National Guard.

Any support you Vermonters can give to my kid brother would be greatly appreciated! Remember, these could be your kids, your local school, and YOU in handcuffs.

[joesnuffy]

Back in the US back in the US back in the USSR boyze ....all your chilrens belong to us...
This is a load of pure evil.....public education ..at taxpayer expense..

[RAT Patrol]

We need more people like your brother in the world.

[Always Right]

Sounds like a story Bill O'Reilly could take off with.

[dawn53]

Tell your brother to homeschool his kids, if he's really concerned.

My sister lives in Atlanta, and has never considered homeschool, UNTIL, she was informed that she was NOT allowed to pick up her kids in case there is an emergency involving terrorism.

Same thing happened near where I am after a non-specific bomb thread forced officials to evacuate all the schools. Parents were told there COULD NOT pick up their children from schools.

The schools have plans in the event of a terrorist alert, and it does not involve parent's getting custody of their own kids.

[docmcb]

I want to keep track of this one.

[Slyfox]

A public school is not private property. A parent with a child in that school has a right to be there and should not have been arrested just because the principal felt like it. In the parent handbook, if they have one, I don't think there is anything that says anything about when a parent is not allowed at the school. And I bet there is nothing written which threatens arrest if a parent "trespasses".

I think your brother should get a lawyer and go after being wrongfully arrested.

[Blue Collar Christian]

Where are you, tough guy!

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

The conceit that government education is inherently above reproach is of a piece with the conceit that journalists are your betters, whose veracity and vision of the whole truth transcends your judgement.

[keyd]

One more thing that makes me happy I pulled my kids out of public school.

This sounds like something that would happen in another country.

There should be public outrage over this, period.

[longtermmemmory]

This is alarming. Parents unwelcome at their children's school?!!

For home school advocates. It may work you some but not for everyone. Some parent actually do need to have a formal school system for their children.

as a side note: The GLSEN people are now in stealth mode by not puting their name in the headlines of stories. This prevents them from being picked up by clipper services.

[Mister Baredog]

I fear my children are being forced to listen to beliefs that are antithetical to long-held American values which are being expressed by some people who are supposed to be giving them a balanced education

This is happening all over America. The schools are no longer responsive to anyone except labor unions and ACLU lawyers that want to do things like strip Christmas from the public schools.Parents? They have no political clout

[SuziQ]

I think your brother's attorney should call the Principal as a witness and make him answer, UNDER OATH, questions about the identity of the man in the march, why the march was bing held during school hours, who gave the kids permission to leave class and march, and who was LEADING the march. This would give ALL the parents of kids at the school something to think about, and maybe some leverage with the School Committee on making policy about such activities during school hours.

[Clifdo]

Why don't you suggest that if he cares about his children he should remove them from the government school? This type of power play will only get worse. Wouldn't it be wonderful if suddenly one day all the superintendents, principals, vice-principals, staff, etc., of this bloated system went in to their daily propaganda posts all over the country and found not a single student there? They would have indeed become irrelevant. Sounds like a worthy goal to me.

[ladylib]

"Both Principal Lawson and the officer told me that if I didn't leave immediately, I would be arrested for trespassing. I calmly explained to the principal that, as a parent, I have every right to know what is going on at the school my children attend. He told me he didn't have to answer any of my questions and told me, again, to leave."

This principal sounds like a real SOB. The schmuck's salary is paid by taxpayers. He has to answer a parent's questions.

Sounds like this is going to turn out like the story in Maine last week. At least I hope so.

[Quix]

THANKS FOR THIS POST.

I WILL PRAY FOR HIM AND THE SITUATION.

MORE POWER TO HIM. CHEERS!!!!!!!!!!!!

WHAT A HIDEOUS STATE OF AFFAIRS! And this is only the beginning.

Much courage and victory to your brother.

Any email addresses we can use to the officials?

[Congressman Billybob]

Thank you for your post, and please thank your brother for his commitment and courage. I live in a samll town (population 1,000) and the local newspaper is as sleepy as the town. However, there are times -- and your brother has found one of them -- when challenging events occur for a small-town newsman and his town.

Thank you and him also for the larger lesson, that freedom of the press is not just a large and national creature. It is also built, or destroyed, brick by brick in thousands of towns across this nation. As a First Amendment lawyer, I hope your brother pushes the school principal to the wall on this.

Congressman Billybob

Latest column, now up on UPI, and FR, "Truth, the First Casualty?"

Latest book(let), "to Restore Trust in America."

[Oberon]

Bump for later.

[LiteKeeper]

bump

[chasio649]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/860459/posts

Ticks me off when i think of the many times the leftist have used intimidation to get their way...i will send O'Reilly your post if you don't mind.

[spodefly]

The details of the incident are strange and troubling.

But the biggest detail of all is still a mystery: What was going on at the school??? Has your brother talked to his kids to see what it was?