Haiku Poems! Allah! Oh My!

SoWal Expert

Oct 20, '14 · 5:16 PM11,5781

[FONT=&quot]Thank you WZEP for reporting on this Walton County educational news gem. :lolabove:

When I saw it in my inbox, I thought it was a joke. About as sad as it is hilarious.

Haiku Poem About Allah Causes Concerns For Parents[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]On a social media site, local parents have posted a picture of a classroom assignment where the student was given an example of a Haiku Poem. Some parents have expressed concern as the example given said, “After studying ancient Persia and discussing contemporary ideas in world cultures, the example said, Allah is the one; Praise to him they all will cry; Islam is our life.” The picture posted to social media site is below. It contains changes made by a student.[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]

[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]A parent of a student said, “After talking with my son about his day at school, he wanted to show me a paper from his history class. This is a 10th grade world history class at Walton High School. She says students were instructed to write 4 haiku poems and this is the example they were given. WZEP has also heard from others who verified the classroom assignment.[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]We asked Walton Superintendent Carlene Anderson about the assignment and if this was indeed part of the coursework. We also asked if other religious figures have been used. In the past the Judeo Christian beliefs have been taught as part of history assignments.[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Kay Dailey. Supervisor of Curriculum & Instruction with the Walton County School District says Superintendent Anderson made her aware of the concern shared by a Walton High School parent earlier in the month. She went to WHS and talked to the teacher of the student and another who teaches the same course as well as Principal Hughes.[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Dailey says she looked at the textbook used for the World History course. She explains that these are Next Generation Florida Standards and unrelated to Common Core. However, Dailey says it is a World History course and must be taught based on course code descriptions for this course. World History teaches students historical events, customs, religions, and cultures.[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Dailey says the class assignment to write Haikus used an example that referenced a historical figure and a religion. She says the assignment was not about religion nor was religion discussed. Haikus are typically used for cross curriculum instruction. Dailey says the poems are powerful tools because students can easily read, they can easily be understood and can easily be deconstructed.[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Scholastic.com says a Haiku is a form of poetry, first made popular in Japan, which has become appreciated around the world. Haiku poets are challenged to convey a vivid message in only 17[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]syllables. In Japan these poems are valued for their simplicity, openness, depth and lightness.[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Structural Rules:[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]• Use exactly 17 syllables[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]• Syllables are arranged in three lines of 5-7-5[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]• Avoid similes and metaphors[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]• Refers to a season of the year[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]What is a Haiku about? Haiku poems can describe anything, but are seldom complicated or hard to[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]understand. Almost all Haiku has a dominant impression, or main idea, that appeals strongly to one of the five senses.

[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]https://sites.google.com/site/wzepam1460/

Replies

Beach Fanatic

Oct 22, '14 · 3:40 PM#27

Misty, I think you (in post #26) and poppy have a wide brush that you are painting all Christians. Now , that would actually be Christian persecution. Prior to that, I didn't feel persecuted.

As someone who defended the Constitution for 20+ years, I'm a big believer in separation of church and state. If inmates were used to support a for profit venture, someone should be in big trouble.

Beach Fanatic

Oct 22, '14 · 4:14 PM#28

Misty, post those pictures. I would love to see a photo of something I never did. I know there were allegations of such occurring in the McMillian days but I stopped supervising inmates under Quinn in 1985. So, the photos better show me much smaller and with a great deal more hair. From 1985-2002 I was in patrol or a school resource officer, inmates were supervised by corrections officers during those years.
As far as Christmas Reflections, I think that mule has been beat over and over but every time it was determined to be a function of the city government. I know the County Attorney determined it was before I sent the first inmate to them when I was in charge of the jail. I also know the Sheriff's Association legal counsel found the same to be true when the Sheriff started helping them at the request of the city.
I have never been involved with planning the program at Walton High school football games and have not attended them on any regular basis since 1979. So I really don't know what you are talking about. I will tell you I don't think the law should be ignored and cannot see where you drew such a conclusion. If I said anything to give you that impression, I apologize.
As far as persecuting anyone, where in the world did that come from? I thought the discussion was about instructional materials and their appropriateness. I looked at them and found them inadequate due to being inaccurate. Just a personal opinion. Disagreeing with me does not mean someone is persecuting me. We just don't agree on this issue.

