AGT-The school responds

Sanguine

Mon, Jun 23 2014, 10:27 am

abound wrote:

Many girls and guys parents will probably stop allowing their children to frequent their home.

I would let my child play there assuming that the boy is as nice a boy as the letter claims. The father likes dirty jokes. A lot of people do. But they just chuckle and email them to their friends. Sending his son on TV was bad judgement but the man is a comedian himself and he knows what sells. Telling dirty jokes doesn't at all make a person a pedophile. I would worry more if the parent was watching [filth] movies.

abound

Mon, Jun 23 2014, 10:37 am

Oh, I would not be worried about him being a pedophile (where did I imply that !?!) I would be worried about him saying things that are not appropriate, but more than that, the parents have shown themselves in a light that is unfavorable at best, I would not trust them to make good judgement calls with the children.
(I mean in which world would a father teach his son or allow him to go on stage with this material, or even laugh when he says this joke!!???!)

Sanguine

Mon, Jun 23 2014, 10:40 am

glutenless wrote:

I don't think he is a pedophile, but I would be afraid that he would tell my child an inappropriate joke.

As they sit around the table playing poker while they drink beer and smoke cigars.

This father doesn't want to pal around with your son telling him dirty jokes that he'd have to explain to him. I'm sure he's not out to corrupt every minor in the neighborhood

sequoia

Mon, Jun 23 2014, 10:48 am

This is silly LOL

Jokes are a performance -- WORK -- for a comedian. Are you afraid a ballerina will randomly start dancing in front of your kid? Or do I rant to unsuspecting people about Andrew Marvell and John Donne?

Just because a comedian tells dirty jokes as part of his act doesn't mean he'll repeat them in social settings.

mdoif

Mon, Jun 23 2014, 5:54 pm

Quote:

We applaud the student’s desire to pursue his dreams, and we love him today as much as we loved him Tuesday afternoon.
In our efforts to explore and challenge the spiritual, intellectual and physical realities of both our heritage and modernity, we will not always make the right choices but we will certainly learn from all of them. As a school, we will search our collective soul to see what we can do better.

I wonder if they'd have said the same thing had the student in question experimented with matches and gas, and burnt down the school.

This doesn't stem from love to the pupils but from apathy to Hashem.

Rodent

Mon, Jun 23 2014, 5:55 pm

After all the ranting about this I watched the performance and whilst I wouldn't want my child doing it it was not in my eyes a chilul Hashem. This may be bad taste for a 12 year old but no great legal or great societal ethical offence occurred so chilul Hashem is going overboard. Frankly the kid didn't do anything in the name of the school and a quiet word to them about how it may not gel with the school's values should be all that is required. It is none of anyone else's business and to write a letter to other parents that says that a child did the wrong thing and made bad choices leaves a bad taste in my mouth, irrespective of the 'but we still love him' message.

Happy18

Mon, Jun 23 2014, 5:56 pm

mdoif wrote:

Quote:

I really hope you aren't serious. Telling inappropriate jokes and burning down a building are not the same thing.

mdoif

Mon, Jun 23 2014, 6:02 pm

Rodent wrote:

That is but one minor definition of chilul Hashem.

Being mekdesh Hashem means to do His Will with pride. Chilul Hashem means being oiver an aveiroh in public. For anyone to speak such nivul peh in front of millions is a terrible chilul Hashem. For a 12 yr old to do it - I.e. even the non jews understand it's low - is even worse.

The school had the chance to stand up and say, "Hashem, when someone desecrates Your Holy Name we will have nothing to do with him, because we love You!" Unfortunately they missed the opportunity and decided to 'applaud' him instead.

For shame.

Happy18

Mon, Jun 23 2014, 6:05 pm

mdoif wrote:

How did the school applaud him? Do you honestly think it would have been a good thing for the school to say what you said to him?

sky

Mon, Jun 23 2014, 6:14 pm

mdoif wrote:

If Hashem can accept teshuva so should a regular person. If someone said sorry for what they did why should someone say they want nothing to do with them.
If they realized what was wrong, said will not do it gain, and apologized - I think those are all steps of teshuva - it should be treated as if it was never done.

Lady Godiva

Mon, Jun 23 2014, 6:22 pm

mdoif wrote:

The school had a chance to possibly lose this child and push him away by embarrassing him, yet, instead, they chose to to show him that they still love him for the Jewish child that he is. They did the brave thing. They ignored their own pride and instead chose to respect a child's pride. Kol hakavod! They are the ones who deserve the applause.

ROFL

Mon, Jun 23 2014, 7:14 pm

mdoif wrote:

Can we have an unlike button? You sure are judgemental?,

mdoif

Mon, Jun 23 2014, 7:20 pm

sky wrote:

But that's the thing - one can only complete tshuva for chilul Hashem by death.

mdoif

Mon, Jun 23 2014, 7:22 pm

Lady Godiva wrote:

Would they have done the same if he'd burnt down a school building? Or do you think there's NEVER a reason to expel a 12 yr old?

My guess is we agree in principle that for some things a 12 yr old can be expelled, only you don't think speaking nivul peh on national TV is one of them.

We'll agree to disagree.