Wisconsin schools nix Civil War re-enactment battle

[82Rigger]

APPLETON — A school program designed to offer fifth-graders a feel for conditions faced by soldiers during the Civil War will no longer include its most popular feature.

The daylong education program will proceed as before, but without the 20- to 30-minute battle segment, Judy Baseman, assistant superintendent for the Appleton Area School District, said Wednesday.

The battle segment was scratched after a group of parents raised concerns it conflicts with violence-prevention efforts and a district policy banning look-alike weapons at schools.

Jamie Cronce, 17, who participated in the mock battle as a Huntley Elementary School fifth-grader in 2003, said Wednesday she understands the district's position but disagrees with it.

"I can see where they are coming from" on the policy question, said Cronce, a junior at Appleton North High School. "But I don't think they should be altering the lessons they are teaching because of school policies."

Cronce said this year's student participants are bound to be disappointed.
"The battle was like the climax of the whole day," she recalled. "It was what everyone was looking forward to. I guess (school leaders) are looking at how violent it was, but that's how history was."

Parents of the nearly 800 fifth-graders scheduled participate in this year's Civil War programs learned of the change in letters distributed March 5.
The letter stated the battle portion of the re-enactment was dropped to fit with district policy "related to weapons" and efforts to promote "the desired school climate."

[revwardoc]

Another example of the white-washing of US history. The poor precious snowflakes might be traumatized by the fact that war was and still is a very violent endeavor. These are same kids you take to a zoo and can convince them that it's safe to pet the great big kitty with the orange and black stripes because all cats are cute and cuddly.

I once took part in a small Rev War re-enactment we set up for kids in a local city. As the regimental surgeon I spoke with the kids about the horrors of the surgical methods of the day. It was a very warm day and the kids hadn't had a break and were very fatigued. During my talk one of the kids passed out. This triggered a chain reaction where 2 more dropped and a few were sick. The school vice-principal came down hard on me and ordered me off the school grounds, so I started packing up my gear. This asshat continued to berate me until I literally went nose-to-nose with him and told him that I got his point several minutes early in his tirade and if he didn't back off immediately we would go out behind the school where I would teach him the error of his ways. That startled him and he walked away. And that's just one example of how people would rather bury their heads in the sand and keep the snowflakes from the truth. PC SUCKS!

[Packo]

better than what Revdoc said....except I know the real reason they stopped it. The kids playing the Confederates kept kicking the Yankee's asses.

J.E.B. PACK

[b3196]

Pack
You're getting kicking confused with kissing

[DMZ-LT]

Play along with these rebel peckerwoods , their women are good looking and easy

[39mto39g]

No more cowboys and Idians for 5th graders also, Sit at home in front of the TV and eat cake, Play Halo.

Ron

[b3196]

Pack
Disregard that last post about kicking and kissing. You guys should have won that war. Especially with all the numba 1 boom-boom and low jobs we got as we passed through the south. We didn't wanna fight, we just came down for a little "short-time". Its your lack of southern humor while we were plowin' your wimmen that forced us to button up our pants,take up arms and defend ourselves and your wimmen

[Packo]

But as we retreated, we put dresses on our farm animals. Y'all didn't know the difference considerin' what you had up North. It's why today John still thinks they're easy. Good news is, we still have the prettiest girls in the world, bad news....we got the ugliest animals.

J.E.B. PACK

[b3196]

Packo
WRONG!!!!....and I'm sure John can help me out here......Your sheep are cute as a button.
John's date on the mtn the last 3 years was the envy of all us northerners.

[Keith_Hixson]

Ain't this a great therapy session I'm having with these two deviants?

Thee Therapist.

Keith