From Graham Smith’s teacher in Wellesley, Mass.
My donation to 4th-grader Graham Smith, from Wellesley, Mass., for his report on Virginia
Tuesday night I wrote a respectful email to Graham Smith’s teacher at Upham Elementary School in Wellesley, Mass. in which I asked her to look at Tuesday’s column online and advise me on whether it would be appropriate to include in the package of materials about Virginia that I’m sending to Graham.
I had told Scott Leamon from WSLS Channel 10 that I intended to send Graham the column. But upon further reflection, and because of some emails I received and some comment here, I decided to check with his teacher first.
Here is teacher Carolyn Collins’ response:
Thank you for contacting me; it would be better if you did not include the article from the paper. I am sure he will appreciate the other items.
Thank you.
Carolyn S. Collins
For that reason I’ve changed my mind on that. I’ll take Tuesday’s newspaper out of the package I send Graham. The package to Graham will include:
- Friday’s paper (w/ a centerpiece about the Salem Red Sox);
- A recent issue of So Salem, one of our community publications, which also features the Red Sox;
- A pamphlet about the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford;
- A map of the Blue Ridge Parkway;
- An autographed copy of the book, Kids Love Virginia: A Family Travel Guide to Exploring ‘Kid-Tested’ Places in Virginia . . . Year Round! by George and Michele Zavatsky;
- A flyer promoting Civil War Homes, Then and Now, a local tour sponsored by Roanoke County Parks and Recreation
- An issue of the Roanoke Valley Visitors Guide, ‘It’s a Blue Ridge Day’;
- A public art catalog from the City of Roanoke;
- A postcard-sized map of Public Art in Roanoke;
- A key chain, bumper sticker and fridge magnet from Texas Tavern, the landmark Roanoke restaurant
- and maybe a few other things.
In addition to that, though the last line of Tuesday’s column mentioned many “weird” and “wonderful” things about Virginia, it did not include any examples of the latter.
So there will be a postscript in Thursday’s paper about many wonderful things about Virginia. And I’ll include that in the package, too.
Thanks for all your input, folks, and for urging me to reconsider.
If you want to send Graham other items about Virginia the address is:
Graham Smith
Ms. Collins Class
Upham School
Wellesley, MA 02481
April 13, 2011 - 1:41 PM
Good move, Dan.
Congratulations.
Lucky for Graham his teacher has common sense.
Applause!
What? No howls of indignation from the anti-PC crowd?
Thumbs up!
Good for Ms. Collins. The article was a pathetic attempt at humor and completely inappropriate for a fourth grade student.
I’m glad you reconsidered. That column really was not appropriate for an elementary school child. To paraphrase Opie Taylor from the Andy Grifith show, you ain’t so dumb.
Wow. Must be a conservative in the Massachusetts public school system. She How did sneak she in there? Good job, Carolyn Collins for putting the kibosh on this leftwing foolishness!!
Thanks Dan, I doubt if your and my brand of humor will work where he lives, plus his tender young age. Might warp his Yankee mind.
I thought his project was Virginia, not SW VA. Seems like you have omitted most of the state, Dan.
Dan, the way you have been stirring the pudding recently, you’ll reach 90,000 before the end of the month.
There is nothing in the world more liberal than a teacher from Massachusetts. The most liberal profession in the most liberal state. So, think about it…..how left wing must Dan be that he writes stuff that is too liberal for a Massachusetts teacher to allow her students to read.
The fact that Dan gets away with his way out of touch liberalism is testimony to his disarming charm, quick wit, and tremedous writing skill.
The really sad part is that it took a note being sent home from the teacher before the award winning “journalist” figured out this was a bad idea.
I have renewed faith that there are still some smart teachers that have not been corrupted by the left wing machine. Oh, but Dan, I know you must be teething inside. You do view yourself as a big cog in the machinery, don’t you?
#14 Why would Dan be teething? I think he’s well past that age.
“Oh, but Dan, I know you must be teething inside.”
Dan’s a tough guy. He only teethes on the inside.
Ok #14 I’ve just got to ask, what the heck is a left wing machine? Really, do you think there is such a thing or is that just your ears talking.
A. Do you watch fixed nework?
B. Do you believe our President is a Muslim and at the same time a socialist?
C. Do you believe he was not born in the US?
If you answered yes to all three then you have taken the bait of the right wing noise machine. Which on the face of it you are just repeating what the far right wing is dictating to you.
Considering what passes for “celebrity” in Roanoke, Dan is probably a safe bet for “a big cog in the machinery”.
I do not have renewed faith that there are still some smart Conservatives that have not been corrupted by the right wing machine.