Principal Sorry for 'School Prayer' Poem (Conservative Anti-Liberal Prayer

[Khephra]

ATHENS, Ga. -- A high school principal apologized Monday for reading a poem called "The New School Prayer" over the school's intercom, which brought complaints from some parents who said it violated the principle of separation of church and state.

Tommy Craft said he wanted not to promote religion but to provoke thought and discussion among students about the changing political climate in school when he read the poem the Tuesday before the Thanksgiving break.

Snip..................

The poem, which has circulated on the Internet since at least 1992, is written in the rhyming style of the children's prayer that begins "Now I lay me down to sleep." It refers to prayer not being allowed in school, although students can "dress like freaks, and pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks" or "elect a pregnant Senior Queen."

The poem mentions the ability to get condoms and birth control, as well as study "witchcraft, vampires and totem poles."

"But the Ten Commandments are not allowed, no word of God must reach this crowd," the poem says.

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-school-prayer-poem,0,260398.story?coll=sns-ap-nation-headlines

I call BULLSHIT on his attempt at saying he's sorry. He knew damn well what the "poem" was about.

Oh, and by the way, if it's written in imitation of a prayer then it's a freeping PRAYER, not a "poem".

[demnan]

1. They will be trying all manner of bullshit now

that they think they have free reign.

[Flammable Materials]

2. Dang ol' totem poles, man.

[LifeDuringWartime]

22. HAHA

yeup

[bunkerbuster1]

27. mm-hmm

[yorkiemommie1]

3. selfrighteous and meanspirited is what this thing is

he's only sorry he got caught w/ this rightwing screed. just the sort of thing bush/ashcroft/frist/santorum et al would applaud.

[Rose Siding]

4. More willful, media engorged ignorance

He's pushing this "changing political climate in school" as though he and his narrow minded pals are somehow gaining strength but it's a lie. In fact, they had just over half the impact of the faux (value) voters of just 8 yrs back.

It took a British publication, The Economist, to point out that the percentage of American voters citing moral and ethical values as their prime concern is actually down from 2000 (35 percent) and 1996 (40 percent).

In 1996, when 40 percent of Americans based their votes on "moral values," they re-elected Bill Clinton. Now that the number of Americans who base their votes on "moral values" has been cut almost in half, they selected George Bush. And this gives the Racist Radical Clerics the ability to force their "religion" down everyone's throats?

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/28/arts/28rich.html?oref=login&oref=login

[Toucano]

21. Thank you! n/t

[Pacifist Patriot]

59. Excellent

Has anyone ever quantified and qualified exactly what "moral values" means? Does it have a recognizable definition or is it just a vague description that some people are willing to apply to their decision making process? If asked the question in a survey I'd probably say no that my decision making was based on the issues, but upon reflection don't we all evaluate the issues with respect to our personal values and principles? What is a "moral value" for me may be opposite for someone else but if we both cite that as our decision making standard we appear to be in the same camp do we not?

[Rose Siding]

61. This year, it was specific

It was code for anti-choice, anti-gay, extending all the way to "we are superior". It's a step on the path to accepting the next ugly "meme": American Exceptionalism.

[Khephra]

5. Let me also add

Why in the hell are they trying to call it a "poem" in the first place? It's called "The New School Prayer" not "The New School Poem". You'd think the word "Prayer" would clue people in, but NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Fuckers. I'm sick of them all.

[UpInArms]

6. this thing is a school principal?

:puke:

Lack of intelligence - check
Bigotry - check
Paid by public dollars - check

:puke:

Hopefully the parents in that district will begin calling for his ouster immediately.

[mac56]

7. I live two blocks from this high school.

Anyone who thinks Christianity is somehow "outlawed" or "forbidden" at Cedar Shoals HS is seriously deluded.

Take a look at the discussion in the Georgia state forum.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=146&topic_id=1343

[bunkerbuster1]

28. We gotta freep that AJC poll. Cmon DUers!

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/1104/30verse.html

Vote, won't we?

[instantkarma]

8. The 23rd Sigh (author unknown)

Bush is my shepherd, I dwell in want.
He maketh logs to be cut down in national forests.
He leadeth trucks into the still wilderness.
He restoreth my fears.
He leadeth me in the path of international disgrace for his ego's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of pollution and war,
I will find no exit, for thou art in office.
Thy tax cuts for the rich and thy media control, they discomfort me.
Thou preparest an agenda of deception in the prescence of thy religion.
Thou anointest my head with foreign oil.
My health insurance runneth out.
Surely megalomania and false patriotism shall follow me all the days of thy term.
And my jobless son shall dwell in my basement forever.

