F ³: They Knew the Drill

 

From kindergarten onward, they knew the drill. They did as they were told. At the signal - - instantly silent. Brains scrambled with fear, bodies submitting to the well-practiced ritual. 

• Lights off
• Doors locked
• Windows covered 
• Hiding places secured
• Complete silence

None of these things brought about the magic that they desperately craved. If only I am good, they thought, I will be safe. There will be no more shootings. I won’t have nightmares. Mommy won’t cry when she watches the news.

In school they learned that hurting people was wrong and that when a bigger person targets a smaller one it is called bullying. Stronger forces oppressing weaker ones was to be censured, not admired. Standing up to protect others is good.

But what they learned most of all were the incantations pronounced by a series of adults from year to year:

You may begin. Turn the page. Put your pencil down.  Put your head on your desk. This is a lockdown.

They did as they were told. They never stopped being afraid. Or maybe they just became numb.

In the Spring of 2024 they did what ‘grown-up’ children are supposed to do. They remembered the lessons of childhood. 

Hurting people is wrong. When a bigger person targets a smaller one it is called bullying. Stronger forces dominating weaker ones are to be censured, not admired. Standing up to protect others is good.

In colleges across the country those very same children are picking up their heads, putting down their pencils and standing up for something they believe in.

But - - they are not doing as they were told.

For this their own schools have turned against them. Places of learning have opened their doors to militarized police units in order to suppress them. They have been beaten and arrested along with professors who came to bear witness. These young people have spent all of their lives training to avoid school shootings because adults - - who had the power to do so - - would not enact laws to protect them. Into this moment college administrators have invited the big guns.

It turns out that, of all the lessons they learned in school, only one applies: you must do as you are told. You must do as you’re told even though you know 1. it doesn’t make you safer and 2. it will not make the world a better place. 

Those truths, now so evident, are irrelevant. You must do as you are told because, if you do not, all of the most obscene and violent punishments will be rained down upon you and it will be deemed to be all your fault. 

Maybe these children, who are children no longer, once believed this was a simple rule and easy to obey. Now they have learned the secret behind the rule: when stronger forces can easily oppress weaker ones, they can just as easily lie and say you broke the rule even when you did not.

Who will oppose* them? The punishment will be the same.

When you punish students for their love & compassion you teach them how powerful compassion truly is. You admit to them that you govern on a premise that cannot withstand love. Love prevails. We're witnessing the soul growth of a generation. They deserve our care & respect. 

- - Alexis Pauline Gumbs, American writer, independent scholar, poet, activist and educator

Village Green/Town² Comments 

*Black Americans know this and have known this through multiple generations. 

”If the police will do it to them, they will do it to you.” - - DeRay McKesson, American Civil Rights Advocate 

Typical Weirdness

I’m taking a break from the intensity of the past few days to present an assortment of the kind of local weirdness you may have come to expect on these pages. I need a breather. 

First off: why had I not known this fun fact? There’s a HoCo connection to The Exorcist?

Does anyone find it ominous that it closed just one year after the film’s release? Hmm…

Truth in advertising: I have never seen The Exorcist. When it came out I was teen living in Stamford, Connecticut and the big talk was that star Linda Blair hailed from one town over in Westport. 

At any rate I’d love to learn more about this local connection to a well-known film.

*****

Popular Columbia restaurant The Food Market has announced their upcoming venture: Vacation: Columbia and Chill. I don’t recommend Googling that unless you are prepared to be given all the information on Vacation: Colombia and Chile.

Image from The Food Market social media

It looks to be an outdoor venue. I’m all for that. Will it be seasonal, then? The words “Vacation and Chill” bring to mind hanging out by the pool or under big umbrellas at the beach. Will there be caramel popcorn? Will you be able to stroll in wearing your still-wet swim suit and flip flops? I wonder. 

*****

If you are following Howard County Budget Season then you’ve been trying to keep up with all of the official announcements. This is the time of year when the County Executive makes his pitch to the community in support of items in his county budget proposal. It’s all a part of a larger process of course. The community is invited to give input. The County Council must vote.

Me? I wanted to know about all the signs. Here’s a screenshot. You know, those signs.

