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I am wondering if he had answered, "No I am not married, but I live with my partner...Bill (or whomever)" , if the parent in the room who had complained still would have...and he would have been still fired.

Straight people are also often not married but cohabitate with a partner for lots of different reasons. Fourth graders still have a sort of juvenial idea of "marriage". It could still be confusing for them.

Is the issue that he brought up the illegality about gay marriage? It touches on politics in the classroom which is sort of not ok right?

As a parent I would not have batted an eye at all and neither would my kids as they are aware of Gay rights and that the marriage law is discriminatory. However the teacher could have been coached on a better way to discuss it with a fourth grader and still not hide the fact that he is indeed gay.

The fact that he was let go because of that, though, is really disturbing.

posted 2 years, 7 months ago
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Every year at my daughter's N.E. Portland K-8, the parents and community rely heavely on our auction to fund arts for the following year. We have been lucky the last couple of years, despite the recession to bring in large auction numbers. A large portion of the PTA budget goes toward the hiring of local "artists in residence" to come in to the school to teach short stints of anything from African Dance to Comic Book Illustration.

While I am thankful that my kids have been able to benifit from these programs, "fundraising" is not and should not be a viable and sustainable way to fund arts education. And on some level it should not be in the hands of a PTA.

There are studies that show that children who are exposed to music and arts regulurly score higher on standardized tests. The arts are not just important for "creativity"...music and the arts are good for the brain!

The arts should be federally funded in all public schools accross the country!

While I also love the "Run for the Arts" program in Oregon and S.W Washington which is another form of community fundraising for the arts.....my daughter asked a great question the other day...(she kinda hates running).."But Mommy, why do we have to RUN for the arts??!!"

She has a point!

posted 2 years, 11 months ago
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When I heard what your topic was today I started crying. I am a Portlander with a very sick mom dying of Pancreatic Cancer in Walla Walla, WA. She is so ill that we cannot care for her at home. She has been in the hospital for 2 weeks and now will have to go to a Nursing Home for her end days. My sisters and I will have to waive her Medicare benefits to pay for Hospice and will be paying for her nursing home stay out of pocket. It will not be easy as it is very expensive. Even though the doctors say, "She does not have long", it could be several more weeks. It seems very unfair!!

posted 4 years, 9 months ago
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