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May 19, 2005
The St. Jude Institute P.T.A
This might have been the coolest symbolic bird-flipping moment I have seen in a long, long time. Alysha Crosby, senior at the St. Jude Educational Institute, was told in March by a hypocritical and judgemental school administration that she could no longer attend school or participate in graduation ceremonies because she was pregnant, and that represented (their words, not mine) "safety concerns." Of course, the father of her child received no such banishment.
(And I fail to understand this concept of "safety concerns." Whose safety? Women I work with routinely stay at work until the very last moment. Unless St. Jude's is a skydiving school or the curriculum involves handling jackhammers, I'm not seeing how they got away with this one.)
Rather than tuck her tail between her legs and meekly go along with this backwoods, backward moralism, Alysha Crosby showed more dignity, class, and courage at her commencement than any of the adult leadership of that school have possessed their whole lives.
A pregnant student who was banned from graduation at her Roman Catholic high school announced her own name and walked across the stage anyway at the close of the program... "I worked hard throughout high school and I wanted to walk with my class," she said.
I'm not sure of the kids' slang these days, but I believe the correct response in the vernacular is, "You go, girl!" That was the most wonderful, in your hypocritical face display of staring down a bunch of phonies I've heard about since Jeannie C. Riley's momma socked it to the Harper Valley P.T.A. This kid's gonna be just fine. And Alysha, if you ever happen to stop by this little corner of blogtopia, I'm damn proud of you.
Comments
Yeah the father being allowed to participate consequence-free is what set me off yesterday. And yes, this girl should be given a scholarship somewhere for having chutzpah like that. Good for her!
Posted by: eden at May 20, 2005 11:42 AM
Bless me father for thou hast sinned. I hath taken thy name in vain at the moment of conception. Please oh lord let me repent with the punishment of your love that I shall forever walk upon your Earth devoid of knowledge and living on the crackers and wine you provide at the alter of your love. For it is you who loves those who worship you and thou knowest the light I see is your pride in your devout followers.
I like religion. It keeps the weak off the roads on Sunday morning.
Posted by: The SpinMD at May 20, 2005 01:02 PM
