| Oct 5 @ 2:13 PM |
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Angel54214
Posts: 14,057
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Virginia Teachers Union Sparks Outrage With 'Obama Blue Day'
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Virginia Republicans are in an uproar after the state teacher's union sent an e-mail to its members encouraging them to wear blue-colored shirts to school to show their support for Barack Obama.
State Republicans are calling it an undisguised attempt to influence students' political views.
The Virginia Education Association sponsored "Obama Blue Day" on Tuesday. In an e-mail sent last week, it urged teachers to participate by dressing in blue.
"There are people out there not yet registered. You teach some of them," the Sept. 25 e-mail reads. "Others, including our members, remain on the fence! Its time for us to come together, voice our unity, because we make a difference!"
"Let's make Obama Blue Day a day of Action!" the e-mail continues. "Barack the vote!"
In a statement released to FOXNews.com Thursday, VEA President Kitty Boitnott defended the e-mail, saying that it called for teachers to wear blue shirts, but not ones that mentioned a candidate.
The invitation was not intended to "encourage teachers to use their classrooms for partisan political purposes," Boitnott said.
"The e-mail did not encourage teachers to talk with students about voting for any specific candidate, although it did suggest that teachers can encourage eligible students to register to vote. There certainly is nothing wrong with encouraging students who are 18 years of age or older to register to vote."
But many state Republicans are miffed by the plan, which they characterize as an obvious attempt by the teachers union to encourage young, impressionable voters to cast their ballots for Obama.
"It's a breach of public trust on many levels," Virginia Republican Party Communications Director Gerry Scimeca told FOXNews.com.
Scimeca, who described the VEA as a "very political organization," said the school environment is "a completely inappropriate place for teachers or education staff to be politicking on behalf of any candidate. Parents send their kids to school to get a bipartisan education."
The controversy surrounding the VEA's "Obama Blue Day" is not the only clash between partisan politics and education this election season.
The teachers union in New York has also come under fire for distributing thousands of Obama campaign buttons to its members, prompting a backlash from education officials and parents.
"Schools are not a place for politics and not a place for staff to wear political buttons," New York Department of Education spokeswoman Ann Forte told FOXNews.com.
"We don't want a school or school staff advocating for any political position or candidate to students and we don't want students feeling intimidated because they might hold a different belief or support a different candidate than their teachers," she said.
Parents, check your kids and grandkids schools to make sure this isn't happening. 
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| Oct 5 @ 11:38 PM |
Obama Blue Day |
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nah12
Posts: 3,973
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Amazing isn't it Angel ...but then again most teachers are liberals .....
but i don't put anything much pass some people that will push any agenda to anyone in any way they think will feather their pockets..... i'm afraid they are going to be in for a real rude awakening like a lot of Obama's supporters if and when he is elected ..... and they will have no one to blame but themselves .....
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| Oct 5 @ 11:43 PM |
Obama Blue Day
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KatiefromStafford
Posts: 2,266
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but then John McCain's brother gets to say this about Northern Virginia, any wonder they are going blue this year?
McCain Brother Calls Northern Virginia 'Communist Country'
WASHINGTON: Joe McCain equates Washington suburbs, where Barack Obama leads, to enemy territory.
On topic though, this was not a very good move on the teacher's union. Politics has no business in school.
Although, as neither of you live anywhere near Virginia, I am not sure why you would be so up in arms.. is Cali doing this, Angel?
[Edited on 10/5/2008 11:52 PM]
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| Oct 5 @ 11:50 PM |
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redhairNfreckles
Posts: 2,822
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I would have worn a red shirt just to piss a few ppl off....
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| Oct 5 @ 11:51 PM |
Obama Blue Day
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nah12
Posts: 3,973
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^^^  me too Red
there is a thread on that topic but it’s brought over to another thread to get someone to argue over the topic it appears .....  can we say desperate victim syndrome post maybe ......
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| Oct 5 @ 11:53 PM |
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redhairNfreckles
Posts: 2,822
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desperate victim, is right...
