Idaho Falls Charter Schools (Rexburg, Blackfoot: public schools, live, gym)

[Barbara Giordan]

Hi, I really liked your posting in response to the woman who had middle school children in the school system experiencing discrimination. Your response was very compassionate. What is it you like about Shelly? what is it like?Barb

[Barbara Giordan]

I am glad that you read my e-mail. It sounds like you have strong feelings about it. I am all about teaching kids coping skills. I use to be a child therapist in my previous lifetime. I think that we have very different world views influencing our perceptions. My primary resource is in the bible,not the radio.I think it is a mistake to confuse rejection due to appearance with a more systematic discrimination based on religion, race etc.I am sorry that my comments made you uncomfortable. Prejudice,and persecution make me extremely uncomfortable, hence the posting. Barb

[Mtn. States Resident]

Originally Posted by Barbara Giordan

I am glad that you read my e-mail. It sounds like you have strong feelings about it. I am all about teaching kids coping skills. I use to be a child therapist in my previous lifetime. I think that we have very different world views influencing our perceptions. My primary resource is in the bible,not the radio.I think it is a mistake to confuse rejection due to appearance with a more systematic discrimination based on religion, race etc.I am sorry that my comments made you uncomfortable. Prejudice,and persecution make me extremely uncomfortable, hence the posting. Barb

Barb,

Would you please clarify to whom this and the post above this one were written to? I wouldn't want to respond with what is accurate for me, if you were addressing someone else.

Thanks,

MSR

[Barbara Giordan]

I was glad to get a response. I am all for teaching coping skills to children. I use to be a child psychotherapist. I think that a child experiencing ostracism due to a physical characteristic vs. systematic and widespread exclusion and taunting based on being a member of a particular religion or race is called discrimination and that is another kind of animal altogether. I am sorry that you are uncomfortable with my previous blog. I am very uncomfortable with any form of persecution, hence my decision to speak out. Barb

[Mtn. States Resident]

Originally Posted by Barbara Giordan

I was glad to get a response. I am all for teaching coping skills to children. I use to be a child psychotherapist. I think that a child experiencing ostracism due to a physical characteristic vs. systematic and widespread exclusion and taunting based on being a member of a particular religion or race is called discrimination and that is another kind of animal altogether. I am sorry that you are uncomfortable with my previous blog. I am very uncomfortable with any form of persecution, hence my decision to speak out. Barb

You may mean this for someone else, since Twin Prism and others have answered in this thread. If so, please clarify as I asked in my previous post.

If you are responding to anything I've posted, as you know being trained as a child psychogherapist, you are neither responsible for or capable of knowing my feelings without asking me. That has not been done to date. Consequently, your repeated statement of,
"I am sorry that you are uncomfortable with my previous blog," doesn't fit for me. If you meant it for someone else, perhaps that person would like to comment on whether your assessment was accurate or not.

We do try to help each other at CDF with information, problem solving or sometimes motivation in other ways. It would be an error for you to state you know how I feel about the subject. Perhaps it is countertransference?

Please address the poster to whom you are writing further remarks, in your next post. I'm asking again, in a second post to be more specific.

Thank you.

MSR

[Barbara Giordan]

Msr, Let's move on to a different conversation. You seem familiar with this community.What is it like? How are the people doing with the economic downturn? Where are the biggest needs? I have already decided that if I were to move to this community ,I would like to help out and make a difference. Any suggestions. Barb

[Idaho...you know?]

Taylors crossing is probably more mormon than the public schools. I am pretty sure that since eastern Idaho is mostly mormon, all the school will still be mostly mormon. I think there are some all catholic schools, but I personally think that the charter schools can not match the experience of a public school. Public Schools offer a lot more programs for kids to get involved in- band, athletics, choir, student council, etc. You could try switching them from RMMS to Sandcreek to see if they can just get a new start, but I am personally a huge fan of the Public school system- especially for high school. Charter schools usually cannot provide AP or other college courses that can prepare them for life outside of high school. Have your kids get involved in school, and I am sure they will make friends.

[norcalmom101]

I'd like to clarify that IF is closer to 50% LDS, and that the LDS church has a tendency to count every member, which grossly inflates their numbers. I for example am a member, and I am in no way actively LDS, nor will I be in the future. Because of the nature of my employment, I know a great many inactive members. It can be very difficult to get your name off of their membership lists, and most never do.

[Mtn. States Resident]

Originally Posted by norcalmom101

I'd like to clarify that IF is closer to 50% LDS, and that the LDS church has a tendency to count every member, which grossly inflates their numbers. I for example am a member, and I am in no way actively LDS, nor will I be in the future. Because of the nature of my employment, I know a great many inactive members. It can be very difficult to get your name off of their membership lists, and most never do.

Good explanation, norcalmom101. Thanks for helping to "correct" inaccurate information. Many never even ask only assume they know the correct percentages of religions.

It bothers me this subject comes up so often in Idaho Falls when Pocatello, maybe Twin Falls and other locations probably has as many active LDS members. Plus, so may previous posts have addressed the question.

Rarely, if ever, does one ask how many Baptist or Lutheran or Methodist churches are in Bonneville County or Idaho Falls. I have to say I did answer a question about how many Catholic churches exist.

Ammon may be a different story, but not Idaho Falls proper.

MSR

[ylime]

oh brother! these replies sound gentle and supportive, yet belittle! you can sprinkle sugar on poison, but it's still going to make you sick! the only people who think this isn't an issue in IF schools are LDS! if you don't think this is an issue in IF schools, then you are obviously LDS! anyone who says this is not an issue in IF schools is LDS! it is the biggest issue, bigger than the racism towards the hispanic population, because they are joining "the" church at an alarming rate, resulting from a need to fit in. i am a professional and have worked in the schools conducting assessments and providing counseling in d.93 and d.91, and my kids (now teens) went through it. kids don't understand why they are ostricized, they know it hurts, and they internalize that there must be something wrong with them. the smiling faces that judge are confusing to children.