Cairo Association of Teachers - Newsletter



CAT Tracks for December 8, 2007
CONTROVERSY IN DE SOTO


From the KFVS TV Channel 12 Web site...


The Golden Compass Controversy

By: Arnold Wyrick

DE SOTO, Ill. - It's fast becoming one of the most talked about movies of the year. Now, "The Golden Compass" is causing some controversy in southern Illinois, even before it opens in local theaters.

It all started with a note sent home to some parents in the De Soto Consolidated School District. The note comes from the Parent Teacher Organization at the school warning parents about taking their kids to see the movie, basing their warnings on the fact that the author of the trilogy Phillip Pullman is a well known atheist.

Some parents were upset to read such a note coming home with their kids on Wednesday afternoon.

"I was actually kind of shocked and a little surprised. My son said I can't go see the movie because of the school and the teacher said I couldn't. It's not their place," said Gidgyt Glisson of Elkville.

"It seems like deceit and false information that people who haven't read the book are giving to parents, teachers and students. And it should not be opinionated in a public school. They should be brought in as facts," said Abraham Clause of Elkville.

Superintendent Mark Bullock says the PTO did approach him over their concerns about the movie and asked him what they could and couldn't do about notifying parents.

"Most of the things that are distributed have to go through my office, and get my okay. And once I okay them, I initial them at the bottom of the paper. And as you can see this note does not have that. It was not approved and they were told why it couldn't be approved," Bullock said.

So now, the school district must correct the path taken by the PTO when it comes to the students and their parents, and "The Golden Compass."

"We're in the process of composing a letter that will go out to those parents who received this note and let them know that it did not come from the school," Bullock said.