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| Oct 5 @ 11:55 PM |
Obama Blue Day
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KatiefromStafford
Posts: 2,266
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I have worked in the Virginia school system, trust me, while the memo may have gone out, I sincerely doubt that a bunch of teachers were wearing blue.. or will be wearing it, if that day hasn't passed yet. Heck, most of the time, you can't get people to wear the school colors to support the teams!
Don't get your knickers in a twist, it won't be happening.. lol
so, Red, if he came to your area and said it was Communist NC, that wouldn't bother you in the least.. interesting
[Edited on 10/5/2008 11:59 PM]
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| Oct 5 @ 11:58 PM |
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redhairNfreckles
Posts: 2,822
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Good. But I still would be wearing my red shirt for sure! 
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| Oct 6 @ 12:00 AM |
Obama Blue Day
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KatiefromStafford
Posts: 2,266
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That would be your right, of course. No one mandates what anyone wears, and this was a teacher's union, not a school district, either, keep that in mind.
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| Oct 6 @ 12:03 AM |
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KatiefromStafford
Posts: 2,266
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I wonder what the total number of students over the age of 18 is in all the Virginia school systems.. has to be a really big number, would really swing the vote Obama's way..
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| Oct 6 @ 12:05 AM |
Obama Blue Day
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nah12
Posts: 3,973
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anybody need a red shirt.......
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| Oct 6 @ 12:09 AM |
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redhairNfreckles
Posts: 2,822
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No thanks, I'll borrow his........
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| Oct 6 @ 12:12 AM |
Obama Blue Day
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nah12
Posts: 3,973
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| Oct 6 @ 12:14 AM |
Obama Blue Day |
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Angel54214
Posts: 14,057
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Celebrate Obama Blue Day
Obama Blue Day is September 30, 2008. How do you celebrate it? You celebrate this day by wearing blue and registering at least 2 people to vote. It may surprise you to know that many people still aren't registered to cast theirs on November 4. You can help lead them down the right road by getting them to complete a paper registration form and mailing it in. Find {email address removed}. Just go to the link for your state and find the paper registration forms and print a few off. Then, all you have to do is . . .
Stop two people at the supermarket. Do it after 5 p.m. when all of the young, single people go get their food. Who knows? You might even get a date.
Call up an old friend. We all know at least two old dogs or cats that refuse to participate in the political system. Give them a wake up call and get them registered to vote.
Chat with your online friends. If you belong to a social site, chances are that one of your regular buddies isn't registered to vote. Send them to a site to get the job done. Try RegistertoVote.org.
Bug a couple of relatives. Talk to a cousin or aunt who's given up on the political system. Explain to her or him that this time things will be different. Then, get your relatives to register to vote.
Go door-to-door. Meet your neighbors and find out if they are registered to vote. If not, explain to them how your neighborhood would improve with the right leader in the White House.
Stand up at church. (Get permission from your minister first.) Announce to the congregation that you are willing to register people to vote after service. Then, wait at the door and get busy.
Visit your old high school. Ask the principal if you he or she will allow you to talk to the people old enough to vote. Then, explain the importance of civic duty and register them to vote.
Now that you see how Obama Blue Day works, don't miss out. Get prepped and ready for it. Exercise your political muscle and participate fully in one of the most electric presidential races in over a decade.
That's called free campaigning for Obama!
The VEA was doing exactly what Obama was promoting by getting votes from students through his Blue Day for his Presidential campaign in high schools. 
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| Oct 6 @ 12:24 AM |
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KatiefromStafford
Posts: 2,266
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Well considering happy what's his name on fox probably told all of Obama's dirty little secrets tonight, I don't understand why anyone would be worried.. to hear the Pubs tell it, Palin/McCain is gonna win, and if they can't do it on their own, then I am sure that GW can show them some pointers of fixing things so the votes go their way!
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| Oct 6 @ 12:27 AM |
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nah12
Posts: 3,973
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hey Angel remember Obama's campaign buddies ACORN even were busing homeless to register and vote in some areas so what do you expect ......
