Dear George,

In response to Mr. Hawkins response to my earlier letter, I totally agree violent students should be removed from the classroom and I cheer that he recommends that.

In keeping with a Republican weakness, Mr. Hawkins chose not too address the issue that my earlier letter brought up. How do we reprimand students who are taking their example from our President? How do we reprimand students who justify their action with the same moral reasoning that Mr. Bush used to justify his? Mr. Hawkins failed to address how the language of pre-emptive action, taken to its logical conclusion by a school child, can be very destructive and is an ill omen for the future.

I can let Mr. Hawkins rest assured that the student in question was expelled from the classroom that day and received the appropriate reprimand for his actions.
No other students in the classroom felt unsafe at how he was treated. Unfortunately, no one was able to effectively reprimand his thinking .

I ask Mr. Hawkins plainly, what example is set for students by the President's action? I appreciate his coaching, but liberal though I am, in our classroom a clear message was sent. Unfortunately a more powerful message is being sent by our action in Iraq, and no matter what words we use to dress it up, children understand totalitarian domination for what it is. They imitate what they understand.

Peace,

Joe Clancy (electronic mail, February 28, 2005)