[gauguin57]

18. Cool psalm, instantkarma

I'd laugh if I weren't sobbing!

[arwalden]

9. More Rightwing Christian Bullshit. -- His "Apology" Is Insincere...

... and I don't believe it for one second.

[mark0rama]

10. I would accept his apology...

...were it delivered in the form of a resignation.

[Supersedeas]

26. Authenticity is not part of the Right-wing agenda...apologies are just

means of deflecting direct criticism so that the 'message' generates further momentum.

The Prayer and the Apology were both calculated....."to generate discussion," in his own words.

[MaineDem]

11. It's way too easy to say "sorry"

I don't buy his apology...no way!

I'm really getting fed up with all this. How much more can we take???

I'm really pissed.

[KittyWampus]

12. Totem Poles?

[thecrow]

15. "they" consider native America's religion void as well n/t

[havocmom]

13. One more example of why we need liberals to run for school boards

This crap would be stopped if wingers did not have a strangle hold on so many school boards and allow it to go on. If a liberal principal were to use position and the school intercom as a bully pulpit from which to launch a socio-political attack on right wing fundamentalists, how long do you suppose it would be before you heard of them being fired?

People, I know your time is precious and crowded, but consider attending school board meetings regularly. We need to swing the political climate to a more American reality. Believe it or not, school boards are VERY important in that effort. They set the tone for what is allowed/promoted in the schools. If school boards are more interested in a particular political/religious agenda than they are in offering the best education they can to the kids, we lose a generation of young people to the propaganda pushers.

Wanna know why it is so easy to delude so many? They are taught to conform rather than to think. They are taught to fear rather than explore and imagine. They are rewarded for following the party group think and shunned/denigrated/punished for marching to their own drummer.

And now they want to do 'mental health screenings' of all youngsters! Look for drugged bots with vacant eyes where your town's children used to be. Whether you have school aged kids or not, the political agenda of your local school board affects much about your world. If you can, go keep an eye on these people. It is a great exercise in democracy.

This is about so much more than one principal crossing the line of acceptable behavior. It is about the fact that the principal has authority in a climate which has perverted the lines of acceptable behavior. Better the kids should see a documentary about the Hitler Youth and how they came about. Might not be a bad thing for parents/teachers/administrators and school board members to view too.

[yorkiemommie1]

31. yes school boards have a great deal of power

they recently kicked planned parenthood out of our schools. and i am in a blue county in CA. we have several real fundies on the board and they are aggressive.

[Sparkman]

14. Conservatism, having resurged after the Puritans, seems fragile

That School principal is part of the fearful cult of ultra conservatives. Their were many setbacks for freedom loving people in the U.S., like during the Puritans, the McCarthy era, and the Reagan wars, moneyied Americans will always exert influence on our culture in our churchs and schools. Focusing on the 700+ U.S. military bases around the world and what they are doing, and what the press says is a good start at exposing them, outside the U.S. boundaries, a vulnerable pressure point.

[elehhhhna]

16. I'll forgive him if he reads my poem on the intercom:

MY Jesus


MY Jesus was a blonde man,
With dreamy, big
Blue eyes.

He must have really
Stood out from the
Other Arab guys!

etc.

[A Simple Game]

36. It always seems that when I mention Jesus being dark skinned

the conversation changes from religion to something else.

[elehhhhna]

40. try it in Texas. they look atcha like you're eatin a bug.

[gauguin57]

17. HEY! I grew up with a totem pole in my backyard. It was the coolest.

Kiss my totem pole, a-hole!

The Freepers won't be happy until they've turned the entire public school system into a bunch of fucking Fundie madrasas!

[Toucano]

19. Tommy Craft lacks the judgement

to be in charge of children.

He should be fired for this insanity.

[gauguin57]

20. Athens, GA?

I hope R.E.M. and the B-52s go over to this guy's house and blast "What's the Frequency, Kenneth?" and "Rock Lobster" until his Fundie mind turns to mush.

[mitchum]

45. Incredible, isn't it?

When I heard him delivering this swill over the PA, I could only assume that he was ignorant of our town's progressive culture. Athens, GA is an oasis in the middle of deep red.

