February 27, 2006
GIVE WAR A CHANCE:
Students Call for Banning of Peace Studies Class: Bethesda-Chevy Chase High Protesters Say That Teachings Are Skewed (Lori Aratani, February 26, 2006, Washington Post)
For months, 17-year-old Andrew Saraf had been troubled by stories he was hearing about a Peace Studies course offered at his Bethesda high school. He wasn't enrolled in the class but had several friends and classmates who were.Last Saturday, he decided to act. He sat down at his computer and typed out his thoughts on why the course -- offered for almost two decades as an elective to seniors at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School -- should be banned from the school.
"I know I'm not the first to bring this up but why has there been no concerted effort to remove Peace Studies from among the B-CC courses?" he wrote in his post to the school's group e-mail list. "The 'class' is headed by an individual with a political agenda, who wants to teach students the 'right' way of thinking by giving them facts that are skewed in one direction."
He hit send.
Within a few hours, the normally staid e-mail list BCCnet -- a site for announcements, job postings and other housekeeping details in the life of a school -- was ablaze with chatter. By the time Principal Sean Bulson checked his BlackBerry on Sunday evening, there were more than 150 postings from parents and students -- some ardently in support, some ardently against the course.
Why not create a War Studies course, taught by a hawk, and let the kids pick? Posted by Orrin Judd at February 27, 2006 4:28 PM
Why not just replace it with a technology course or a fun with numbers course or a careers in science course or a musical appreciation course or a study hall.
Posted by: Genecis at February 27, 2006 4:41 PMOr better yet have a Marine officer teach it.
Posted by: Genecis at February 27, 2006 4:43 PMoj: They already have it, it's called JROTC.
Posted by: Lou Gots at February 27, 2006 4:49 PMI went through such a graduate program. The undergrad offerings were always packed.
http://www.missouristate.edu/dss/
Posted by: kevin whited at February 27, 2006 4:52 PMTwo quick points:
1) BCC is the highschool in the very liberal Potomac section of Montgomery County, MD. The "enemy" is clearly operating the rear areas.
2) If a War Studies course were offered by credible teachers, complete with field trips to ANG armories and ARNG airfields as well as VA hospitals, you wouldn't have a classroom big enough to hold it.
"It's not about indoctrination."
Yes, it is.
"It's about debate and dialogue."
No, it's not.
Posted by: Rick T. at February 27, 2006 5:45 PMAll we are saaayinnng
Is give war a chance . . .
Seems to me the alternative to "Peace Studies" wouldn't be called "War Studies"--it would be called something like, oh I don't know, "History" or something...
Posted by: b at February 27, 2006 6:06 PMWhy not create a War Studies course, taught by a hawk, and let the kids pick?
Somewhere, Heinlein smiles.
Posted by: Michael Herdegen![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://brothersjuddblog.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at February 27, 2006 9:31 PM
It's also worth noting that McCarthy's foes in this battle, Saraf and Panth likely do not fall into the easily demonizable category of privleged children of rich, white parents (though if they live in Potomac, odds are their families aren't doing too badly). The inability to pigeonhole the teens as simply doing the bidding of their old-line establishment (i.e, conservative/Republican) families leaves supporters of the program stuck with actually having to justify the course on its merits, at least until they figure out a new tactic to fog the issue.
Posted by: John` at February 27, 2006 11:30 PMI say we find this kid's email address and invite him over to Brothers Judd. He's got moxie.
Posted by: Matt Murphy at February 28, 2006 12:27 AMThe students (and parents) could always invite Ollie North to come over for a visit and talk about war and peace. THAT would blow some gaskets in the school administration.
Posted by: jim hamlen at February 28, 2006 10:48 AM