Image from Howard County Government social media

For about a month or so every spring, Howard County seems to be running a foam core production business. The visual aids which flank the County Executive and other local notables are of excellent quality, visually appealing, and informative. They help support the announcements by organizing/making sense of the information that goes into each budget proposal.

Some folks around town grumble every year about whether we have the money for various new initiatives. Me? I want to know about all those signs. I reached out to Safa Hira, Director of Communications for the County Executive.

Not crucial, but I’m curious: what happens to all these signs? I’m guess they’re printed on foam core. You all must make a ton of these over the course of the year.

Ms. Hira responded:

There’s various things that happen to them. Sometimes, organizations like to keep these boards and they’ll display them during events throughout the year, in their offices, etc. We normally keep these boards for at least two years (because we reuse them quite a bit), whether it’s at like fairs, public forums, etc. and then we recycle when done. I hope that helps answer your question.

I’m glad to know they are more than single-use items. I’ve been lying awake at night imagining creative reuse like new school construction and affordable housing.

*****

Have a wonderful Thursday. I’m hoping to make it over to the event at the new East Columbia 50+ Center this afternoon.

This week: Early Voting - - Thursday May 2nd to Thursday May 9th, 2024, from 7am-8 pm daily. 

Soon: Saturday Market at Clarksville Commons, May 4th from 10 am - 2 pm.

Down the Road Apiece: Old Ellicott City Pride Festival, June 1st, 1 pm - 8 pm.

Banner Takes a Swing at Book Ban Issue, Misses

 

The numbers tell me that the blog went up late yesterday and a lot of you missed it. It’s about the Board of Education race and how the winners will be in a position either: to support intellectual freedom and inclusion or: to weaken and damage it.

Assertive me : go read it now.

Polite me: I hope you’ll find some time to catch up on it this morning.

Free People Read Freely, Village Green/Town², April 30, 2024

The Baltimore Banner took a swing at addressing what they call the “book ban debates” but in my opinion the article missed some important information.

Where Howard County school board candidates stand on book ban debates, Jess Nocera, Baltimore Banner

The article lists the following candidates as having stated they are against book bans:

Pravin Ponnuri (District 1)

Meg Ricks (District 1)

Hiruy Hadgu (District 4)

Julie Kaplan (District 4)

Jen Mallo, current school board chair (District 4)

Catherine Carter (District 5)

Andrea Chamblee (District 5)

I’d advise community members to look beyond this list. Why? 

Well, at a recent candidate forum at Dar Al-Taqwa Islamic Center, Pravin Ponnuri’s responses were problematic at best. Also, a reminder that he was one of the four candidates who originally chose not to answer the CARY survey, which contains clear questions about the inclusion of LGBTQIA appropriate materials. 

After some community pushback, Ponnuri completed the survey, using the following statement as a basis for most of his answers:

Sexual preference, just like religious or political preferences, is a personal decision that has no impact on education and does not belong in the school system. Let the school system be about education.

1. The use of the words “sexual preference” is inherently incorrect and seeing it here is alarming. The correct term is sexual orientation. Not knowing (or caring) enough to use correct terminology shows either ignorance or disrespect. Not a good look for anyone aspiring to the Board of Education.

2. If we are to take Ponnuri at his word, not only would he support excluding LGBTQIA materials from schools but he would also insist on removing all library books and curriculum materials which included heterosexual relationships and marriage. Oh my goodness. He is going to be a busy, busy man.

“Does not belong.” What do those words mean to you?

I’m not at all convinced that Ponnuri would take a stand to support school libraries and librarians were he given the opportunity to serve on the school board. Based on his own words, I don’t think he’s convinced, either.

I’m also concerned that candidate Julie Kaplan has accepted campaign contributions from former BOE candidate Tudy Adler, one of the founders of Howard County Moms4Liberty. If Kaplan is, as the Banner article suggests she is, opposed to book bans, she would have immediately returned the money and publicly repudiated the M4L connection. 

In addition, Ms. Kaplan’s answers on the CARY survey lean heavily on arguments of “parental concern” and “parents’ rights”, well-known to M4L supporters. If you take M4L-tainted money and you use M4L coded language, then your claim that you are opposed to book bans deserves some extra scrutiny. The Banner doesn’t do that here.

