To the Editor:
(Re: “Erickson school's fundraiser send a bad message”)
With all due respect, Leila Burton needs to lighten up. Her letter to the editor, about retiring principal Nancy DeVuono being taped to a tree as a fundraiser, misses the mark entirely.
There are so many activities that under the excessive scrutiny for political correctness could be construed as being negative. I’ll overstate my case (as Ms. Burton did) to prove my point. Should we ban frozen tag and charades? After all, both of these games make some of the participants “helpless and silent”. We’re talking about harmless, innocent fun with Mrs. DeVuono — no less, no more.
Taping teachers to a tree or a wall has been around for several years, most often used to give a retiring teacher, or one transferring to another school, a friendly sendoff by the students. If one examines the intent, while witnessing the smiles and enjoyment by those present, the only conclusion to be reached is, “What a good sport the teacher was, and what fun the students had!”
Ms. Burton stated in her letter, “Surely our educators, parents and the media have a responsibility to see the bigger picture of abuse and be aware of the impact our actions may have.” I’m not taking this topic lightly, as I know that abuse is a scourge of humanity around the world. However, I do wonder what “impact our actions may have,” according to Ms. Burton. Is it that abuse victims will be traumatized by the photo or is it the influence the photo might have on potential abusers?
This activity and the photo are not sinister and dark. I believe most students in the Creston Valley have witnessed or heard about this form of fun. And contrary to what Ms. Burton suggests, students who saw that picture would not become “fearful of going to school”. They’d think, “Cool! I hope I get to tape my teacher to the wall.”
Glen Whitehead
Creston