Comments on: McGee made the New York Times

By: Paula

Paula — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 00:02:48 +0000

Is Texas ranked 47th or 50th in education? Why is this? A Frisco parent signs a permission slip for her son/daughter to go on a field trip to an art museum , but later complains about nude statues? Is that parent so culturally challenged that he/she does not know that there are naked statues in an art museum? Why did this parent sign a permission slip? What does that show about SOME of the people’s mind set in Frisco? This would never happen in Highland Park.

By: Paul

Paul — Tue, 10 Oct 2006 13:17:57 +0000

Hi I’m from Holland (too).
I can’t believe things like these are happening in your country. Everybody is nude sometimes, right? We were born without clothes! People who are afraid of nudity are still living in the dark middleages, afraid that God will punish them for some reason. For what? For watching an image of God’s own (beautiful)creations??
Come on people, this is not Afghanistan?!

By: Pedro Allessandro

Pedro Allessandro — Tue, 10 Oct 2006 11:12:47 +0000

Just read it on the news, A thirteen year old boy in Joplin in the state of Missouri takes a AK47 to school but only shoots in the ceiling (thank God)

What the Hell are we debating about when this can happen in a wonderfull country called The US of A.

Can anybody explain to me (i’m not from the USA) how grown up’s/adaults can let this happen?? You are all responsible for the children that die on schools because of this.

Yes, keep on blaming us for the XTC , but at least our children don’t go to school killing eachother.

Is this what you’re administration means by “the right to carry a gun” Can it get more stupid?

Let me answer that…..Yes it can, just wait and see.

A sad world citizen,
Pedro Allessandro
Amsterdam
Holland (The Netherlands)
Europe

By: Pedro Allessandro

Pedro Allessandro — Tue, 10 Oct 2006 10:05:32 +0000

E-Dogg

I salute you! I applaud you! That’s in fact what this is all about. The smaller the problem, the bigger the common protest. But when it is about something important (War, Environment f.e.) nobody is at home, we let them lead our lives (till death do us part) Just read that the US of A has the biggest percentage of poor people, from the modern countries. How much is The War On Terror costing you over there?? A war that was started because George W wanted it to start, not because it was necessary. He is like a dictator, he really is, to bad nobody inside America can see that. Why this is relevant? Because, if the US of A continues on this road we will never have to worry about anything anymore. The world as we know it, stops to excists

A worrisome world citizen,
Pedro Allessandro
Amsterdam
Holland (The Netherlands)
Europe

By: Parent Chaperone

Parent Chaperone — Sun, 08 Oct 2006 20:04:01 +0000

To the near Frisco parent,
I am far from a coward. I have several children in the district. I moved here specifically after researching the various districts in the area. I have a special needs child that allows me to work closely with the district, administrators and teachers in a collaborative ARD process. It is Ms. McGee that owes everyone the apology. This school has been undergoing process change over the last three years and has year over year improved its rating, its curriculum and frankly its focus on excellence. I have seen first-hand the changes and applaud Nancy Lawson for driving this change. You are welcome to home school, but unless you have first-hand experience like I do – don’t call my statements bull crap as your lack of courtesy to my facts makes Me think much less of you. You are being led by a savvy media blitz and are far from the truth.

By: ME

ME — Sun, 08 Oct 2006 03:23:23 +0000

They are not cowards, just standing up for making the schools in Texas a better place to learn. Please read the previous comment by a parent who has had children at the school for years and even chaperoned the field trip that Ms McGee has used in the media. She was not blindsided with her release. And she is still being paid until the end of the school year, I don’t think being “fired” would allow for that. Ms McGee owes EVERYONE an apology for taking things out of context and trying to make something out of nothing. She wasn’t fired the day aft the field trip, because at that time, the principal just asked her to meet some standard expectations asked of any/all of hte staff at the school. Just check out the record of Ms McGee from her previous district McKinney ISD. The principal under whom she was released, was not the one to hire her, she was trying to make a better teacher out of what she had.

By: Near Frisco Parent

Near Frisco Parent — Sun, 08 Oct 2006 03:07:55 +0000

I am from Texas and am saddened to see this happen. It DOES make us look like back-woods hicks – and perception counts!

I do not buy for one microsecond that this is about an exemplary teacher of 28 years all of a sudden doing something bad enough to get fired (not renewing a contract is a FIRING) in relation to one chaotic trip the DMA. Get real! I didn’t just fall off the turnip truck yesterday.