These are examples of what was missed in the Banner article. There may be more I am not aware of. In addition, I’m extremely concerned by candidates who are being overly careful not to say anything that might give away their position. If they won’t tell you the truth in plain language before the election, that’s a clear indicator of how they’ll act if elected.

While I’m glad that the Banner thinks that the issue of book bans in Howard County schools is worth covering, I’m deeply disappointed that this particular article does not give an accurate representation of the facts and may very likely mislead voters.

Oh, and before you go: did you read yesterday’s post?

Village Green/Town² Comments 

Free People Read Freely

 Looks cute.

It’s deadly serious. Take a look. 

How LGBTQ Voices are Being Erased in Classrooms, Leslie Rafei, ACLU

How LGBTQIA+ Book Bans Impact Kids and Teens, JoAnn Yao, WNDB

The Impact of Book Bans on LGBTQ Students, Sarah Zhang, Institute for Youth in Policy

When you vote in our upcoming local elections you can do something tangible to ensure that school environments are truly conducive to learning: safe, accepting, and fully prepared to meet student needs.

The responsibility of schools to support all students clearly includes LGBTQ+ students. In fulfilling that responsibility, school must have the freedom to choose materials that are appropriate to meet a variety of student needs. There’s nothing radical about this. 

People who support intellectual freedom in schools, especially in school libraries, are not “radicals.” 

I don’t know if I can make this any plainer: if you live in Howard County the ability of your local schools to fulfill their educational mission is under attack.

Targeting books for removal from school libraries (yes, that is book banning) comes most often at the expense of LGBTQ students. We are encouraged to believe that suppressing such educational materials is an affirmation of overall community values.

It’s not.

While public support for key LGBTQ rights has been steadily increasing - 79% of Americans support laws protecting LGBTQ individuals from discrimination and nearly 70% support same-sex marriage, as found in a 2022 survey - the corresponding growth in anti-LGBTQ bills reflects not general public opinion, but raised levels of lobbying from groups such as MFL, as introduced earlier.  - - Sarah Zhang, The Impact of Book Bans on LGBTQ Students

It is suggested that the mere presence of certain books in school libraries - - the simple availability of them - -  constitutes active harm to students. Of course there is no evidence whatsoever that this is the case. In addition, these conversations rarely address the harm done when suppressing materials relevant to LGTBQ students.

Toni Moore, a high school librarian in Kentucky, said that if teens are struggling with their identity and place in the world, seeing a book about someone like them challenged or outright banned can be very harmful.

“It takes these kids and amplifies every bad feeling they’ve had about their self-worth and how they fit into society,” Moore said. “I think it has a very negative effect on them.”

Amie Jones is the UK-based founder of Kind Kids Book Club, and she said that book bans are also an insult to teens’ intelligence, as it assumes that they can’t make informed, conscientious decisions on their own about what books they want to read. Jones said that the book bans restrict empathy when it comes to how teens think about others, and attack their own views of themselves. - - JoAn Yao, How LGBTQIA+ Book Bans Impact Kids and Teens

Evidence from around the country shows us that the people who get excited about removing books from school libraries are rarely content to stop at that. They’re also taking away access to bathrooms, to sports participation, and the expression of student voice. This is a mindset which easily moves from targeting books with LGBTQIA characters to ones telling the truth about American History, the Civil Rights movement (and even the Holocaust) like an uncontrollable Roomba of school censorship.

Their words and actions stand in opposition to intellectual freedom and democratic principles. Imagine what must motivate people to paint libraries and librarians as figures of malevolence and abuse. 

This is a hunger to control* that cannot be appeased.

Yesterday Board of Education incumbent Jen Mallo posted a statement on this topic on social media. Here’s the essence of it. I’d recommend you read the whole thing if you have time. 

There are a number of qualifications for serving on the school board. This is certainly not the only thing that community members are considering right now. But it should be the most basic and essential qualification. If you cannot trust a candidate on this, then they will in no way be trustworthy on anything else.

Choose carefully. 

