You Say You Want a Revolution

Ashlynn came home from school the other day with news. At her school, they don't have full time PE teachers. Each teacher is responsible for the PE curriculum for their individual classrooms. At the school there are 2 male 6th grade teachers and 2 female 6th grade teachers. Apparently the female teachers have been teaching gymnastics and rhythmic dance for PE and the male teachers have been teaching the more classic soccer and basketball for PE. Ashlynn has a male teacher, so you can imagine how she feels when she sees that she is required to play baseball while other kids are doing gymnastics. "Girl Sports" vs. "Boy Sports". So much for our feminist girl power talks.

So she came home the other day with news that the girls in her class signed a petition stating that they wanted more girl sports. I could tell she was dancing around some info. So I asked her casually if by chance she had written the petition herself.

"I might have!" was her reply, with a proud twinkle in her eye.

I told her I supported her in her movement as long as she was being respectful to her teacher. Then I wrote a little note to her teacher.

I hear my daughter has been involved (read: instigating) a little political activism. I hope she is being respectful while starting a revolution in your class room. Please let me know if she isn't, otherwise I'll stay out of her Sixth-grade, anti-feminist, reinstatement of gender- stereotypical movement.

Sincerely,

Kate Rober

His reply:
 

LOL - she brought her signed proposal to me and left it on my desk.  In addition, she pleaded her case during PE.  I will talk to Mr. F. regarding gymnastics - it's been a lot of years since I attended Byers but I'll see what we can do. :)  I admire her "spunk" and willingness to speak up - it's one of her greatest assets.

Thanks - Nate

My response:

She has never been lacking in the spunk department, sometimes she can take things a little too far though. That's why I wanted to check with you. And I like how, single-handedly, she is setting the feminist movement back 20 years. I guess all of those "girl power" talks we've had have made her confident enough to use phrases like "girl sports"

and "boy sports". Thanks for understanding.

And if your gymnastics is a little rusty, might I suggest ribbon dancing, aerobics, interpretive dance or square dancing...

Or better yet, make her teach the class some of her clogging skills.

Just a thought...

Only Slightly Joking,

Kate Rober

A couple of days later I kept her home from school, sick with the flu and received this email:
 

Ashlynn sick today or is she protesting? (joke)

Things are never dull with Ashlynn around! Boom Baby!