[Edited on 10/6/2008 12:33 AM]
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| Oct 6 @ 12:29 AM |
Obama Blue Day
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KatiefromStafford
Posts: 2,266
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Well, according to some here, Obama will be in jail on election day, so then McCain wins the only way he could.. nice show there 
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| Oct 6 @ 12:32 AM |
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redhairNfreckles
Posts: 2,822
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Tonight's broadcast of Obama's connections with some of these.....let's just say "questionable " elements.....brings to mind what my grandma always used to say to us kids....."Watch who your friends are, because spending much time with them, makes who YOU are!".
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| Oct 6 @ 12:33 AM |
Obama Blue Day
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Angel54214
Posts: 14,057
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hey Angel remember Obama's campaign even were busing homeless to register and vote in some areas so what do you expect ......
Yup! Stealing Ohio
http://michellemalkin.com/2008/10/01/homeless-ohioans-for-obama-registering-in-droves/
I like this part.... 
An unnamed source…related a heartwarming story of a 15 passenger van dropping off a load of drunk, homeless guys at Vet’s Memorial in Columbus. The organizers were just trying to allow these men to exercise their right to vote, but it seemed that they were all too drunk to get in line. What commenced was a “homeless rodeo” where the organizers had to wrangle the men from the parking lot and load them back in the van.
[Edited on 10/6/2008 12:40 AM]
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| Oct 6 @ 1:44 AM |
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Angel54214
Posts: 14,057
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Well here's an update on Obama's Blue Day teacher union liberals:
Virginia teacher's group turns red over call to wear blue
October 4, 2008
When the e-mail popped into Doris Boitnott's in-box last month, she figured it would be "a little fun spark to energize folks."
The idea: for her Virginia Education Association colleagues and members across the state to wear blue to show support for Sen. Barack Obama, the Democratic presidential candidate.
Boitnott crafted her own version of the e-mail invitation for "Obama Blue Day," scheduled for last Tuesday. She ran it by a couple of co-workers - who saw no problem with it - and sent the message to about 400 people last week.
Then the state Republican party heard about it. Then the news media heard about it. Then the education association was in the middle of one of those election year controversies.
The education association refers to Obama as a "recommended candidate" for president, but not all educators do. State GOP spokesman Gerry Scimeca said some forwarded Boitnott's e-mail to the party.
Scimeca called the e-mail inappropriate and accused the group of forcing its political views on students.
"You pay your tax money to teachers to educate your kids, not to bring politics in the schools," Scimeca said.
Boitnott, VEA's assistant director of government relations, said she routinely informs members of political rallies and talking points for writing newspaper letters to the editor. She considered this another bit of information.
Besides, she said, no one but the participants would know why they were wearing blue.
"We're asking them to wear a color," Boitnott said. "It never occurred to me that that would be a controversial topic."
That changed when she learned her name was on the scroll on Fox News.
The VEA shouldn't be surprised by the reaction, said Bob Holsworth, a political analyst at Virginia Commonwealth University. Republicans long have suggested "that teacher organizations are basically an arm of the Democratic party," he said, while educators emphasize that "the right of expression is not an attempt at indoctrination."
In the e-mail, educators were encouraged to wear a blue clothing item but not something that mentioned a particular candidate. They were asked to register two voters or talk to people about Obama.
VEA President Kitty Boitnott - Doris Boitnott's sister - said in a statement that the organization "encourages its members to be politically active, but it does not encourage teachers to use their classrooms for partisan political purposes."
Executive Director Robert Whitehead said the VEA forwarded the e-mail to local leaders and members who had sought political information.
"I did not personally get the e-mail.... I had to look on a Web site to find it," he said.
Virginia Department of Education spokesman Charles Pyle said a campaign to wear a particular color is a gray area in state code that would be judged by how it's promoted, the motivation and the perception. It generally urges teachers to shy away from activities that might be perceived as bringing partisan politics into the classroom, he said.
Locally, education association representatives reported little to no participation.
"I wore blue that day, but I didn't see a lot of other people doing it," said Malia Huddle, president of the Chesapeake Education Association and a career counselor at Oscar Smith High School.
She likened the activity to teachers who wear pink for breast cancer awareness or wore black last year in support of the "Jena Six," a half-dozen black teenagers arrested after racial tensions flared in their Louisiana community. http://hamptonroads.com/2008/10/virginia-teachers-group-turns-red-over-call-wear-blue
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