Letters policy

The News Courier encourages letters to the editor. Submissions should be no more than 400 words and should include a name, address and telephone number for verification. Submissions that do not meet requirements are subject to editing. Send letters by noon on Thursdays to P.O. Box 670, Athens, Ala., 35613, or e-mail to kelly@athensnews-courier.com.



Not a ‘racist’

Dear Editor:

I was very disappointed to read Mr. Benard Simelton’s column in last Sunday’s News Courier.

He made some disturbing statements and insinuations that I feel deserve a response. Just for the record, I have never even met Mr. Simelton.

He was appalled that some parents would withhold their children from President Obama’s school address. With a blanket indictment, he accused all who would do so as racists.

Mr. Simelton, unless you are omniscient (and you are not), you do not know that was the motivation for such parental action. You have no right to condemn any parents (regardless of their skin color) for making such a decision. He said such was a “direct attack on our 44th President.”

That is a charge I consider false, unsubstantiated, and worthy of a written apology to Athens parents. I was uncomfortable with the subtle references the president initially planned to make in his speech. Therefore, I chose to have my children excused, not because my skin color differs from President Obama’s, but because I am opposed to his political agenda and where he wants to take this country. That is my right as my children’s primary provider and teacher.

Does racism still exist?

One would have to be the proverbial ostrich with his head in the sand to claim it does not. However, just because some act in opposition to the interests of others does not automatically make them “racists.”

Mr. Simelton claims President Obama is a “role model.” He’s my president too, Mr. Simelton. But I don’t view politicians as “role models,” regardless of which side of the political aisle they are on.

What made Mr. Simelton’s column most disturbing to me is that he appears guilty of the very thing he condemns. Isn’t it also “racism” to condemn others with “racial motives” when they act contrary to what you believe when you don’t fully know the reason why? Unless I missed it, I don’t believe there were demonstrations in Athens with parents objecting to the president addressing school children because of his skin color.

Mr. Simelton has the right to support President Obama all he wants. What he is not allowed to do is to assign racial motives to those who make decisions for themselves and their families that are different than his. “Racism” is a knife that cuts both ways.

Sincerely,

Jeff Smith

Athens



Parents’ request not met

Dear Editor:

As a parent of a fourth grader, my husband and I did not agree with President Obama's speech. We were told in a recorded message from the Limestone County Board of Education, that if we, as parents, did not want our child to watch the speech, we could send a note to her teacher and alternate arrangements would be made. Well, that's what I did. On Tuesday morning, I sent a note to my daughter's teacher requesting alternate arrangements. I was under the assumption that my daughter would be sent to another classroom, where she could continue her schoolwork.

Boy, was I wrong. My daughter came home from school on Tuesday, and informed me that her class was in the library during Mr. Obama's speech, and the librarian asked how many kids' had brought notes from their parents. When my daughter and other children raised their hands, they were told they had "3" options: either watch the speech, sit in the floor with their back to the TV (even though they could still hear the TV) or go sit in the hallway. My child and two others chose to go sit in the hallway for the duration of the speech.

This is wrong on so many levels.

1. Her teacher should have been the one to determine whether the class saw the speech or not, not the librarian.

2. Any criminal or child molester could have walked in off the street, and there would have been my daughter and two other girls sitting in the hallway with no supervision. I always thought being made to sit in the hall, was a form of discipline or punishment. If I had known this was the type of alternate arrangements that were being made, I would have let my daughter stay home from school. I am very angry, and feel that by being made to sit in the hall, that she was being punished because her dad and I did not want her to see the speech.

If she is made to sit in the hall because we chose not to let her watch a speech, oh my goodness, what would happen if she actually got in trouble at school?

Sincerely,

Christy Brewer

Athens