Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Welcome to fourth grade logic

Dear Fourth Grade Teacher,

The Senator has explained to me that you feel he used the word “gay” inappropriately today because it was used in this context: “High School Musical is gay.”

Allow me to share with you some definitions of the word "gay" from Dictionary.com.:
1. having or showing a merry, lively mood: gay spirits; gay music.
2. bright or showy: gay colors; gay ornaments.
3. given to or abounding in social or other pleasures: a gay social season.

Which of these, pray, is an inappropriate description for musical theatre?

I certainly understand that there are other, less appropriate, uses for the word “gay” including the one that The Senator most likely intended to use: slang very common amongst late elementary, middle, high-school students and beyond for “I don’t like that ”. However, I believe your response is a bit extreme. Since he is in fourth grade, I am quite certain the concept of homosexuality – the inappropriate usage which prompted you to request my discussion with him, could not be further from his mind. Rest assured our home is not one in which any type of intolerance or hate is acceptable. .

If The Senator's account of the incident is incorrect and his usage was, in fact, inappropriate please tell us and we will address the issue further.

Best,
Yours Truly

P.S. Be proud of me. I resisted the urge to say that I'd watched HSM and agreed that it is, in fact, gay.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Can I assume this blog is addressed to the Khan's 4th grade teacher? If not, then I'm confused. Ahh -- Rich tells me the school principal sent him home with a note. Gah.

I know that schools have instituted a preposterous "zero tolerance" standard which leads to idiotic situations like a six-year-old being expelled for kissing a girl 'against her will.' So now the school has traumatized some poor boy (and probably the girl) for life for something utterly innocent in original intention.

You've participated in the threads in TL. You know how stupid the education mills have gotten.

I'm curious to know if the p.s. is being said to the original addressee, or just to us faithful few. I'm kinda hoping you said it to the whoever. It would be so much funnier that way... :)

Lisa said...

Alas, however, I am not quite that brave. The P.S. is only for the blog readers - because you're special.

Tal said...

Sheesh. We need to realign the stars for you Lisa!

Poor Khan. There's no doubt he meant it negatively, but there's also no doubt that he didn't mean it the way that an adult would mean it. Gimme a break principal!

Good for you for having the senseof humour to see beyond balck and white. Have you seen Love, Actually? There's an outtake that covers something very similar to this..

janiece said...

I am so sick of the zero tolerance issues at schools. No wonder so many kids are confused. Lisa you have a way with words. I think your answer is perfect and throwing the dictionary definition to the teacher is perfect.