Overheard at Table 4

Carlene Zickafoose: and then the principal comes on and tells us that because the parents were now so outraged that the whole thing was going to be called off.



Belen: So what were you gonna do instead?



Carlene: I dunno, maybe he'll just have them draw or something, but I swear, I saw the letter, and it never said anything that these little third grade boys were gonna be forced to dress up in a corset and petticoats - I mean, it's just for women's history, and they were just going to SEE what women had to put up with, and still do!



Belen: but you say it was one mother who stirred up the papers?



Carlene: no, she just blasted it to her Facebook friends, and you know everyone has ten THOUSAND friends and stink minds stink alike so finally it got to some hate monger with a media outlet and next thing you know they're skewering the entire school saying we're trying to "feminize" the boys to promote some sort of gay agenda!



Belen: That just sucks.



Carlene: I tell you, some people just don't deserve Internet access. All this instant technology just makes my stomach hurt!

Belen: Actually, y'know what's really funny is how all this mess shows how the world has both changed and has stayed the same . . . forty years ago if a teacher sent home a note about a project that talked about how women's clothes had changed over time, the same people would be throwing their torches and pitchforks against the school for promoting a "feminist" agenda . . . and now, the same thing happens and the ignorant villagers are fighting the ghosts of a "gay" agenda.

Carlene: Yeah, but back then we WERE promoting a feminist agenda . . . and to be honest, this project was supposed to just be a continuation of that. Honest to God there was nothing gay about it.

Belen: Never said the ignorant villagers were smart. Just that they find every reason to promote an "anti-gay" agenda.

Carlene: Striking out against ghosts . . . I like that. Shadows of their own hate.