Edited Oct 22, '14 · 4:21 PM

Banned

Oct 22, '14 · 4:16 PM#29

I'm a big believer in separation of church and state. If inmates were used to support a for profit venture, someone should be in big trouble.

It happened.

The nativity still sits on the Courthouse lawn. Prisoners are still used on Christmas Reflections.

Banned

Oct 22, '14 · 4:30 PM#30

Misty, post those pictures. I would love to see a photo of something I never did. I know there were allegations of such occurring in the McMillian days but I stopped supervising inmates under Quinn in 1985. So, the photos better show me much smaller and with a great deal more hair. From 1985-2000 I was in patrol or a school resource officer, inmates were supervised by corrections officers during those years.
As far as Christmas Reflections, I think that mule has been beat over and over but every time it was determined to be a function of the city government. I know the County Attorney determined it was before I sent the first inmate to them when I was in charge of the jail. I also know the Sheriff's Association legal counsel found the same to be true when the Sheriff started helping them at the request of the city.
As far as persecuting anyone, where in the world did that come from? I thought the discussion was about instructional materials and their appropriateness. I looked at them and found them inadequate due to being inaccurate. Just a personal opinion. Disagreeing with me does not mean someone is persecuting me. We just don't agree on this issue.

Actually Danny you may have had more hair back then but you couldn't tell it because of the Trooper style hat you wore. Assuredly you were smaller than you are now. I don't have the images anymore but many of them were actually printed in the Defuniak paper. The one of the Church in DFS in particular.

The other Church was built using inmate labor from the ground up in Freeport. Those images also appeared in the Defuniak paper.

It is not a function of City Government to insure that Christmas lights from a private organization are hung on private properties around the lake yard. Closing off public roads and charging a fee for citizens to drive on those public roads is also NOT a function of City Government. All of it is done by a private organization using inmate labor for a private cause...promoting Christian beliefs!

The County Attorney determined it was ....would that be GR Miller by any chance? (If so, look at all the freaking trouble many of his legal opinions have caused.)

Since when did Haiku poems have to be historically correct? It's a poem for cripes sake. The hoopla over this BS is just the mention of the word Allah and Gordon Porter and his wife have their shorts in a knot over it. And you belong to that republican tea party convention of nut jobs.

Edited Oct 22, '14 · 4:50 PM

Banned

Oct 22, '14 · 4:38 PM#31

I'd be interested in hearing the current County Attorney's take on Christmas Reflections.

I actually think the current County Attorney should ask for the State Attorney General's opinion of Christmas Reflections. That would stop much of the mentality of "it's just the way we have always done things around here". Just because the City says so or the Sheriff's Association said so doesn't make it legal.

Edited Oct 22, '14 · 4:49 PM

Banned

Oct 22, '14 · 4:54 PM#32

Misty, I think you (in post #26) and poppy have a wide brush that you are painting all Christians. Now , that would actually be Christian persecution. Prior to that, I didn't feel persecuted.

I apologize for painting "ALL" Christians with the same brush. However I did say, I think the mindset predates Christ.

I probably should have said Tea Party Republican "Christians" in Walton County

Edited Oct 22, '14 · 5:20 PM

Banned

Oct 22, '14 · 5:33 PM#33

"republican tea party convention of nut jobs" :lol:

Beach Fanatic

Oct 22, '14 · 6:28 PM#34

There is no reasonable way to teach World History or Western Civilization without discussing the impact of various religions within a historical context. Are we to ignore the Ottoman Empire and its goals of creating a Muslim caliphate? Should we pretend the Crusades did not happen? Was the Reformation historically important? Why did Pilgrims decide to leave England? The list goes on and on. None of this is indoctrination, it's called education. It is much different than prayer and religiosity in school.

For those who want prayer in public schools, please share examples of prayers that you think are appropriate for all. Is it the Lord's Prayer, the Nicene Creed? The 27 Fundamental Beliefs of 7th Day Adventist? The Book of Mormon? Any number of Catholic catechisms?

