Jaye (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
jayes_musings) wrote2007-05-21 11:55 pm
jayes_musings) wrote2007-05-21 11:55 pm
One for the people are idiots file...
...and who spoil it for the rest of us.
For the past few years, at least as long as I've been in Germany (over 4 years now), the senior class has had their graduation at a town about 20 km from here in a medieval abbey. It is a gorgeous building with magnificent architecture. In a word, it makes graduating from the High School here a special thing....because, hey where in the States is a kid going to get such a memorable opportunity?
Well, a few weeks ago, I found out that this years graduation -- which is also #1 son's graduation -- will be held on base at the base gym. I assumed that this was because of security issues with a heightened security threat at the moment. Disappointing, but okay, I can accept that as a valid reason. What I can't accept, and really pisses me off, is what I found out just a little while ago.
Someone complained about having the graduation in this abbey because of separation of church and state issues! WTF!?!? I'm agnostic, and I don't have a problem with this because it's not about having the ceremony in a religious building, but in a historical. A once in a lifetime opportunity for these students, and something that they would remember. It is just a venue, with nothing religious taking place. Besides the Germans don't have the same restrictions on separation, and as we are in Germany, we should respect their standards (as we are told endlessly on AFN "commercials").
So, my son is screwed and he and the rest of his class will have a graduation in a 50-year old, run down gym. Just because someone decided to be offended. Now that's really special, ain't it?
What also pisses me off about this, is that this isn't the first time he's been screwed with school. Back in Virgina, he had to go to a middle school that was not the closest, but they needed students from the base to attend to make a more racially diverse student body. In 8th grade here in Germany, he was supposed to go on a week long trip to England, but it had to be cancelled due to security concerns as the Iraq War had just kicked off (understandable, but very disappointing)...and they did nothing to make up for it, and of course, the following year's 8th graders did take the trip. It's just not fair for him, and no wonder he's just totally disenfranchised with school. Nothing good happens.
ETA: A photo of where he should've been graduating from:
Abtei Prüm
For the past few years, at least as long as I've been in Germany (over 4 years now), the senior class has had their graduation at a town about 20 km from here in a medieval abbey. It is a gorgeous building with magnificent architecture. In a word, it makes graduating from the High School here a special thing....because, hey where in the States is a kid going to get such a memorable opportunity?
Well, a few weeks ago, I found out that this years graduation -- which is also #1 son's graduation -- will be held on base at the base gym. I assumed that this was because of security issues with a heightened security threat at the moment. Disappointing, but okay, I can accept that as a valid reason. What I can't accept, and really pisses me off, is what I found out just a little while ago.
Someone complained about having the graduation in this abbey because of separation of church and state issues! WTF!?!? I'm agnostic, and I don't have a problem with this because it's not about having the ceremony in a religious building, but in a historical. A once in a lifetime opportunity for these students, and something that they would remember. It is just a venue, with nothing religious taking place. Besides the Germans don't have the same restrictions on separation, and as we are in Germany, we should respect their standards (as we are told endlessly on AFN "commercials").
So, my son is screwed and he and the rest of his class will have a graduation in a 50-year old, run down gym. Just because someone decided to be offended. Now that's really special, ain't it?
What also pisses me off about this, is that this isn't the first time he's been screwed with school. Back in Virgina, he had to go to a middle school that was not the closest, but they needed students from the base to attend to make a more racially diverse student body. In 8th grade here in Germany, he was supposed to go on a week long trip to England, but it had to be cancelled due to security concerns as the Iraq War had just kicked off (understandable, but very disappointing)...and they did nothing to make up for it, and of course, the following year's 8th graders did take the trip. It's just not fair for him, and no wonder he's just totally disenfranchised with school. Nothing good happens.
ETA: A photo of where he should've been graduating from:
Abtei Prüm
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And thanks. *hugs*
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