An open letter to the Roseville School District

Dear Dr. Thein,

I am a parent of a child in the Roseville, MN School District. I am very concerned about news reports I've been hearing from elsewhere in Minnesota indicating that there are parents upset about The President of the United States addressing the students in some classrooms next week.

I am primarily concerned with the responses by the school districts to the parents. The responses I've heard have been rather appeasing to these parents. I do not think this is appropriate.

The parents in question are insane.

They are suggesting, perhaps not to school districts directly but in all their other rhetoric, that President Obama is Adolph Hitler incarnate and intends to convert the political system of the United States to a communistic or socialistic one. They claim that this speech to the students is the first step in their indoctrination into a kind of "Obama Youth" that will do the President's bidding at some future time. Many of them also claim that our health insurance system is not in need of reform, that President Obama was born in Kenya, and that Apollo 11 did not actually land on the moon. It is also clear from much of their rhetoric that they are reacting to the fact that our newly elected president is African American. In fact, I consider much of this defaming rhetoric to be very thinly disguised racism.

I know some of this sounds rather funny, but it is not, and I am not making any of this up.

When you receive calls from these parents, please make sure to tell them that what they are asking is potentially unpatriotic as well as anti-education. You might suggest to them that if they have a problem with this ... a short speech by the Duly elected President of the United States ... then they would not like much else of what goes on in Social Studies, Language Arts and Science classes. You might even suggest that they should take their children out of the school system entirely if this is a large problem. After all, the public school system is ... sort of socialized.

I implore, and in fact as a tax paying citizen, insist that you enforce state law in this case. If these parents keep their children out of school because they (the parents) are insane and do not want their children to hear a speech from our president, that should NOT under any circumstances be considered as an excused absence. The child should be seen as truant and the parents as culpable.

Well, OK, maybe that is going to far, though technically it is correct. But at the very least, please do not provide some mealy-mouthed response that makes them feel good. In fact, you should provide a reply that makes them feel a little bad or at least, makes them consider seeking help for their insanity. At the very least, please firmly tell them you have registered their concerns but do not intend to change your plans.

I for one insist that you not balk in any way at showing this speech. Make good use of it. It is well intended and will be well executed.

Remember, no matter how many insane people call you to tell you to not allow The President of the United States into Roseville classrooms, there are many, many more people out there who support our President as well as your efforts in education.

Thank you very much,

Greg Laden
Patriotic American Citizen and Sane Parent