Banned

Oct 22, '14 · 8:39 PM#35

I may be wrong I don't know...but I thought the issue was about the word "Allah" written in a Haiku poem, not about education or the historical significance of the role of religion in the world. I don't have issues with teachings about the various religions and I think our children should be enlightened/taught/educated about all religion and feel that every person has the inherent, fundamental right to choose which God they serve.

What bothers me about Christianity in general is "hell fire & damnation" that is taught to children from an early age. I remember as a child growing up being forced to bow my head in prayer (in public school) and being forced to recite the pledge of allegiance. Why do I have to pledge my allegiance to an inanimate object if I am a free citizen born and raised in this country? Why did I have to bow my head in prayer and pray to a God I had no knowledge of? My folks were not religious in any shape, form or fashion and as I got older and grew to understand other religions (while not actively participating in any of them) I did have an appreciation for people of different faiths and a healthy respect for all religion even if I didn't agree with them.

I think people have just as much right to lay down a prayer rug and pray to the east or pray as Catholics do to images of Saints or rub a Buddha's belly for health, wealth, and happiness even if it is something I wouldn't do or don't *believe* in. I think if we are truly free to worship then the Kuran should have a place on the courthouse lawn just like the nativity and all other religions should be represented there as well.

For the life of me I couldn't imagine telling my child he/she would burn in hell if they didn't practice my faith or the lack thereof and they were given the freedom to choose which God they served.

A universal prayer hasn't been invented yet and if there were the religious fundamentalist would start a war over it.

Edited Oct 22, '14 · 9:06 PM

SoWal ExpertAuthor

Oct 22, '14 · 8:56 PM#36

We had a "No Way This Happened" moment at our house today.

Neighbor comes to our door. A neighbor that has never been friendly. We actually looked at his house in 2006 and found it uninsurable at the time and needing too much work, so we passed. Anyway, I walk out, and Bdarg is talking to this guy who has come onto our property and told us we can no longer fly the Turkish flag at Thanksgiving. Get it- Turkey? :lol:

We found it in Apalachicola years ago and have always flown it at Thanksgiving for fun. Bdarg is pretty calm as this nutbag says we are flying the flag of "Muhammad" and we can't do that anymore because he is a Vietnam vet and it is offensive. Bdarg reminds the dumbass that Turkey has been a NATO member since 1972. Dumbass says he is a Vietnam veteran and we better not fly the flag or else. Bdarg asks is that is a threat. We asked him to leave immediately, and call the WCSD. The great deputy, who is also our neighbor (thank God) issues a trespass warning to the fool neighbor.

So this is what we have come to in Walton County? We were talking about the school district deal tonight with friends. The jaws dropped at the ignorance of it all. It is embarrassing for our county.

Beach Fanatic

Oct 22, '14 · 9:39 PM#37

Misty,

You are right. The issue started as a protest about the haiku, but the thread as you know is about the underlying message of intolerance. I think the great thing is that many people of no professed faith and many active participants in the Christian faith are calling BS on this "protest". Maybe one day our candidates will realize that agreeing with intolerance and xenophobic views is not the only way to get elected.

Banned

Oct 22, '14 · 9:44 PM#38

OMG...when reading this I am picturing a little flag with a turkey on it waving proudly from your house. LOL, when reality hit and I realized you meant a crescent moon and stars I had an uncontrollable fit of laughter.

No jdarg, this isn't what we have come to in Walton County...unfortunately it's just the way it's always been.

Beach Fanatic

Oct 22, '14 · 10:07 PM#39

We had a "No Way This Happened" moment at our house today. Neighbor comes to our door. A neighbor that has never been friendly. We actually looked at his house in 2006 and found it uninsurable at the time and needing too much work, so we passed. Anyway, I walk out, and Bdarg is talking to this guy who has come onto our property and told us we can no longer fly the Turkish flag at Thanksgiving. Get it- Turkey? We found it in Apalachicola years ago and have always flown it at Thanksgiving for fun. Bdarg is pretty calm as this nutbag says we are flying the flag of "Muhammad" and we can't do that anymore because he is a Vietnam vet and it is offensive. Bdarg reminds the dumbass that Turkey has been a NATO member since 1972. Dumbass says he is a Vietnam veteran and we better not fly the flag or else. Bdarg asks is that is a threat. We asked him to leave immediately, and call the WCSD. The great deputy, who is also our neighbor (thank God) issues a trespass warning to the fool neighbor. So this is what we have come to in Walton County? We were talking about the school district deal tonight with friends. The jaws dropped at the ignorance of it all. It is embarrassing for our county.