[Pacifist Patriot]

60. My parents live in the UGA area.

The student body has become increasingly conservative over the last decade. A democratic candidate for state senate was counting on the Athens populace to take her district and she got beat because of the liberal decline there.

[Hosnon]

62. That's because of the Frat Boys coming more and more to UGA.

Hopefully the school will continue to get more selective and daddy can't get these guys in.

[mitchum]

65. Unfortunately, that's true

[wxhoosier]

23. Look at this man's background

The following is from an OnlineAthens (Athens Banner Herald) article (subscription required):

http://onlineathens.com/stories/080904/new_20040809018.shtml

Craft came to Clarke County from a principal position at south Georgia's Valdosta High School. He's been in education since 1985 - with the exception of 1994-95, when he was minister of music at Waycross First Methodist Church. He has worked in Northeast Georgia, including the assistant principal positions at Apalachee High School in Barrow County and at the Garden Street Center in Jackson County, a cooperative educational effort of five area school systems.



I was prompted to post since I live near this school and my son will attend here in four years. I've generally been very happy with Clarke County schools. Please don't confuse Clarke County with the surrounding counties and the rest of the state. There are some responsible people on the school board.

[BiggJawn]

29. "Minister of Music"?

Ohhhhhhh.......Fee, Fie, Fo, FRIST....I smell the STENCH of a DOMINIONIST!

The HS principal who told me to get "your pastor" to counsel my daughter because she dressed Goth left the system and got a gig running a Baptist school over in the next county....

The fuckers are EVERYWHERE!

[Khephra]

49. Welcome to DU, wxhoosier!

Another Hoosier? Indianapolis here.

:hi:

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

24. That principal is an ass.

I read the rest of the article with a lot of quotes from the poem. What an idiotic fucking thing to do.

He must belong to this Christian Victims Cult. They all make out like they are victimized to death and their rights have been stripped from them when really what they want to do is strip other people of their rights.

PEOPLE ARE ALLOWED TO PRAY IN SCHOOL. It is NOT illegal.

Try telling that to a member of the Christian Victim Cult. They will swear up and down kids aren't allowed to. That's WRONG, they are.

But a principal (acting as an agent of the state) cannot read overtly religious tomes over the intercom. That IS violating separation of church and state.

Watch for the Christian Victims/Fundies/Christian Taliban to jump all over this and scream "Help! We're being oppressed! We're being oppressed!"

[Behind the Aegis]

42. You are SO right!

This will turn into "we're (Xians) the victims! They are trying to extinguish Christianity!" What a bunch of drama queens! They want to know REAL persecution...let them try being gay!

[Bridget Burke]

47. "Christianity Under Attack" is the meme.

Of course, the Christian Reconstructionists would object to spawning something so foreign-sounding as a "meme." But I've seen Letters to the editors on the topic. Here's a link from the very belly of the beast: www.chalcedon.edu/underwriters.php

If you’re intellectually sensitive to the presuppositions underlying current events, you’ve already seen the explicit agenda of humanists to silence the Christian voice in America.

No doubt you are greatly disturbed by the efforts of secularists, pluralists, and false religious groups to remove the Judeo-Christian God “from every post and pillar.”

There's more. Lots more. These guys are very influential, even though most we would consider Fundamentalist and/or Evangelical are not nearly as extreme. They need to know more about their "allies."

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

55. Turn into?

They already play the victim card to the HILT. You should hear some of the people I've talked to. You'd think, according to how they talk, that being Christian puts you in danger of being burned at the stake in this country.

And the IRONY is there are SO MANY Christians in this country.

I always tell them, "Look, I'm a Christian, too, but I'm no victim. I'm in the MAJORITY. No one is trying to take away my rights vis a vis my religious beliefs. So go spout your 'Oh woe is me, they're oppressing me, they're oppressing me!' bullshit line somewhere else, because THIS Christian ain't buyin' what you're sellin'."

That always pisses them off. Except the hard-core ones who then ask my why I don't proselytize to total strangers.

GAD.

[anotherginger]

25. IF you want to help....

I am the parent in the article... I have a long list of email adresses and phone numbers I can send to anyone interested in taking up the cause....

This is just the tip of the iceberg at this school, and in Georgia schools in general.

[Khephra]

41. Please post them in this thread!

I'm sorry that you have to deal with this. You have my upmost sympathy.

