03-13-2006, 11:36 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Disappointed With SBE MeetingĂ‚Â
Dear Editor,
As a senior at Mission San Jose High School, I went with a group of high school students Feb. 27 to Sacramento to lobby for proper representation of Hinduism in California's sixth grade textbooks (I-W, Mar. 3). We wanted to see clear and accurate information which explained the basic tenets of Hinduism in a respectful manner. This is how all other religions are treated.
I was disappointed by the way the State Board of Education handled the meeting. Many of us did not get to speak, after traveling 100 miles. The board could have accommodated all the remaining speakers by extending the public comment period by 30 minutes.
After the public comments, the board took less than 15 seconds to table and pass the motion, sending the report to the full committee. Most participants were dumbfounded at this egregious action.
<b>What bothered me the most was the actions of one of the speakers, who introduced himself as a scholar and expert in comparative religion. He talked early in the day, defending the "Aryan Invasion Theory" in a very unprofessional way. He wildly waved his arms around and talked erratically. Later, he started arguing with some of the supporters of HEF/VF. What shocked me even more was the fact that he, a scholar, was cursing at the people, who passionately believed in their cause, calling them stupid, idiots and morons. He even screamed profanity, which was so vulgar that I stepped in and told him to watch what he was saying because there were children as young as six in the room. He blew me off and fled the room.
At the end of the meeting, he ran up to the same group of participants he had the argument with and mocked them, exclaiming, "Ha, Ha. You lost." This man was
supposed to be a scholar, but he was screaming like an illiterate street bum. It was sad to see that so-called scholars stooped to petty name-calling.</b>
Rohan Desai
Fremont, Calif.
Link
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STEVE FARMER's best behavior one can't miss.
Now you know, whatever Steve Farmer writies in IER is just <!--emo&:flush--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/Flush.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='Flush.gif' /><!--endemo--> .
Here comes what Madhulika had mentioned after her SBE first encounter.
Dear Editor,
As a senior at Mission San Jose High School, I went with a group of high school students Feb. 27 to Sacramento to lobby for proper representation of Hinduism in California's sixth grade textbooks (I-W, Mar. 3). We wanted to see clear and accurate information which explained the basic tenets of Hinduism in a respectful manner. This is how all other religions are treated.
I was disappointed by the way the State Board of Education handled the meeting. Many of us did not get to speak, after traveling 100 miles. The board could have accommodated all the remaining speakers by extending the public comment period by 30 minutes.
After the public comments, the board took less than 15 seconds to table and pass the motion, sending the report to the full committee. Most participants were dumbfounded at this egregious action.
<b>What bothered me the most was the actions of one of the speakers, who introduced himself as a scholar and expert in comparative religion. He talked early in the day, defending the "Aryan Invasion Theory" in a very unprofessional way. He wildly waved his arms around and talked erratically. Later, he started arguing with some of the supporters of HEF/VF. What shocked me even more was the fact that he, a scholar, was cursing at the people, who passionately believed in their cause, calling them stupid, idiots and morons. He even screamed profanity, which was so vulgar that I stepped in and told him to watch what he was saying because there were children as young as six in the room. He blew me off and fled the room.
At the end of the meeting, he ran up to the same group of participants he had the argument with and mocked them, exclaiming, "Ha, Ha. You lost." This man was
supposed to be a scholar, but he was screaming like an illiterate street bum. It was sad to see that so-called scholars stooped to petty name-calling.</b>
Rohan Desai
Fremont, Calif.
Link
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
STEVE FARMER's best behavior one can't miss.
Now you know, whatever Steve Farmer writies in IER is just <!--emo&:flush--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/Flush.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='Flush.gif' /><!--endemo--> .
Here comes what Madhulika had mentioned after her SBE first encounter.