Ask your neighbor if he is a member of the local Mensa chapter. I would suggest you first explain the difference between Mensa and menses.

Beach Fanatic

Oct 22, '14 · 10:10 PM#40

How in the world does one person's actions lead anyone to the conclusion that everyone in Walton County is like that? That is simply unreasonable. In fact the guy would run into real problems in the North end, trying to tell someone what they can do on their own property. I personally do not care if you fly 50 flags of what ever type on your property. That is your business. Besides, flying a "Turkey" flag on Thanksgiving is ingenious and cute.

Beach Fanatic

Oct 22, '14 · 10:33 PM#41

Actually Danny you may have had more hair back then but you couldn't tell it because of the Trooper style hat you wore. Assuredly you were smaller than you are now. I don't have the images anymore but many of them were actually printed in the Defuniak paper. The one of the Church in DFS in particular.

The other Church was built using inmate labor from the ground up in Freeport. Those images also appeared in the Defuniak paper.

It is not a function of City Government to insure that Christmas lights from a private organization are hung on private properties around the lake yard. Closing off public roads and charging a fee for citizens to drive on those public roads is also NOT a function of City Government. All of it is done by a private organization using inmate labor for a private cause...promoting Christian beliefs!

The County Attorney determined it was ....would that be GR Miller by any chance? (If so, look at all the freaking trouble many of his legal opinions have caused.)

Since when did Haiku poems have to be historically correct? It's a poem for cripes sake. The hoopla over this BS is just the mention of the word Allah and Gordon Porter and his wife have their shorts in a knot over it. And you belong to that republican tea party convention of nut jobs.

I have never supervised inmates building or repairing churches in DFS or Freeport. I was never assigned to supervise inmate crews outside the jail period. Maybe you dreamed it happened? Or a fantasy perhaps? Maybe a case of mistaken identity of maybe another of the hundreds of officers who were employed by WCSO? Whatever.
The CA was NOT GR Miller, it was Burke in 2007. Bill Powers was the counsel for the FSA that reviewed it. I know there is a small group of individuals that have complained about Christmas Reflections for years and have never been able to gain much traction, mainly because the event is good for the businesses in DFS and brings positive publicity to the community. It is not sponsored by any church or religious group to my knowledge. It IS sponsored by the City of DeFuniak Springs. Since I do not live inside the city limits, I have no say in the matter either way.

I don't know if you are purposely misunderstanding or what but I have never said anything was wrong with writing poetry of any type. I have no way of knowing what anyone else's motivations are for their opposition or support for that matter. My crystal ball is on the fritz. I said that it is troubling to ME personally that a lesson in World History is not factually correct historically. It is a bad practice and should be corrected. That is MY opinion, not the opinion of any group or other individuals.

SWGB

Oct 23, '14 · 12:04 AM#42

Again Danny, not a lesson in world history, but a lesson in writing.

Beach Comber

Oct 23, '14 · 12:22 AM#43

Elevate this thread--
Brevity is a virtue,
Post haikus only!

Beach Fanatic

Oct 23, '14 · 1:22 AM#44

No LOCAL, the class was World History. The poems were being used to reinforce the lesson. But, lessons should be accurate in every class. Apparently many think this is a minor point, but, IMHO, if you settle for mediocre and half-way, then you get the results you ask for. Excellence in education starts with accuracy in your lessons. What message are you sending students when you use materials that are less than totally accurate? How do you grade their efforts and count off for mistakes when what you are teaching them is mistake filled?
I have no problem with schools teaching about religions, including Islam, in World History. So much of the story is driven by religion and our reactions to them. All I want is for the materials we pay dearly for to be accurate.

Beach Fanatic

Oct 23, '14 · 7:10 AM#45

Danny, I pointed this out in post #16, but will try again since you seem to have missed it and still consider this lesson incorrect.