[Ishoutandscream]

30. Their arrogance is growing.

They feel like they have a "mandate" to spout whatever they want after the election. Hubris will bring them down.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

32. "dress like freaks, and pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks"

Who are they to say God doesn't like that?

Is there a commandment that says, "Thou shalt not pierce"?

[yellowcanine]

34. "The piercing of the nose is an abomination." - Radical Cleric Falwell.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

39. Beware the false prophets...

Foulwell is one, to be sure!

[enki23]

33. The New, New School Prayer

Now I sit me down in school
Where praising jesus is the rule
The ten commandments they uphold
Or so they say, or so I'm told

They say my soul will go to hell
If I don't pray along as well
I am just fifteen years old
And I'm a Jew, or so I'm told

Saturday's my sabbath day
We go to temple then, to pray
But I need jesus to save my soul
Or burn forever, so I'm told

Will my mother also burn?
Can I, to jesus, make her turn?
That's what happened to Jews of old
Who had no faith, or so I'm told

I only have a single mother
My father ran off with another
No golden rings, her fingers hold
So she's a whore, or so I'm told

And I'm a whore too, in this school
I pierced my nose, just to be cool
But god doesn't want girls to be bold
I'm a freak, or so I'm told

"I'm a witch" my girlfriend says
Tattoos, black, and dyed-green dreds
This morning they prayed to save her soul
She'll burn forever, or so I'm told

My teachers and my classmates pray
Their prayers to jesus every day
They make me feel so very odd
If I don't pray to their god

I have to go to public school
I can't afford to break the rules
I wish they'd just leave me alone
Stop asking for me to atone

We're only here seven hours a day
That leaves a lot of time to pray
Or pray in school, for all I care
Just don't lead us all in prayer

I don't want to be coerced
To memorize your favorite verse
Or to feel left out each day
When our teacher asks us all to pray

It's not their job to convince me
To turn to christianity
But now, if jesus leaves me cold
I don't belong, or so I'm told

[GOPBasher]

37. Hey that's an awesome comeback! Did you make that up?

Where did you find that, or did you make it up? We should definitely circulate that around the internet.

[enki23]

43. i threw it together quick. just another form of procrastination.

distribute at will. all rights reversed.

[Judi Lynn]

58. It's really good, enki23. I'd love to make a print-out of it

and stuff it into Principle Tommy Craft's mouth: "just a pinch between his teeth and gums."

I doubt the poor thing would understand it. He's just not that bright.

Mostly everyone else WOULD.

[Sterling]

35. He needs to be fired.

No question about it this was a violation of the civil rights of his students.

[George_S]

38. If he voted for Bush...

... then it's very possible he didn't know what the poem was about, and doesn't know what anything else is about either.

[mitchum]

44. I work at Cedar Shoals and was flabbergasted when I heard it over the...

PA on Tuesday. I had suspected that Craft had religionut tendencies (can't really go into detail here), but had considered him a capable administrator until I heard him reading this swill. How does one "provoke thought and discussion" by delivering a propagandistic monologue?
Needless to say, work was very interesting today.

[anotherginger]

46. wanna help us?

If you like, you can join our efforts... you can be anonymous, of course.... the reporter wants to talk to teachers and said you can do so without your name being used.

I have some information about things he has said and done prior to this, but I need to do a little more research first.

We need all the help we can get! When I get on my own laptop, I will post email address for people to "whine" :-)

[mitchum]

51. I can not send you a PM yet, and I would like to preserve my anonymity..

on this message board. I can tell you here, though, that much of the staff is troubled by Craft's action.

[anotherginger]

53. I don't blame you....

but let me know if there is anything I can do to help.

[mitchum]

54. I want to thank you...

because I was feeling guilty because I went out of town on Wednesday without doing anything about this. Despite Craft's claim of teacher support, I have only heard one staff member attempt to defend his indefensible actions.

[anotherginger]

48. Calls of support?? EMAIL ADDRESSES and PHONE NUMBERS

I have been told that the school is getting *many* calls of support!! from as far away as Utah!!! We have got to get the word out.... they are making him into a martyr.

Cedar Shoals High School 706-546-5375

Principal and Asst Principals CSHS
Tommy Craft [email protected]
Linda Dunn [email protected]
Hill [email protected]
Morgan [email protected]
Charlten Torbett [email protected]

Superintendant Dr Lewis Holloway 706-546-7721 x 18231

Board of Education
Dr Mewborn [email protected]
Rev. David Nunnally [email protected]
Mrs. Svea Bogue [email protected]
Dr. Jackie Saindon [email protected]
Mr. Chester Sosebee [email protected]
Sidney Waters [email protected]

Kathy Cox
Georgia State Superintendent
Tel [phone]
[email protected]

[Khephra]

50. Thanks! I'll be sure to call tomorrow!

Good luck with this!