Village Green/Town² Comments

*I found the following sentence to be worthy of consideration. Yao’s piece is based on a book ban policy passed in the Central Bucks School District (CBSD), located in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, in the suburbs of Philadelphia. Does this sound familiar to you?

It may be important to note that these conservative groups gained prominence during the pandemic in fighting against COVID-19 restrictions; as general interest in the pandemic waned, these organizations shifted focus towards supporting policies such as the pride flag ban and now the book ban.

The Future Can Come at You Fast

 

Trying something new this morning: 

• this week 
• soon 
• down the road apiece

This week: the Howard County Office of Aging and Independence is hosting a showcase event at the new East Columbia 50+ Center this Thursday, May 2nd, from 2-6 pm.

Join the Howard County Office on Aging and Independence on May 2 at the East Columbia 50+ Center from 2 to 6 p.m. Learn about healthy aging programs and services, connect with neighbors, enjoy fitness demos, crafts, speakers, giveaways and more.

This might be a great introduction to the new space for those of us who couldn’t find parking on the day of their grand opening. In fact, they’ve arranged a shuttle service for this Thursday. Smart thinking. You can learn more about the event (including details about how the shuttle will work) at the following link.

OAI: Creating Community, Cultivating Connections 

One question I’d love to ask is how the 50+ Centers see themselves serving 50+ residents who are still working. It’s entirely possible to be over fifty and have at M-F, 9-5 job. What kinds of programs are in place for them? This is not intended to be a criticism. I honestly don’t know. I do think it’s fair to ask how residents who will be at work this Thursday afternoon would be able to access a similar experience.

I’ll keep you posted.

Soon: Mother’s Day. Well, yes and no. This is not about any specific event, but rather a response to a post I saw from local business Clark’s Ace Hardware in Ellicott City.

Why not surprise mom with something practical this Mother's Day? A colorful Yeti or Stanley tumbler, cooler, or bag could be the perfect gift for the adventurous, outdoorsy mom or the one who simply loves to enjoy her favorite beverages in style!

It occurred to me that you could create an entire party game based on the beginning of that sentence.

Why not surprise mom with…?

I used a random noun generator and so far it has recommended an orange, gold, an assistant, stone, and a university. Results may vary. 

I was not expecting “practical” but maybe that’s the surprise part.

Hot tip: why not surprise Mom by asking her what she’d like for Mother’s Day and then doing it? For many mothers, that might be a welcome surprise.

Down the road apiece: Save the date for the Community Ecology Institute’s Harvest Gala.

If the name Community Ecology Institute doesn’t ring a bell, think: Freetown Farm, the Green Farmacy Garden, Community of Families in Nature, Roots & Wings, Green Seeds Internships, Nourishing Gardens, Make & Repair, and Agroecology in Action. The most visual mental image many of us have for CEI is Freetown Farm, but the range and depth of their year-round programming is astounding. 

This is absolutely a major fundraising event and as such it may not be doable for everyone. That’s okay. There are many small ways to be involved and to support the mission of CEI all throughout the year. But, if you’re the kind of person who can swing a big ticket* event once in a while, put this on your calendar now. 

Better yet, buy your ticket now. I love that they offer the option of buying a ticket “in spirit” to support the event even if you are not able to attend. (Or maybe you just don’t enjoy large events.)

Whatever you do, don’t circle October 17th and then pencil in something cryptic like, “maybe?”

Ask me how I know. 

Send me your top three if you have any: this week, soon, down the road apiece. Perhaps the calendar challenged among us (like me) will be inspired. 

Village Green/Town² Comments 

*Don’t laugh. For some of us, one hundred dollars still constitutes a big purchase.

Words and Music

To play, or not to play. That is the question.

I showed up at Jazz in the Woods at around 12:30 yesterday, and planted my green (Chrysalis rental) chair up towards the front.

Image from Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods social media 

I was in time to hear the end of the Mount Hebron Jazz Band’s set. Wilde Lake would be up next. The weather was cool and overcast.

In a literal sense, the high school musicians had come to play. Music, that is. It’s interesting that the expression “they came to play” means something more akin to competitive athletes taking the field.