“After studying ancient Persia and discussing contemporary ideas in world cultures, the example said, Allah is the one; Praise to him they all will cry; Islam is our life.”

Misty, thanks. I'm blessed to attend a Christian Church where we don't bash people over the head. And I can concur in being around a lot of those types of churches as a youth.

jdarg, that was just crazy. As the divide in this country widens, the folks on the far edge of either side get just a little more crazy.

Beach Fanatic

Oct 23, '14 · 7:53 AM#46

We had a "No Way This Happened" moment at our house today.

Neighbor comes to our door. A neighbor that has never been friendly. We actually looked at his house in 2006 and found it uninsurable at the time and needing too much work, so we passed. Anyway, I walk out, and Bdarg is talking to this guy who has come onto our property and told us we can no longer fly the Turkish flag at Thanksgiving. Get it- Turkey? We found it in Apalachicola years ago and have always flown it at Thanksgiving for fun. Bdarg is pretty calm as this nutbag says we are flying the flag of "Muhammad" and we can't do that anymore because he is a Vietnam vet and it is offensive. Bdarg reminds the dumbass that Turkey has been a NATO member since 1972. Dumbass says he is a Vietnam veteran and we better not fly the flag or else. Bdarg asks is that is a threat. We asked him to leave immediately, and call the WCSD. The great deputy, who is also our neighbor (thank God) issues a trespass warning to the fool neighbor.

So this is what we have come to in Walton County? We were talking about the school district deal tonight with friends. The jaws dropped at the ignorance of it all. It is embarrassing for our county.

I would be LMAO except he probably has multiple weapons.

Banned

Oct 23, '14 · 8:46 AM#47

Danny Glidewell wrote:

I don't know if you are purposely misunderstanding or what but I have never said anything was wrong with writing poetry of any type.

You Danny, are the one who seems to have a problem understanding this was not a lesson in history! It was a discussion about a cultural (Japanese) form of writing poetry called Haiku.

Beach Fanatic

Oct 23, '14 · 9:26 AM#48

We had a "No Way This Happened" moment at our house today.

Neighbor comes to our door. A neighbor that has never been friendly. We actually looked at his house in 2006 and found it uninsurable at the time and needing too much work, so we passed. Anyway, I walk out, and Bdarg is talking to this guy who has come onto our property and told us we can no longer fly the Turkish flag at Thanksgiving. Get it- Turkey? We found it in Apalachicola years ago and have always flown it at Thanksgiving for fun. Bdarg is pretty calm as this nutbag says we are flying the flag of "Muhammad" and we can't do that anymore because he is a Vietnam vet and it is offensive. Bdarg reminds the dumbass that Turkey has been a NATO member since 1972. Dumbass says he is a Vietnam veteran and we better not fly the flag or else. Bdarg asks is that is a threat. We asked him to leave immediately, and call the WCSD. The great deputy, who is also our neighbor (thank God) issues a trespass warning to the fool neighbor.

So this is what we have come to in Walton County? We were talking about the school district deal tonight with friends. The jaws dropped at the ignorance of it all. It is embarrassing for our county.

That is so incredibly screwed up. Apparently the only "turkish" thing he knows about is the tobacco in his Camels. He might be a veteran, but he isnt a historian..or maybe Christian for that matter...look up Constantinople dip****.

Beach Fanatic

Oct 23, '14 · 1:08 PM#49

Jdarg, please don't post these kind of things. It gives us VietNam vets who feel we have a modicum of common sense and respectibility a bad name. I'm kidding, of course. That anyone, vet or not, would be so stupid is hilarious. It is a sign of our times, I guess. If I don't like it, you can't do it.

Banned

Oct 23, '14 · 8:57 PM#50

Did any of you read WZEP's website on this issue and what Attorney Ben Holley had to say about it?

Another fine example of the Tea Party convention?

Beach Fanatic

Oct 23, '14 · 9:19 PM#51

Jdarg, please don't post these kind of things. It gives us VietNam vets who feel we have a modicum of common sense and respectibility a bad name. I'm kidding, of course. That anyone, vet or not, would be so stupid is hilarious. It is a sign of our times, I guess. If I don't like it, you can't do it.

It honestly is disrespectful to other vets. Stupidity doesn't know rank, but it knows class!