March 6, 2003

By Scott Ellis

sellis@spacey.net

From the Brevard Insider

After reading the stories on certain Maine school teachers tormenting the children of servicemen and women being shipped overseas, all I can think of is what a difference 36 years makes.

In 1967 I was a student at Sabal Elementary School in Eau Gallie. The Viet Nam War, a highly controversial conflict, was raging. In our classroom, our teacher had us write letters to the GIs in Viet Nam, an outfit I believe her brother was assigned to.

All of us wrote letters of support for our fighting men, as well as typical questions of third and fourth graders. "Is the mud really like bubble gum," "Is it true you can't drink the water," "What is the jungle like," etc. Included with our letters were various items, a Sabal Elementary School CARE package filled with KoolAid, comic books, and real gum.

Not only did we receive numerous thank you letters from the soldiers, later in the year a real live American soldier came to talk with our class from the unit we had written. I still remember how professional, and how gigantic, he seemed as he told us about his experiences in Viet Nam, and that yes, the mud was just like bubble gum. We were extremely proud our little classroom in Eau Gallie, Florida, had hosted such an honorable and awe inspiring guest.

In 1967, at the height of an unpopular war, no protesters came to Sabal Elementary School. No teacher taunted the many children we had in our school whose fathers were in the military. Everyone understood, supporters and opponents of the war alike, that these were our fellow countrymen tasked to an awful job in a war they neither started nor controlled. The soldiers were the elementary school students of the prior decade, and they literally had their lives in the balance in a far off foreign land.

Now in 2002 certain teachers in Maine shame their profession and their nation with their actions. Cowardly adults who enjoy tormenting young children, each and every one guilty of these actions should be fired immediately for the damage they intended to inflict on these students.

Every conflict America has either fought or avoided has had patriotic opposition from those who love our nation and had its best interest at heart, but the majority of the media darlings today, as well as these teachers from Maine, are not the principled opposition. They are the same Hate America First crowd who cheered on their corrupt leader in 1998 as he bombed the hapless Serbs whom had never lifted (nor threatened to lift) a finger against America, yet today spout that Iraq, which has threatened America overtly and covertly for a decade, is not a threat worthy of even our notice.

Well, I know 2003 is not 1967. However, as a child who grew up singing S.Sgt. Barry Sadler's Ballad of the Green Berets, I don't care if you support the policies of the current politicians or not, but when you stomp on our fellow American soldiers tasked with risking their lives, and even torment their children, it brings to mind another favorite Merle Haggard tune, "When you're walking on my country, you're walking on the fightin' side of me."

Heads are gonna roll

from the Washington Times

March 4, 2003

A Maine legislator (Rep. Michael A. Vaughan) is investigating complaints that teachers harassed children of Maine National Guard members and says "there should be some dismissals" if the incidents are substantiated.

Guard members said their children had been told by teachers that war with Iraq was 'unethical' and, in one reported incident, a teacher told a Guard member's child in elementary school that 'daddy could die because that's what happens to soldiers.'

Maine National Guard officials say they have collected 16 specific complaints, but are keeping those reports confidential and say they don't want a 'witch hunt' against teachers.

Brevard Insider is published 5 times a week except holidays at 1106 Ramblebrook St., Malabar, Fl. 32950. Tel (321) 956-0815. Fax (321) 956-8762. Email ESCMC@aol.com  Copyright 2002. Publisher Pond Press, Inc. Editor: Edward S. Clark. Assistant editor: Dan Warrensford. Contributing editors J. D. Tucker, Michael Moehle, Bob Brewster, David Russell, Chuck Morley, Bill Love. Contrarian: Robert D. Clark. Researcher, Dwight Spencer. Electronic distribution: Tim Wooley. Subscription price $6.50 per month.