My child has to answer a true/false question about * serving in TANG

[northstar]

for school (7th grade). The kids are supposed to read two articles - one about * and one about Kerry and then answer the questions true/false.

Well, if you just go by the selected article, the answer to choose is 'true'....but, ehm, if you know a lil bit more, that the subject is 'controversial' right now....

My question is, what advice do I give to my lil darlin' (who knows the 'story' so far) on what/if anything to say at school?

---------------
Btw, out of the five questions asked about the two articles - one question each was a direct question about the candidates.

Bush question:
President Bush served in the Texas Air National Guard during the Vietnam War. True/False

Kerry question:
John F. Kerry led the antiwar movement when he was a student at Yale University. True/False

(In fairness, once I read the article given, it does a GREAT job explaining the whole thing quickly - (most) anyone who reads the article will choose 'false' - for several reasons - (i.e., he didn't lead the movement, sequencing wrong - Kerry graduated Yale, then served in Vietnam, then became disillusioned and spoke up about it, etc.) But then again, these are 7th graders (and their parents read this too perhaps, so I dunno....

[Syncronaut Seven]

1. Excellent opportunity for a didactic on

Life in America! Honest truth, or success. They seem to be mutually exclusive concepts today.

[kentuck]

2. Answers:

1. True but he went AWOL..
2.False but he did protest the war after returning form Vietnam with the Silver Star, the Bronze Star for Valor, and three Purple Hearts.

[northstar]

12. The article does mention Kerry's Silver Star, Bronze Star for combat valor

and his three purple hearts. The article does justice to Kerry's record, the part I'm bothered about is the 'silence' about *'s record, or lack thereof....the controversy about being AWOL and not fulfilling his duty, etc. Should we even mention the possiblity of * wearing awards that were not earned?

That NONE of this is mentioned while at the same time mentioning he served in the TANG is what gets me! If they don't want to mention the controversy, than his service in TANG should've never been brought up in the first place.

(I'm not upset with you, btw, I'm just upset with all of this nonsense - I'll bet you understand)

[demwing]

3. And people wonder why I home school my kids

Isn't it clear that this is designed to push a meme?

"Bush Served in Military During Vietnam"

and

"Kerry Went To College And Protested The War"

[quaoar]

4. Those questions are loaded

Sort of like Gallup poll questions.

[neonplaque]

5. If the teacher who created this 'test' isn't a Bush supporter...

I'll eat my right foot. Where is this school district located?

edit:typo

[northstar]

6. This 'test' is from a national school magazine for children

eom

[neonplaque]

7. NATIONAL? that's scary. n/t

[seabeyond]

8. bush question circle both.

and when the teacher asks, she can say he served and then went awol for a year. so it was both true and false. and if she doesnt get an a fine, this is bigger than a grade

[Jack Rabbit]

9. The statement about Bush is true

He did serve in the TANG at the time of the Vietnam War. However, he did not fulfill his obligation to the National Guard. Nevertheless, it is at least technically true.

[Maddy McCall]

10. If it were my son...and he has answered questions like this before...

He would circle true and then write "when he wasn't AWOL" out in the margin.

Seriously. He does stuff like this. :-)

[glitch]

13. You proud parent you - good work! nt

[cheshire]

11. Make sure you sent a note to teacher and correct here. Not sure this

is the way they should be going about things. Sort of biased but I recall the crap I learned about the white man in my history. All one sided.

[northstar]

14. ONE other thing that bothers me in these articles......

Bush article:
"Like his father, George attended Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts and Yale University."

Kerry article:
"Because of his father's diplomatic career, John spent much of his childhood in European capitals. In 1957, his parents sent him to St. Paul's in Concord, New Hampshire, one of the nation's top prep schools."

Well, forgive me if I'm wrong here, but isn't Phillips Academy one of THE top prep schools in the country?

[ParanoidPat]

15. True*

* There has been no proof provided that George W. Bush ever completed his National Guard duty. :evilgrin:

[northstar]

16. Thank You .... I think that's a perfect response for my 7th grader to give

:-)

[Kimber Scott]

17. He DID serve in the TANG. (He just didn't finish.) Answer: True.

nt.