Kelly,

 

I would encourage parents and students in the Grosse Pointes not to accept what are false narratives on gun control in these United States. 

 

Just what is being accomplished educationally by a school walk-out?  What critical thinking skills are being taught?  

 

Better to listen and learn from Nick Freitas who spoke to his colleagues on the issue of our second amendment. His speech should be the catalyst to learn, think, and  debate the issue. Walk-outs are feel-good sophomoric exercises that teach nothing.  For heaven’s sake, Grosse Pointe public school teachers, teach!  

 

I encourage everyone to listen to Mr. Freitas and re-examine why we have the second amendment and why self-serving politically borne assaults on our constitution betray the root cause of the crisis we face as a nation. 

 

Please pass this on to anyone who is willing to lean in and learn. 

 

https://youtu.be/KqqJKChKRzI

 

Gordon Willett

Sent from my iPhone

On Mar 6, 2018, at 4:40 PM, Kelly Boll <kbb48230@gmail.com> wrote:

Please be informed of the following:

 

 

 

From: Wayne 14th

Sent: Tuesday, March 06, 2018 1:04 PM

To: Dan Grano

Subject: Action needed! GP School Board pushing liberal politics on our Kids!

 

Friends I don't do this often, but I think it is very necessary right now.  The school administration in Grosse Pointe has decided to participate in the school walk-out at the high school and middle school level on March 14  during school hours. (Article on protest linked). If you did not know, the students in Parkland Florida are protesting gun violence and  are advocating liberal gun control positions. Our school administration has implicitly supported this political activity during instruction time by actively supporting this demonstration.  I, as I assume all of you do to, grieve for the Parkland victims. School board member Cindy Pangborn has suggested other ways not during the school session for our students and staff to show support for the victims in a non-political fashion. The school administration approved this without school board approval or oversight. Unfortunately, there is no way to make this not a political march. This is unacceptable. The schools would never support a conservative march. Nor would we ask them to support anything political with students involve during instruction time. It does not matter what your believe about gun control. It is wrong to do political marches on tax payer's time with their minor children! I only ask the schools to remain neutral and teach the students, not make them pawns in politics. Politics are a family and personal decisions and have no place in government run schools.  I ask you to email the school board officials so they can hear from us, the tax payers, that we do not want them forcing their political agenda on our kids! If you email schoolboard@gpschools.com all school board members, the superintendent, the duty superintendents, and community relations officer will be contacted. 

 

Below is the email the school superintendent sent out.

 

Truly,

 

Dan Grano

 

 

 

Dear GPPSS Families,

All of us continue to be touched and saddened by the recent tragic loss of 17 members of the school community in Parkland, Florida last month.  Schools should be a place where both students and adults have the opportunity to learn and grow in a violence free environment.

As you may know, there has been discussion of how the district would come together on March 14th, 2018 to recognize the tragedy in Parkland, Florida.  Thank you for your patience as we spent time last week working with staff and students across the district to discuss and collaborate on a #OneGP plan. We understand that many of our students and staff at the secondary level may wish to join their counterparts across the country in supporting peace and healing on March 14th.  Therefore, as a district, the focus at our schools will be:

High Schools

• Honoring victims
• Rallying against school violence
• Advocating for resources to ensure safe and secure buildings

Middle Schools

• Honoring victims
• Creating a positive message to send to Parkland

Elementary Schools

• No activities regarding this issue will be conducted

At this point the plan for both middle school and high school students is for students to be outside for 17 minutes on March 14th standing together in support of the causes listed above. At the high school level the gathering will be on the football field and will have a component of student voice.  At the middle school level the activities will be more adult directed. If a student does not wish to participate in these activities, they will be under no obligation to do so.  Supervision will be provided within the building for students that choose to remain inside.

 

Last year, the Board of Education voted unanimously to keep guns out of our schools and reaffirmed this decision during this past Monday's board meeting.

 

Sincerely,

Dr. Gary C. Niehaus

 

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