Siriunsun's Art Gallery

Watercolor by Rhiannon Ambrose, Kansas. Sometimes the best art is local.

Update On Cinderella's Petition

A few days ago, I wrote this post, about a young lady named Rhiannon Ambrose, who attempted to take advantage of open enrollment in Kansas by enrolling in Marysville High School, where forensics, speech, and drama are part of the curriculum; instead of enrolling in Frankfort, the public school closest to her home, where none of those classes are offered and one of the teachers is a confessed, yet unprosecuted, child abuser. Today, in a telephone conversation, superintendent Randy Freeman explained to Rhiannon that his initial reason for accepting all students requesting transfer from other districts, except her, would remain undisclosed, but that a new reason is the petition she wrote. Randy Freeman does not welcome students who write and send petitions, either online, or take hard copies of the same door to door. He also stated that he does not welcome students whose parents write and have published various written works. This writer finds that position quite interesting for an educator at an American school! Has Randy Freeman not heard of the Constitution? And the First Amendment? Petitions and public announcements are the cornerstone of Freedom of Expression! In essence, Randy Freeman has told Rhiannon that because she has engaged her First Amendment rights and petitioned, via written word, and because she has first degree relatives who write and have published their work, she is unwelcome in his school, while other transfer students whose parents do not know how to write, are welcome! Are there any more questions about exactly how American public schools have gotten "dumbed down"?

Here is the Updated Petition, don't be shy about signing it! Now that we have an administrator who openly admits that he only wants average or below average children in his school, gifted and talented need not apply, this has become bigger than one child in Kansas. All of our children have a right to learn about communication and about their rights as citizens. Today, an arrogant man, to whom quite a few childrens' educations have been entrusted, proudly announced that he does not encourage learning about the Constitution, or about writing or communication skills.

 

The original post about this whole matter can be read here.

 

Petition Requesting Fairness Of Marysville Kansas School Board

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote this post concerning the residence of a talented high school junior in a Kansas school district that would rather cut and cut the curriculums and extra curricular activities for their students, rather than consolidate with other Kansas school districts, enabling the availability of more educational options for students. Sports, of course, was not touched; only the classes which appeal to the more artistic or intellectually inclined students, of which USD 380, Vermillion Kansas, has too few.

Rhiannon Ambrose would love to attend a school that offers forensics, speech, and drama. She also would like to sing and take music. Unfortunately, Frankfort, her home school, does not offer those classes, and when she tried to take extracurricular vocal, the music teacher denied her, reserving the slots in his choir for children who have lived in Frankfort since birth or early childhood, or whose parents have political connections in the area. He admits this, too, and says he has been doing this for over twenty-seven years, and that he is not going to change now! Okay, fine; but J.D. Gallion even took it a step further, and told Rhiannon her voice was terrible, and not to ever sing again! What a jerk! He also discriminates against anyone who does not attend a Christian church, too, and proudly discriminates in the name of Frankfort United Methodist Church, but that's another post!

Rhiannon Ambrose decided to simply ask USD 364, a neighboring school district, if she could take advantage of "open enrollment" in Kansas and attend Marysville High. The answer was "no"! Apparently, "open enrollment" is only "open" to "certain" children, even though the law and the policy, itself, state that it is open to any student in good standing!  It would be better for USD 380 to keep Rhiannon and suck up those enrollment dollars for her presence, rather than let go of her, and allow her to attend a different school, where she could happily take the classes in which she excels. I am sharing a link to the petition that was written about this, and I am asking everyone to sign it and share it. This is unfair, and it has made a political casualty out of a high school student.

Rhiannon's petition can be signed if you click on the link. Thankyou, everyone!
 

Does The Shoe Fit?

 

Rhiannon Ambrose, as Cinderella, in Into The Woods, performed by Marysville Area Community Theatre in July of 2013.