[anotherginger]

52. more school activity

There was a performance at Cedar Shoals High School from the "Steel City Impact" drama troop. Take a look at their website: http://steelcitymc.com/.

From their website: " Our mission at Steel City
Master’s Commission is to equip students with
knowledge of God’s Word, personal discipline,
confidence in themselves, and excellence so they can
live out their God-given destiny. These individuals
will undoubtedly leave a lasting legacy for Christ
upon their generation."

The troop performed for the school on Friday, November
12, 2004.

[Khephra]

56. "God-given destiny"?

Ummmmm, whatever happened to freewill? That's the greatest gift a God could give his/her/its creations. I thought that was one of the big selling points of Christianity?


Man, I hate it when people can't even get their own religion right.

[anotherginger]

57. Athens surprising editorial

'Prayer' a worrisome distraction from work of educating students
Editorial

Tommy Craft, principal of Cedar Shoals High School, issued an apology to students Monday for reading a "prayer" to them last week over the school intercom. That he read the prayer - actually a poem titled "The New School Prayer," is worrisome for a number of reasons.

more at:

http://onlineathens.com/stories/120104/opi_20041201030.shtml

[Hosnon]

63. Not surprising really...Athens is a great liberal town. I love Georgia

but if you must move there and don't want to - go to Athens.

[mitchum]

64. But it IS surprising since the paper is a right wing shilling...

organ owned by Morris Communications. The Banner Herald rarely reflects the progressive culture of Athens

[anotherginger]

68. The paper endorsed Bush!

[anotherginger]

66. New School Prayer Story Bodes Well

New School Prayer Story Bodes Well
November 30, 2004

Listen to Rush Conduct the Broadcast Excellence Transcribed Below...(audio)

BEGIN TRANSCRIPT

RUSH: A small question of values. It just keeps effervescing. It just keeps showing up in places. These are all good signs, ladies and gentlemen, despite this might appear to be a temporary setback. This is actually a good sign. This is about the high school principal who apologized yesterday for reading a poem called The New School Prayer over the skrool's intercom "brought complaints from some parents who said it violated the principle of separation of church and state." The principal's name is Tommy Kraft, and again, he said he "didn't want to promote religion, but, rather, provoke thought and discussion among students about the changing political climate in when he read the poem the Tuesday before the Thanksgiving break.

http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_113004/content/institute.guest.html

[anotherginger]

67. I'm not a freeper!!!!

I should have said.... I am the 'Ginger' he is talking about!!!

[Khephra]

71. If anyone says your a freeper just point out this thread

or send an alert on them. People should know the rules here and accusing others of being a freeper is completely against those rules.

Good luck in your fight!

[Guarionex]

69. He ain't sorry

He's lying through his teeth...he just got caught with his pants down...he knew what he was doing...it was a political statement.

Damn Christian fundamentalists...they'll get their due...in this life or the next.

[anotherginger]

70. Numbers and Addresses - Contact these people!

and make your opinions known!

Cedar Shoals High School 706-546-5375

Principal and Asst Principals CSHS
Tommy Craft [email protected]
Linda Dunn [email protected]
Hill [email protected]
Morgan [email protected]
Charlten Torbett [email protected]

Superintendant Dr Lewis Holloway 706-546-7721 x 18231

Board of Education
Dr Mewborn [email protected]
Rev. David Nunnally [email protected]
Mrs. Svea Bogue [email protected]
Dr. Jackie Saindon [email protected]
Mr. Chester Sosebee [email protected]
Sidney Waters [email protected]

Kathy Cox
Georgia State Superintendent
Tel [phone]
[email protected]

[Supersedeas]

73. good work Ginger...time for some cathartic emailing

[yorkiemommie1]

72. i sent this to my freeper husband

so see his reaction and he bit, like he always does. said he had heard it on the radio but refused to tell me what station . i KNOW it was hateradio. well, anyway, this man who refuses to even go NEAR a church semi-agreed w/ the 'prayer' simply because of who was promoting it. i told him it was bs and sent him the snopes.com link.
freepers are so easily fooled.

good luck to you, ginger!