The problems with the public school system are FAR REACHING. We will all be much better off if we home schooled our kids and didn’t send them to brainless idiots like the ones at the Frisco ISD.

STOP trying to make it into some other administrative thing when it’s all about the nude statue – at least that’s what started it. Leaving pages and pages of bull crap about it being something else only makes me think MUCH LESS of you for trying to pull bullcrap over my eyes. It doesn’t help anything.

Do the right thing and apologize to the teacher – let her teach – put her web site links back up – and put good teachers back into the classroom. Do anything less and you are cowards!

By: sad teacher

sad teacher — Sun, 08 Oct 2006 01:15:48 +0000

What does she want?? What does she want?? What does she want?? What does she want??

By: Jim H.

Jim H. — Sun, 08 Oct 2006 01:10:04 +0000

I’m writing in response to previous commentary on the state of art in their community. I feel I must say this because in all the defending of the local arts, no mention is given to where the local artists may have learned about their craft. (yes, I said “may” because we’re not going to get any facts out of these people.) Possibly from an art teacher who, by at least one account, has been teaching in the community for the better part of 30 years? Where did these local artists encounter something that inspired them into a pursuit of the arts? A local museum, perhaps? We’ll never know for sure.
Who amongst us has ever been on a school field trip without first having a permission slip signed by a parent? If the parent signed that slip without knowing what kind of art is on display at the DMA, then any responsibility for their child being offended is their own. By the way, has the child been institutionalized because of this traumatic experience? No?? It’s possible that they may have grown from this experience, good or bad. (That’s how life works.)
If the parental complaint is not the issue at hand in the teacher’s dismissal, then why did it come up in the conversation at all? I agree that she may have used the state of local politics as a springboard to launch her story into the limelight. I also agree that we haven’t, and probably never will hear the full story here… from either side. If the state of local politics were not as they are, or are perceived to be, they wouldn’t have been available as a springboard. The real problem is that Texas and politics (generally speaking) currently have an unfavorable relationship with each other… or perceivably so.
I’ll quote some lyrics that have always rung true. (kudos to anyone who recognizes them…)
-You can’t change the world, but you can change the facts,
-and when you change the facts, you change points of view,
-when you change points of view, you may change a vote,
-and when you change a vote, you may change the world.
The song is basically a commentary on how the press can be both manipulated, and the manipulator. If you don’t like the light that the press is shining on your community, hand them a different light.

By: Parent Chaperone

Parent Chaperone — Sat, 07 Oct 2006 03:22:14 +0000

I was a parent that chaperoned that trip. I am also in management and as such understand that the principal and district can’t play the media like a virtuoso as Ms. Gee has. The ignorance of the ill-informed shocks me. This is not about a nude sculpture. This is not about potentially one parent complaint. I too felt the trip was chaotic, the DMA staff was rude and museum was over-booked. I primarily blamed the DMA frankly, but some accountability does belong to the organizer. She should have accepted the criticism and grow from it. Trying to hide behind the one complaint is to avoid recognizing her short-comings and opportunity to improve. Interestingly enough, I never have had my children complain about her class, but at the same time, their lack of interest or apathy may be a sign of her lackluster teaching. My kids normally rave about learning yet they barely mention this class. When asked, they can’t recall anything of significance that they have done there. I have asked myself why my kids don’t know the basics of art. Why did my 5th grader not have any understanding of the purpose of the field trip? Why was it not part of unit of study? For example, if they learn about the ocean and then they visit the aquarium – the knowledge is applicable to the trip. I wonder why the children did not truly have a clue about the intent. I don’t presume to know all of the facts that led to this point as no on truly ever does in an employee/manager situation due to privacy laws. However, I do know that this is a phenomenal school that has tons of school spirit, parental support, wonderful teachers and administrators, and intelligent, considerate kids. The mission is to educate our kids and to encourage their love of learning. Under Mrs. Lawson, the staff has set its goal to drive excellence similar to that espoused in Jim Collin’s “From Good to Great”. Perhaps this is really about the fact that Ms. McGee may not have been willing to get on the bus to get us there. If that is the case, then move on and please leave our children and school in peace. The negativity needs to stop. Pursue your actions with dignity through the proper channels. The media and court of public opinion is not the place for a fair assessment of her paid administrative leave.