N and O Request

I'm really not a conspiracy theorist, but the timing of the News and Observer's request for GS memories seems suspicious as best. According to its own records, the N and O has written exactly zero (0) articles about GS since 2004. But the week after the Indy prints its article about questioning why the ADF should be censoring the curriculum of GS, a NC public school program funded with state money, the N and O puts out a call for your best GS memories? Hmmm.

In its patheticness, it strikes me exactly as something DPI and Exceptional Children would do to attempt to "combat" the "negative" publicity. Answer the charges? Allow faculty and students to talk to reporters? No. But launch a "counter" sunshine and roses campaign. Yeah. That sounds about right.

Hey, I have long argued that NC should be proud of GS- it's an amazing program that is as pedagogically progressive and sound as I've seen and been a part of (until its administrators started censoring curriculum according to the wishes of right-wing, homophobic, christian groups). But now? Smells rotten to me.

I sent an email to Marcy Smith asking her if the N and O were doing this at the bequest of DPI to counter the bad publicity which it got, as well as if the N and O were looking into the question of the ADF setting curriculum for NC public schools. I would urge you to ask the same.

i love GS. i will always love what GS stands for in its documentation and in many of its years of practice. but now does not seem the time to be burying GS in praise. it seems time to be asking hard hard questions of an administration that is not only remaining quiet, but demanding that its faculty remain quiet.

http://www.newsobserver.com/105/story/1136688.html