BROOKINGS-HARBOR AND THE OSA

www.TheCitizensWhoCare.org

It has come to our attention that part, if not all of a DVD, created by the John Birch Society, was shown to two 6th grade social studies classes last fall at Azalia Middle School in Brookings, Oregon. This is part of a concentrated effort by the JBS to indoctrinate as many children as possible, through their own schools, about the dangers of democracy. Their primary effort is to get their full length :29 "Public Service Edition" DVD called "Overview of America" shown in the classroom. This DVD was written and narrated by John F. McManus, head of JBS. There is another version that JBS claims to know nothing about. It is titled Brief overview of all types of government 10:36 and opens on the title "The American Form of Government". This "educational" clip has been edited from the JBS :29 DVD. The clip was said to have come from the so-called "educational" neok12.com/government.html web site, which is a secret web site. Be on the alert if teachers in your school district are presenting this DVD and insure, if so, that their lesson plan contains a balanced approach to government in the U.S. Specifically, the value of a Democracy as we currently use its principles.

Some statements made in the 10:36 "educational" clip include:

Legend: Green designates information on screen or comments about what is being said on screen.
  • "Democracy means the rule of the people - 'Majority Rule'" . (See list of Democracies.)
  • "This, of course, sounds good. But suppose the majority decides to take away one's home, or business, or children?"  (Shows cartoon mob toppling home, business, taking kids - imagine how a 6th grader would react emotionally to this message)
  • "The flaw in democracy is that the majority isn't restrained" (shows an angry mob storming a building and church and they topple.)
  • "If more than half the people can be persuaded to want something in a democracy, they rule" (as the angry mob topless a pole with the American flag. Actually, Democracy is designed not only to safeguard the interests of the majority but to protect minority rights as well. )
  • "Republic means the public thing, 'The Law'" (Can find the "public thing" but can't find the "The Law" definition in any dictionary. How was that switch contrived? To say one thing and mean another. Actually, Democracy is the rule by law. Furthermore, of the 195 in the world, 127 have the word "Republic" in their name. 68 don't, including the U.S.A. See list of Republics.)
  • "Many Americans would be surprised to learn that the word Democracy does not appear in the Declaration of Independence or the U. S. Constitution. Nor does it appear in any of the constitutions of the 50 states." (The word "Republic" doesn't appear in the Constitution either.)
  • (A number of quotes are inserted here and quotes are pick-and-choose and don't constitute history.)
  • "The founders had good reason to look upon Democracy with contempt... " (After all, they were white, land-owning and many slave owning men who wouldn't recognize blacks or women as equals. Of course they had contempt for Democracy, which recognizes equality.)
  • "'Democracy', itself, is not a stable form of government."
  • "We can keep our Republic...or we will inevitably end up with an Oligarchy, a tyranny of the elite."

Some additional statements made in the remainder of the :29 DVD include:

  • "Our country is the offspring of a religious based heritage."
  • "Freedoms are diminishing."
  • "Americans overwhelming chose to limit their actions with moral codes such as the Ten Commandments."
  • "God gave man his rights."
  • "The Bill of Rights...like most of the 10 Commandments"
  • "The founding fathers well understood the Biblical teaching that..."
  • "Our nation continues to be steered off course, and the principles that led to America's greatness are being cast aside. "
  • "Time is running out for American's."
  • "With God's help."

Action taken to date:

  • Partial transcript of the 11/17/10 District 17C School Board meeting.
  • Transcript of the :29 DVD with notations of the portion claimed to be shown (noted in blue) and what an Instructional Aide action saw (noted in orange).
  • Copy of the notes taken during the DVD presentation by the Instructional Aide
  • Transcript from the meeting with the School Superintendent on 11/29/10
  • Transcript from the shortened meeting with the Azalea Building Principal on 12/14/10
  • Partial transcript of the 12/15/10 District 17C School Board meeting.
  • Transcript from a 2nd meeting with the Azalea Building Principal - not granted
  • Transcript from a meeting with the teacher - not granted
  • Follow-up questions that have yet to be answered and the response from the Superintendent and the Azalea Building Principal.
  • Partial transcript of the 1/19/11 District 17C School Board meeting (still transcribing).

 
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