Slight Correction

So journalistic neophytes will be tempted to cite the infamous “Dewey Wins” (actually the headline reads “Dewey Defeats Truman”; but if I really thought it was a mistake I would simply delete the 12/30 post and pretend it never happened. Just consider it an inevitable prognostication.

Ultimate Fitness, true to the sign posted two weeks ago, reopened for business yesterday. Hmmm…Bummer!

Their hours are reduced until the start of the semester 1/28. Goes to show how much they target the students. No explanation for taking off the biggest week in the Health Club industry for new (non-student of course) sign ups.

And so they will continue to beat on like boats against the (muddy) current...

Almost gone...

The $64,000 question

NOTE: THIS UPLOAD IS RATED R (but if teenagers can use the word...)

In a message dated 1/5/08 9:25:06 AM, Amherst AC writes:
Jere,
So what did we mean by "portions of"?
Larry

In a message dated 1/5/08 1:21:54 PM, hochmanj@ARPS.ORG writes:
Larry
Lots of details to work on this.

On your "portions" question - last time there was a scene or two omitted or modified. I have questions for this performance and what's included and what's not.

We'll have the same restrictions on age for attendance (last time no middle schoolers or below) and parent permission for others. Parent permission to be a participant. No school day or assembly type performance. Done in context of a week of awareness raising. In other words, choice for those who want to be near it with parent permission and choice for those who don't want to be near it.

Some context - last year the students wanted to do the show. They did the performance off campus in Northampton. Principal (who was not here last time) found it to be an important performance.

I continue to struggle with this (and I did last time, too). It's high school. I get that. These are teenagers. I get that. On the other hand, the world of sex and violence to which they are exposed is outside of our control and the messages are horrendous and they are routine. The movies - the music - and the stories from their college campuses. And although the language and content of this show is as extreme of some of those exposures, it is a message presented in a way that counters much of negative messages they see and hear in the real world.

As I left the performance last time, what struck me was the message that the young men in attendance got. Yes - there was laughter, language, and sexual references - but there was also a powerful message that I have to think continues to run through their minds as they are now young men on college campuses, in fraternities, and out in that real world. The Duke lacrosse team members were not guilty of rape - but two messages came out of that event: that such situations DO occur on campuses (and in spite of what the media does not cover, there is sexual violence on campuses) and what was forgotten was that a group of young men hired strippers for a regular old college party. Perhaps a dose of a few scenes of the performance would get them to think twice.

So - with that - and drawing a circle around it so only those with permission and readiness to attend/participate do so, that may be the balance to strike for high school - and for those who don't get the message - perhaps they get it in other ways as they get older.

Finally - this fits in with recent efforts at raising awareness and focusing on responsiveness for student well-being and safety. We had a committee of counselors and teachers address the issue of a "code of silence" among students and adults. What we learned was that such a code does exist - that students do have incidents and issues - and many do not tell a trained adult. Bullying - internet bullying - all that students are exposed to on the internet - it's only getting worse. We have been addressing that with faculty and staff all year starting with identifying boundaries for the adults and their responsibility as "first responders" to kids and adults with issues. We spend a lot of time on calculus and our six world languages - but these issues, too, are important and who/what Amherst is. If we push the envelope, it will be researched and well-thought out.

More than you asked, but I feel I owe you as much explanation as possible.
Jere

In a message dated 1/5/08 1:33:45 PM, Amherst AC writes:
Hey Jere,
Yeah, a bit more than I asked for. Let me rephrase: Are you going to allow "Reclaiming Cunt" monologue?
Larry

In a message dated 1/5/08 2:18:25 PM, hochmanj@ARPS.ORG writes:
I'll get back to you on that.
Jere

In a message dated 1/5/08 2:26:42 PM, Amherst AC writes:
Her Jere,
And while you're at it: "The little Coochie Snorcher" is #2 on my list. You know, the one where a 24-year-old has sex with a 16-year-old after warming her up with alcohol (and in Ensler's original 1996 edition she was only 14 years old).
Larry

Sunday: 11:45 am. Now that I think about it there are two questions: Will ARHS censor that particularly offensive 'VM' skit (thus vindicating my 2004 crusade) and will the Superintendent of the Amherst Schools actually use the C-word in writing?

She'ssss baaaack! (Ensler that is)

As I recently mentioned in my comments section to Blog Guru Tommy Devine, my only regret concerning this blog (started March 17’th, St Patty's Day) equaled the one I had over my hip replacement surgery: why the Hell did I wait so long?!

For the surgery I simply thought I was way too young; and for blogging I was unsure if enough material would present itself for my musings at least 5 days per week or roughly the publishing schedule of the Crusty Gazette.

So as I’m driving home this morning from dropping my daughter off at the Chinese Charter School (conveniently located next to my Health Club) I flip open the Gazette to the break page scanning headlines while driving to see if they got around to covering Fitness Club closings yet: Nope. But I spot a headline on the Boy Scout Christmas tree tax debacle and I figured there’s today's upload.

Ahh, but then (now sitting at home with coffee in hand) I turn the page: ‘Amherst Regional High School to perform Vagina Monologues.’ Wow, we’ve come a long way: the crusty Gazette used to never allow the word "Vagina" in a headline. Gee, maybe they have progressed to where they will also use the "C-word" (rhymes with bunt.)

