the    sides

A Catholic high school in Broomfield has suspended a student because he said “white power” in a classroom discussion. The discussion was on the immigration issue and apparently “white power” became the phrase to define a certain position.

Here’s what I find incredibly sad/funny about the situation. The school reported that fewer than 6 students voiced strong opposition to allowing further immigration. (Which is fine, whether I agree with them or not - they can have that opinion.) Then the school said only a couple of students heard the student say “white power.”

So….let me get this straight. Inside a classroom of 30 people or less, you start a controversial discussion then you condemn 6 students because they voice an opinion which was different than every one else’s, one of those students decided to get cute/funny/stupid with a saying and only a couple of students heard so you suspend him and release a press announcement over it?

Suspend a kid for fighting, not for having an opinion. I can remember in an American History class the teacher was bemoaning how the early Americans treated the American Indian, how brutal it was, how they just took the land, the whole American Manifest Destiny. My buddy and I were in the back and knew the teacher fairly well…knew she owned about 30 acres west of Aurora, Colorado and we commented as such. Actually, he did.

“So, should we sell our land back to the Indians?”

Of course the rest of the class thought that was kinda funny even though the teacher went red in the face. Of course, me being the king of smart remarks couldn’t allow my friend to get all the laughs. So I chimed in…

“Heck no. It’s their fault for being on our land first.”

I got my 5 minutes of fame in the class at the cost of extra long lecture from the teacher on how racist that statement was. Apparently sarcasm was not her strong suit.

Fortunately, I had other classes where the teachers would allow me to have and voice any stupid opinion I wanted. And we had all stupid opinions in high school. Thank God I had teachers who were mature enough to allow immaturity to run its course. In the process they taught us HOW to think, not WHAT to think.

Apparently, all the idiots have left Congress and now are infiltrating our schools. I think my campaign slogan this election season will be this…”Let’s get those idiots back where they belong…in Congress.”