Politics: The Dark Ages edition

[dark_crystal]

i am not 100% sure this is the right thread for this- but it was the closest i could find and i didn't weant to start a whole new one

plus how can you derail a thread that has been inactive for months and months?

i just have a question, but it does have political implications-

my boss suggested this morning that i offer a computer class specifically geared and marketed toward homeschoolers

i KNOW a lot of homeschoolers are nice non-scary people, but in our service area it is 99% new-earth creationists who can only be assumed to be virulaently anti-agy (i know that is a gross generalization but pretty safe around here, srsly)

i said that i would rather not and suggested that the Children's librarian might be better suited. The reason i gave was "homophobic religious fundamentalists give me the heebie-jeebies" (i am out at work)

now i am worried that my refusal might reflect badly on me professionally.

what do ya'll think?

[katsarecool]

I applaud your bravery!!! Your boss should be proud of standing up for your beliefs. I hope it goes well!

[Linus]

Originally Posted by dark_crystal

i am not 100% sure this is the right thread for this- but it was the closest i could find and i didn't weant to start a whole new one

plus how can you derail a thread that has been inactive for months and months?

i just have a question, but it does have political implications-

my boss suggested this morning that i offer a computer class specifically geared and marketed toward homeschoolers

i KNOW a lot of homeschoolers are nice non-scary people, but in our service area it is 99% new-earth creationists who can only be assumed to be virulaently anti-agy (i know that is a gross generalization but pretty safe around here, srsly)

i said that i would rather not and suggested that the Children's librarian might be better suited. The reason i gave was "homophobic religious fundamentalists give me the heebie-jeebies" (i am out at work)

now i am worried that my refusal might reflect badly on me professionally.

what do ya'll think?

I think it's important to stand up to your beliefs. Unless your boss can ensure a safe and welcoming work environment for you and the clients, then it's important that they understand that this might not be a safe work environment for you.

And if I may redirect a little bit.. The homeschooling thought, however, does dove-tail nicely into this thread because I've begun to wonder, based on comments by various politicians **coughOdonellcough** if the "intelligence" level we are seeing is the result of home schooling. I mean, it boggles the mind that the basic concept -- derived from the 1st Amendment -- isn't known as part of American history. In fact, many seem to want to rewrite history and ignore huge swaths of it. Given the number of these kinds of candidates that are running what does it mean for the American gov't?

[Jess]

Originally Posted by dark_crystal

i am not 100% sure this is the right thread for this- but it was the closest i could find and i didn't weant to start a whole new one

plus how can you derail a thread that has been inactive for months and months?

i just have a question, but it does have political implications-

my boss suggested this morning that i offer a computer class specifically geared and marketed toward homeschoolers

i KNOW a lot of homeschoolers are nice non-scary people, but in our service area it is 99% new-earth creationists who can only be assumed to be virulaently anti-agy (i know that is a gross generalization but pretty safe around here, srsly)

i said that i would rather not and suggested that the Children's librarian might be better suited. The reason i gave was "homophobic religious fundamentalists give me the heebie-jeebies" (i am out at work)

now i am worried that my refusal might reflect badly on me professionally.

what do ya'll think?

I too applaud you for standing up for your personal/political beliefs.

Unfortunately, we are a society in which our "personal" IS our "political". We see it everywhere we turn, especially with mid-term elections less than a week away.

I hope your employer recalls why they hired you. Your resume and the skill set you bring to the table. Too often office politics are the same as our government. The resume doesn't count and folks vote from their personal likes/dislikes, agreements/ disagreeing point of views and half of it is based on nothing more than their own personal needs/wants/biases and not for the greater good. The scathing tv ads coming from both parties is more than proof enough.

. I truly hope you don't suffer any backlash from this, and maybe, just maybe your position as a direct straightforward employee with personal integrity will be the focus.

[Jess]

Originally Posted by Linus

I think it's important to stand up to your beliefs. Unless your boss can ensure a safe and welcoming work environment for you and the clients, then it's important that they understand that this might not be a safe work environment for you.

And if I may redirect a little bit.. The homeschooling thought, however, does dove-tail nicely into this thread because I've begun to wonder, based on comments by various politicians **coughOdonellcough** if the "intelligence" level we are seeing is the result of home schooling. I mean, it boggles the mind that the basic concept -- derived from the 1st Amendment -- isn't known as part of American history. In fact, many seem to want to rewrite history and ignore huge swaths of it. Given the number of these kinds of candidates that are running what does it mean for the American gov't?

OK, that freaked me out enough I had to wiki her ( O'Donell's) bio. LOL! She attended a mainstream high school, so we can't blame it on that.

However, interesting bit.. her dad was a part time substitute for Bozo The Clown! Now, don't get me wrong, as a kid, I loved some Bozo, however, I'm not sure I would want him helping me learn to vote. LOL!

[Linus]

Originally Posted by Jess

OK, that freaked me out enough I had to wiki her ( O'Donell's) bio. LOL! She attended a mainstream high school, so we can't blame it on that.

However, interesting bit.. her dad was a part time substitute for Bozo The Clown! Now, don't get me wrong, as a kid, I loved some Bozo, however, I'm not sure I would want him helping me learn to vote. LOL!

Then either her teachers missed some stuff or she was distracted (it was the 80s so all that hair spray and shoulder pads might have done it -- and I say this as someone who was in HS at that time). Either way, I was rather shocked that even I knew that.. and I'm NOT American.

[dark_crystal]

Originally Posted by katsarecool

I applaud your bravery!!! Your boss should be proud of standing up for your beliefs. I hope it goes well!

Originally Posted by Linus

I think it's important to stand up to your beliefs. Unless your boss can ensure a safe and welcoming work environment for you and the clients, then it's important that they understand that this might not be a safe work environment for you.

Originally Posted by Jess

I too applaud you for standing up for your personal/political beliefs....I truly hope you don't suffer any backlash from this, and maybe, just maybe your position as a direct straightforward employee with personal integrity will be the focus.

thanks ya'll....i am pretty sure it will be fine. The American Library Association was the first professional association to support GLBT rights, and the leadership at this library is very liberal, and my boss said she totally "got" why i was uncomfortable...my only concern is that if the children's librarian is asked to do it, and it comes out that i refused and why- THAT might offend the Children's director, cuz she's a Bible-thumper

But Linus mentioning the term "safe work environment" reminds me that i can use it lol- and if i don't feel safe and i say so, that will be enough

thanks again ya'll