Yes folks hold on to your hats, it is going to be a Hell of a ride. The last time (2004) the Amherst High School allowed teen-agers to publicly perform R-rated material it was announced the first week of December.

After all, V-Day is Ensler’s way of trying to reinvent Valentine’s Day (just like she tried to reinvent the "C-word"), thus the play is performed around mid-February, nationwide. Which of course doesn’t give the kiddies much time to reherse.

And it's a pretty safe bet that--like in 2004--no other K-12 school system in America will allow this embarrassing travesty, thus making Amherst the ONLY entity to cancel a production of 'West Side Story' but allow 'Vagina Monologues'.

And you would think a disjointed School system--with four-out-of-six principals having just abandoned ship and a long-time teacher busted for kiddie porn--would have better things to do then spend the next six weeks defending this controversial, ‘Only In Amherst,’ decision.

UPDATE (4:20 pm): Just received this weekly email from highly-paid Superintendent Jere Hochman to the schools listserve:

HIGH SCHOOL PERFORMANCES
You may have read or heard by now that there will be a production of portions of the "Vagina Monologues" at the High School this year. This is a single performance and is part of a week of activities and awareness raising on women's rights, safety, and responsiveness. Although the performance is important with powerful messages, we are mindful this not for everybody. As was the case in the previous production four years ago, several parameters will be placed on production. Details are still being worked out on these parameters, but they will include the same "parent permission" approach for student participation and student attendance; no school day or assembly performance; and others.

For those not familiar with our high school programs, this is not the single annual "school play" or musical. "AIDA," this year's school musical, will be performed later this year. The annual High School Cabaret is this weekend and several other musical and drama performances have occurred and will take place this year.


Of course I’m a tad curious about the term “portions of the Vagina Monologues”??? Four years when I suggested they simply edit out the Monologue that used the “C-word” repeatedly, or the other one that glorified sex between a minor female and adult women who plied her with alcohol (suggesting that since it was a lesbian affair it was fine) that would be, borderline, acceptable.

But Her Highness Eve Ensler legally REQUIRED her artistic masterpiece be performed as written and it was all or nothing. Hmmm...

Twin sentinels withstanding the test of time

And the winner is...

Okay if the bricks-and-mortar Media can recycle the tired, traditional, Top Ten stories of the past year I suppose this blog can name the single most important story in the People’s Republic of Amherst for 2007. Of course if I were a clever blogger you would have a drum roll MP3 file to click.

The May 1’st Proposition Two and a half Override FAILURE. I emphasize failure because if it had passed the story would have been one of those journalistic “dog bites man” stories and would barely have made anyone’s top-ten list BUT...because it failed in education oriented, overly enlightened Amherst it's a “man bites dog story.”

Why did it fail? Let me count the ways! The oldest martial arts truism in the 'Book Of Secrets' unequivocally states: “Never underestimate your opponent.” In this case, Overriders didn’t even know they had opponents until after heavy artillery had been brought to bear.

With ample ammunition: like the $4.3 million Amherst had hidden in reserves thus translating to town officials wanting taxpayers to consume their savings so the town could keep money stashed in its Stabilization and Free Cash accounts (currently at $3.9 million.)

The Town Manager made the rookie--throwback to the 1980’s--mistake of threatening cuts to Public Safety that he would never implement (although, unfortunately, Police did take a hit); and he turned down a guaranteed $30,000 annually for a retched municipal golf course that squandered an average of $100,000 per year for six consecutive years.

And for some inexplicable reason all the Heavy-Hitter, Usual Suspects in the 'Save our Schools' crowd let a guy who had absolutely no political experience whatsoever run their inept campaign.



Overconfident Overriders failed to order lawn signs; and that monumental mistake plus some immature High School kids stealing the “No More Overrides” lawns signs the first night they sprouted all over town, combined for a Perfect Storm of publicity. One clueless kid was caught by police after dropping his cell phone and paid $250 in restitution that Taxpayers for Responsible Change donated to local charities.

Of course all the dire predictions failed to materialize and the Regional School finished the year with an extra $1 million left over in their operation budget (which they promptly spent) and no teacher layoffs. Now we learn Amherst taxpayers subsidize the Ambulance service we provide to nearby towns and Umass by about $650,000 per year. And those empty outreach buses cost just over $100,000.

Thus, town officials have their managerial work cut out for them in 2008—especially since an Override is out of the question. But hey, that’s why we pay them the Big Bucks.

My Christmas wishes (A leprechaun granted me three) for next year: The Grinch/Scrooge Town Manager learns from his most recent mistake and axes the tax on our Boy Scouts Christmas tree sales; Amherst police catch the culprit who stole money destined for children from the Christmas light display on Whippletree lane; and the Chamber of Commerce actually decorates downtown Amherst like an American town rather than a North Korean village.

30

A crime against children.

So in spite of some sick Grinch stealing a day’s worth of Christmas donations, the Pastorello’s epic light show--unfortunately their grand finale--on Whippletree Lane went over the top for overall donations going to help children at the Shriners Chrildren Hospital, surpassing a record set in 2001.

Since the crusty Gazette (amazingly) managed to get the article in today about the depressing theft Sunday night and the Pastorello’s mentioned they only needed $29 to break the record I dropped off a check this morning for $30 (note to thief: It’s made out to Shriners Children Hospital, so don’t bother returning to the scene of your despicable crime.)

And I can only hope a lot more folks in Amherst got the same idea as me and dropped off a check as well.