“come to play”

American English, informal:

to be disposed to play or participate in a manner reflecting a determination to win or succeed

But this wasn’t a competition. It was more of a musical love-fest to high school jazz bands. The MHHS musicians finished their set and the Wilde Lake group began to set up. It began to rain. Not heavily, but steadily.

That was when I noticed that many of the adults around me had pulled out ponchos, rain slickers, rain hats. Some even had little roofs built onto their lawn chairs. 

Ahhh…band parents. If you are one of this group of hardy music supporters then you have learned to come prepared for the weather. Even if your kid specializes in jazz, they probably have played a good number of football games in the pep band. Weather is unpredictable. Band parents organize everything, turn out for everything, endure everything. I was never a band parent but my respect for them runs deep.

When I described these folks to my husband later, I said, “they don’t play.” He looked puzzled. “What do you mean, “‘They don’t play’?”

Hmm.

“they don’t play”  

I couldn’t find an internet-approved definition but I’m guessing this has its roots in AAVE, meaning:

taking things seriously, not inclined to fool around

Of course they don’t play, my husband may be thinking. They’re the band parents, not the band! 

Oh, how I love language and all its nuances, not to mention vocal inflection/tone of voice and how it impacts the meaning of the words that are spoken. I hope these examples clear things up:

The high school jazz bands came to play in Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods yesterday. 

The high school jazz bands came to play in Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods yesterday. 

The band parents show support for student musicians but they don’t play. 

Those band parents - - wowza! - - they don’t play.

What really matters is that these high school students made music, enjoyed themselves, and shared their gifts with the community. Yes, they played. And sang, too. Here’s a brief clip courtesy of IAT:

Wilde Lake High School Jazz Band and Vocalist, “Misty”

One of the things I look forward to every year at the Chrysalis is seeing children dancing on the lawn. This year I caught a new sight that made sitting in the Spring rain worthwhile: two teens dancing under a shared umbrella. 

I didn’t photograph them, obviously, but - - just for a moment- - close your eyes and imagine how lovely that must be.

There’s another concert today in The Park, and the weather is looking good. Schedule your own personal play date on the lawn. 

Saturday Sampler

 

Are you ready for some weekend fun? Here goes:

The OMCA annual plant sale in Oakland Mills is this morning from 9 am to 11 am at The Other Barn.

HC Drug Free’s Medication & Sharps Disposal is from 10 am to 2 pm at the Wilde Lake Village Center.

Jazz in the Woods at the Chrysalis, 11 am -  6 pm at Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods. 

Little Portion Farm is holding a plant sale from 9 am - 2 pm,  12290 Folly Quarter Road, Ellicott City

Wilde Lake CARES will be doing cleanup at the Snowy Owl Adopt-a-Spot location from 9 - 11 am.

 Coffee Run & Fun  from 2 - 4 pm at The First Presbyterian Church of Howard County.

This one merits some explanation:  

For the 15th year in a row, we will be holding a fundraiser for the Coffee Microgrants Project, inviting everyone to participate in an afternoon of games, fun, and fellowship - including a chance to try your hand at pickle ball right inside the church!  The event will be held at First Presbyterian Church of Howard County on April 27, 2024, from 2:00 to 4:00 pm. Everyone is welcome to participate in games, food, and fellowship.

All proceeds from this event go to fund coffee plants, fertilizer, and other essentials that enable members of the Union Boca Costa Maya Quiche Presbytery in Guatemala to cultivate coffee on small plots of land that they own - building assets and creating life-changing economic opportunities in a remote part of Guatemala.

The NAACP of Howard County’s annual Freedom Fund luncheon will be from 1 - 3 pm at the Hotel at Arundel Preserve. 

Clark’s Ace Hardware will be sharing its excitement about the upcoming grilling season at their Columbia location from 11 am - 2 pm.

Book signing event at Second Edition Books on Dobbin Road from 3 - 5 pm with Dana Klosner, author of Beatlemania Lives On: Superfans of the 21st Century.

Of course these are not all the HoCoLocal events happening today, but more of a sampling. If you have one you’d like me to share, let me know. 

And here’s one now, courtesy of Phillip Dodge, Downtown Columbia Partnership:

Rock for a Reason, Color Burst Park, 5:30 - 8:30 pm. 

Village Green/Town² Comments