There goes the neighborhood
Dec. 4th, 2009 04:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mysidI just found out that "Westboro Baptist Church", the anti-gay, anti-Semitic, anti-everything family from Kansas that pretends to be church is coming to my town. Ugh. Why our town? I have to guess it's because a large percentage of our population is Jewish.
We received this letter from the superintendent of schools:
Dear Parents, Students, Staff, and Community Members:
On Monday, December 7, from 7:30 – 8:00 am, representatives of the Westboro Baptist Church (WBC), an anti-Semitic, anti-gay extremist group from Topeka, Kansas, will be picketing in the vicinity of Cherry Hill East. We expect that a small group of picketers will stand on public property for approximately 30 minutes displaying disturbing signs in an effort to provoke a response. While they have a constitutional right to picket on public property, they cannot stand on school property nor can they interfere with the school's operation.
Safeguarding our students and staff is our highest priority. Be assured that we have had discussions with appropriate law enforcement agencies and with organizations that have had experience with this group. Our district security staff and various law enforcement officials are coordinating preparations for Monday morning.
Needless to say, Cherry Hill East and the Cherry Hill School District reject the hateful message and actions of the WBC.
Although students, staff, and parents also have the right to free speech, we urge you to resist any engagement with these demonstrators. The primary goal of the WBC appears to be garnering publicity for the group and its anti-Semitic, anti-gay rhetoric. The group has begun targeting high schools specifically because they are more likely to provoke a response from young people. The most effective message we can send is to ignore the picketers and go about our day.
During the school day on Friday, the East administrative team will be reinforcing to students the message of this letter. On Monday, as every day, Cherry Hill East will be a safe and secure environment for learning.
Sincerely
David Campbell
Superintendent
Cherry Hill Public Schools
John O'Breza
Principal
Cherry Hill High School East
I get what he's saying about not engaging them because it will play right into their publicity seeking hands, but I also feel like I can't let them come to my town without expressing how deeply I despise everything they stand for. Maybe just a nice silent protest directly across the street, complete with an anti-WBC slogan* on a poster and a rainbow on my sweatshirt.
Anyone want to join me? (My husband will freak if I do this.)
*(I'm thinking: "God=Love, WBC=Hate, WBC Preaches Against God." Of course, that's hypocritical of me since I don't believe there is a God.)
We received this letter from the superintendent of schools:
Dear Parents, Students, Staff, and Community Members:
On Monday, December 7, from 7:30 – 8:00 am, representatives of the Westboro Baptist Church (WBC), an anti-Semitic, anti-gay extremist group from Topeka, Kansas, will be picketing in the vicinity of Cherry Hill East. We expect that a small group of picketers will stand on public property for approximately 30 minutes displaying disturbing signs in an effort to provoke a response. While they have a constitutional right to picket on public property, they cannot stand on school property nor can they interfere with the school's operation.
Safeguarding our students and staff is our highest priority. Be assured that we have had discussions with appropriate law enforcement agencies and with organizations that have had experience with this group. Our district security staff and various law enforcement officials are coordinating preparations for Monday morning.
Needless to say, Cherry Hill East and the Cherry Hill School District reject the hateful message and actions of the WBC.
Although students, staff, and parents also have the right to free speech, we urge you to resist any engagement with these demonstrators. The primary goal of the WBC appears to be garnering publicity for the group and its anti-Semitic, anti-gay rhetoric. The group has begun targeting high schools specifically because they are more likely to provoke a response from young people. The most effective message we can send is to ignore the picketers and go about our day.
During the school day on Friday, the East administrative team will be reinforcing to students the message of this letter. On Monday, as every day, Cherry Hill East will be a safe and secure environment for learning.
Sincerely
David Campbell
Superintendent
Cherry Hill Public Schools
John O'Breza
Principal
Cherry Hill High School East
I get what he's saying about not engaging them because it will play right into their publicity seeking hands, but I also feel like I can't let them come to my town without expressing how deeply I despise everything they stand for. Maybe just a nice silent protest directly across the street, complete with an anti-WBC slogan* on a poster and a rainbow on my sweatshirt.
Anyone want to join me? (My husband will freak if I do this.)
*(I'm thinking: "God=Love, WBC=Hate, WBC Preaches Against God." Of course, that's hypocritical of me since I don't believe there is a God.)