My semester is over. I buckled down this fall: no computer unless it was emails to answer and achieved a 4.0 GPA. So I'm pretty proud of myself. I wrote a paper for Cultural Anthropology class about the influence of German eugenics and Social Darwinism in relation to the Nazis and their treatment of Gypsies. The prof gave me the highest grade ever in her years teaching at my university and while teaching at Vanderbilt. My family is happy to see me surface from our den, finally.

IMO, kids should be taught morals, sex ed and drug/alcohol awareness from an early age – which my school system stipulates as part of the curriculum. Not only should parents do this but I believe that schools have such huge impact on students that these topics need to be seriously covered by school systems, also. I'm just truly disappointed that for a woman as young as what she is, she has such “Victorian viewpoints” regarding the pro-choice/pro-life argument.

I find it amazing that anyone would want the state teaching their kids values and morals in the first place.  In my book and in my family, it is my wife and I who teach the values and morals, then we know for certain that we approve of them thus making the argument of whether they should be taught in school moot.  The answer is simply, NOI often wonder when and why Americans started to look to the state to teach their children everything.  I was raised and believe that school is to teach my child the things I cannot, such as reading, writing, science, and math.  Not drug awareness, morals, or the use of condoms.  I guess I am a Neanderthal who believes that parents should actively take responsibility for raising their children and not expect the local school board to do it for them.  I get to teach my kid the difference between right and wrong, not some faceless government entity.Furthermore, after the past three years of my son going to American schools I have serious doubts about their ability to teach even the basics much less morals and values.  We have discovered since arriving in Germany and enrolling my son in German schools (he is bilingual) that he is a full grade level behind his peers and will have to retake the sixth grade just to catch up.  This goes far to explain my disgust with American schools in General and the Belton Independent School District in particular.

I was not implying that I look to the school system to teach my kids everything. I had them; they are mine and I set the values and tone of their lives and they will use the tools my husband & I have taught them to be positive & productive adults. It is not too much to ask of teachers and schools to REINFORCE values that the majority of parents teach at home, i.e. making the right choice versus the wrong choice when comtemplating backtalking in class or not staying in your seat or talking to your neighbor as many elementary kids have problems with doing. Those are the values or morals, as my parents referred to them, that I meant in my previous statement. If that is a concept not needed in school than I now understand why there are so many unruly, pain-in-the-fanny kids in school that my junior high school daughter complains about when she's home; parents don't want these values/morals reinforced because “it's not the school's job”. This is similar to the argument that many parents have with schools about disciplining their children. Parents swear that schools aren't entitled to enforce positive behavior through discipline because they (the parents) will take care of it at home yet, they fail to teach their kids proper behavior in the beginning. As far as drug education, again, I'd rather have the school reinforce our teachings of right and wrong since schools have the ability to bring in the police drug awareness units for positive educational purposes. Much better this method than the meth dealer living in your neighborhood. Drugs are not a unique problem to the U.S. either nor are they unique to certain areas of the U.S. I work for a 3rd party drug testing company and I see, everyday, who takes them (just had a pre-employment bus driver for a church show positive for coke, meth & pot) and what drugs are out there (new inhalant kids are getting into, now). So, yes, I thank my lucky stars that my school has an anti-drug program in their curriculum.Last but not least, if addressing sex ed in the school systems should be taboo…then lets turn the clock back to the 19th century! Kids are learning more and more at earlier ages. Again, I am not expecting the school to be my replacement just reinforce the facts about STD's, how girls get pregnant, etc. If you think about it, kids spend significantly more time at school than they do at home so rumors and stories run rampant about facts versus fiction. Knowledge is power and the more facts they have the better equipped for life they are in this world.

All of you have valid points which I understand and agree with to a certain extent. I concede that gun control should be better regulated versus laws made tighter. As far as abortion – Roe vs Wade – hopefully, after 40 years on the books this law will never be rolled back. Teaching abstinance as Palin advocates isn't realistic; promiscuity has been going on since time began. No, parents should never be judged as good or bad based on the actions of their children. My problem with Palin's position regarding “explicit sex education” in schools is what constitutes that phrase to her? IMO, kids should be taught morals, sex ed and drug/alcohol awareness from an early age – which my school system stipulates as part of the curriculum. Not only should parents do this but I believe that schools have such huge impact on students that these topics need to be seriously covered by school systems, also. I'm just truly disappointed that for a woman as young as what she is, she has such “Victorian viewpoints” regarding the pro-choice/pro-life argument. I'm extremely curious to see how the situation turns out regarding her ex-brother-in-law, etc. The media may be making this out to be more than what is really is in the end. Did anyone find her question about what the job of a Vice President entails, odd?The sad thing is, I'm not thoroughly sold on either party…ugh….  

BG, I admit the book banning request rubs me the wrong way too, but is there anything else about her stance on issues that you disagree with?If she comes on strong, she has to.  She was up against a male-dominated government in her home state and to accomplish what she did, she had to fight harder because she's a woman (with updo hair).

You are correct that it's pretty petty to scrutinize her hair and appearance. Unfortunately, women in the public eye will never escape this problem. In general, the public never contemplates a man's hair cut or his choice of tie with his suit. I'm not thrilled with her stance on the Pro-life/Pro-choice argument because I'm completely Pro-choice. The government has no business telling me or my daughters how to handle anything that governs our bodies. And I'd like for her to explain what she considers “explicit sexual education” in schools that she's against. Her 17 year old unwed daughter is pregnant so the argument could be made that given better and more detailed sex ed in school (and the home) her predicament MIGHT have been prevented. I tend to snicker – because I'm a mom with daughters – when I see all those “all American hockey mom” signs held by the public at the McCain/Palin rallies. With the disclosure of her daughter, I question where was Sarah when her daughter was out doing what she shouldn't have been doing. And yes I know a parent cannot control in absolute what your kids are doing BUT this certainly entertains the question of where were the parents. My next problem is her issue with guns. Though I know many on this website would disagree, I believe tighter gun laws are needed. Guns are falling into the wrong hands each and every day. When I was a kid, my parents didn't have to worry about my siblings and I heading off to school. School was a safe zone. Not now. No matter how secure you may think your school system is, there is some kid (or an adult for that matter) out there who's not playing with a full deck and unfortunately has access to guns. The gun control/law issue has always been a sore spot with me for those who argue against it not only for the above reason but I've been on the wrong end of a gun in a bank robbery. It's a very surreal feeling to look at a gun pointed at you and realize that a) you have absolutely no control over this one moment in your life and b) will this hurt and will I live?

Actually, I believe her banning inquiry was in regards to the public library in town. Either way, this leaves a “bad taste” in my mouth about her. Anytime I hear that a person or organization wants to ban a book(s) for whatever reason, I cringe. 

Interesting article. I understand the Isreali theory that with one capture operation in progress why deviate from the plan and risk losing both people. At least Eichman was captured and I guess one might consider him more important than Mengele though I'm sure his victims that did survive might not agree with that statement.

Man, I believe we're dealing with a toddler (HF) here by having to follow after him and “police” his posts yet I feel sort of sorry for him. (must be that mothering-tendency in me  :-[)

oy vay…