June 2, 2009

Controversy in the classroom continues at an Albemarle County middle school. Not only are what some see as left wing classroom decorations drawing attention, now some people are questioning an end of the year assignment.

Recently the talk has been about bumper stickers in teacher Margie Shepherd’s classroom at Henley Middle School in Crozet. Now some of the attention is focusing on the Peace by Piece project.

“Students are asked to just think about how they could make the world a better place for all of us and are asked to create some type of craft that we then have for sale at a silent auction to benefit a different cause each year,” said Henley principal Patrick McLauglin.

Radio talk show host Rob Schilling says this project amounts to indoctrinating the children with the teacher's politics. Schilling argues that students were given a biased list of topics to choose from, but students say that wasn’t the case.

“A lot of them are on your personal ideas. If you like one idea more than another you pick that topic, but I think it’s whatever you believe in,” said Henley student Mitchell Ford.

“I think that’s just kind of a generalization because you weren’t limited to the topic list. There have been kids in the past who just sanded or built or painted furniture and they said that people just need to sit back and relax,” said Henley student Mary Kate Jacobs.

McLaughlin says teachers must present both sides when teaching a controversial issue and he says Margie Shepherd did nothing wrong.

“The list was not a list of topics. It was a list of ideas just to get students to start thinking about what types of things they would like to do and it really runs the gamut of just about anything you could imagine for this Peace by Piece project, “ said McLauglin.

Students will display the projects at the school silent auction on Wednesday.

Schilling will also appear as a guest on the Fox News Channel Wednesday morning to talk about this issue.
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A few bumper stickers and posters at an Albemarle County middle school have some people sounding off. Bumper stickers poking fun at Alaska governor Sarah Palin and posters about peace and Mother Earth have agitated radio talk show host Rob Schilling who first brought the situation to light on his website.

Albemarle County school leaders are defending Henley Middle School teacher, Margie Sheppard. The educators are claiming Sheppard has a right to display visual items all over her classroom just as long as the items follow both school board and state policy.

Albemarle County's history coordinator says there's nothing wrong with the display because Sheppard has counterbalancing posters in other locations of the room.

“She has what most of our teachers have, a variety of materials…the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights. She has the national motto, maps and then depending on what units are being taught there will be both student work or there will be other types of materials that are going to help,” said Patricia Hughes, History Coordinator, Albemarle County Public Schools.

Schilling says regardless of the other items, a display like the Sarah Palin bingo board is just plain tasteless.

Instead of a "free space" the words “air space” are written above Palin's head.

“I think having a picture of the Governor of Alaska who happens to be a Republican who was the vice presidential candidate and implying that she's an airhead is completely inappropriate no matter what else you have posted in the classroom,” said Schilling.

School officials say they're standing behind Sheppard and are encouraging parents with questions or concerns to call the school.

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