Inspiration given...not really needed

I wanted to share with you an email I received from a student's parent yesterday. Apparently, this student told his dad about a book we read 3RD QUARTER, and after hearing his son's side of the story, the dad emailed me to give me a little "inspiration". This is his letter:

Dear Mrs. Nord,

This is XX, XX's father. I've gotten the news recently that XX is failing both your classes.... along with all his others. I'd like to ask specifically what, if anything at this late point in the semester, can be done to bring his failing grades to a passing level. Specifics would be appreciated, or any extra credit activities.

There is another matter that I've been meaning to visit with you about, but have been hindered by my schedule, not to mention my feeble memory. And that is the book, "Inherit the Wind", which XX has been required to read. The book comes from the perspective that those who believe in evolution have science and objective truth on their side, while those who belive in creationism are fundamentalist ignoramuses who have nothing but prejudice and passion directing their sentiments.... a total lie. I think it a grotesque and inexcusable oppression of the faith of parents... all parents, not just myself....... that the school supposes itself called to attempt to overthrow the faith of the children parents committ to their trust, as though that were even its domain. Had XX remained in my house, its probable that he'd not only be passing your tests, but providing you answers for this sort of tyranny and superstition both. I can only hope this is something that you are forced to do, as a thing not possessing your sympthy in any degree. And while doubtless many evolutionists possess better academic standards than XX, yet I cannot but make the connection between telling him he descended from a monkey, and his tendency to be acting like one. Of course, the belief in evolution itself is acting like one too, so no inconsistency there.

In closing let me leave you with a story of two astronomers who were friends.... one a creationist, the other an evolutionist. They frequently discussed their differences over their respective perspectives, but could come to no agreement whatever. On one occassion the creationist fellow decided to construct a model of our solar system, making it proportional as much as possible, and to move in the same degrees and orbits with each other as the original. This was no small undertaking, but at last he finished it and showed it to his evolutionist friend. His friend was exstatic, and heaped praise upon his colleague. After letting him thus proceed for some time, he merely shrugged and pretended not to know what the evolutionist man was talking about. He had not made this model, he protested..... it had just appeared there in his lab. The evolutionist remonstrated as for how utterly assinine such a statement was, and was laughing with ridicule ..... when it was replied to him.... that this is exactly what he was doing.... with... the REAL ONE. Infinitely more complex, infinitely more magnificent, infinitely more impressive, and infinitely more incapable to be explained by chance, and yet he was ready to offer praise for the one made of paper mache, and was mute to offer praise to that One who created not only that solar system, but the whole universe besides.

At issue of course is that evolution is not science at all because it can't be repeated. Its not science because it has no fossil record to establish it, and only well defined species to show there.... no "transitional forms". No horse with paws, like you see in the National Geographic. Nothing. Its a fairy tale. TF's ought to make up by far the vast majority of fossils were evolution true, which is why Darwin said that "we ought to be stumbling over them each time we walk out our front door". There ought to be piles of woodpecker fossils at the base of each tree for all the failures who pecked their heads to mush before the bone structure in modern woodpeckers emerged to protect them. And if they didn't do this, then how and why did they develop such a bone stucture? The fact that form follows function, proves a Designer.

Enough from me... had to voice these concerns with you. I don't assume anything about you. You may be required to do this for all I know. But it may also be a passion of yours to corrupt and pervert the faith of young people. While I don't assume this to be the case, yet if it is, it were profitable for you to consider that there is a judgment coming for that, and it is my prayer and desire that, if that is the case, that you would escape it, if you havn't already, in the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ who satisfied the judgment of God toward all such as will confide in Him as their saviour from sin and judgment. I may be "preaching to the choir" for all I know, but felt compelled to do so, just the same.

Please do let me know if there is anything that can be done to salvage XX's grades. Thank you very much.


As you could probably guess, I was FLOORED when I received this! I couldn't believe it! This student is failing both of my classes because he has been suspended and will be until late next week. That only gives a few days until the end of the year to pass all of his classes. Well, I just could not NOT respond back to the email. This is my reply--what do you think?

Dear Mr. XX,

Thank you for you email. It is obvious that you love and care about your son a great deal. I do enjoy having your son in class when he is here, and I hate to think that he will not pass because he was suspended in an inopportune time. According to my records, XX will be suspended until the XX. Does that sound right? In Reading class, we have been reading Daniel Half-Human, and this is a book that we are just reading for enjoyment. There will be no test over it; however, it may be one the students may pick to use for their final Reading project. We will begin the project next week. I am hoping XX will be back in time to do this with the class. As far as XX's missing work in Reading class, he is still able to turn in Reading Record #12 and #13, along with the movie poster project. I do have his portfolio but it is in my stack to be graded. I will get to it over the weekend. English class may be another story. I will take any and all assignments that XX is missing, but the grade cutoff is next Friday, May 23rd. He will need to write his final self-initiated essay (any topic that he wants)--1st draft with a Peer Conference, 2nd draft that comes to me, and final draft to make all changes. He has also missed two smaller assignments that the class has turned in this week, along with reading the screenplay version of To Kill a Mockingbird. The portfolio for this will be due next Thursday. Obviously, if XX isn't back in class until Wednesday, I won't collect his then. I would need it by Friday though.

On the information regarding "Inherit the Wind", we did not read the book to have a religious discussion. I used this book because it was at a reading level of my students in class, and it was one that we could discuss using a variety of themes. Never once in our discussion did we bring up the topic of personally believing in God vs. evolution. I use the book to showcase another idea, which comes from the main focus of the play. One of the main characters, Mr. Drummond, says, "It’s the loneliest feeling in the world—to find yourself standing up when everybody else is sitting down.” We talked about standing up for yourself and believing in yourself even if no one else does. We talked about how important family is in a time of need. We talked about leaning on others when you feel like you can't go on anymore. I do hope this clears up any confusion. I would never question a child's faith or put him/her in a situation he/she didn't feel safe. That is my number one priority in my classroom--make each student feel safe even if they don't feel it anywhere else.

Please don't hesitate to contact me again if you have further questions. I will work with XX to get him caught up when he returns. He will, though, have a lot of work to do for English.

Thank you.

I just had to share this because it made me feel very defensive as a teacher. I felt I had to defend myself and my teachings. In the 8 years I have taught, I have never had to do that once! Oh well...live and learn.

Just FYI--we are getting closer to moving in our house! Only 9 more days of school left, 3 days of professional development, and then I am outta there! I am ready! Todd is ready for his "Queen" to come home!

April