Mo. schools complain over supplies with Obama logo

[The Northerner]

Source: The Seattle Times

COLUMBIA, Mo. — Several Missouri schools are complaining about notebooks and pencils with designs similar to the logos from President Barack Obama's campaign. The Columbia Daily Tribune reported that complaints from unhappy officials at three Missouri schools have prompted the supply company responsible for the materials to travel across the state recalling notebooks and pencils.

The design at issue includes a picture of pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters. Above the coins is the phrase: "CHANGE" and underneath it reads: "WE CAN BELIEVE IN." Below the words is a circle used by Obama's campaign, in which the top half is blue and the bottom is red with three white lines cutting through it.

At least one notebook and pencil with the design have been purchased from a school supply machine at a Columbia elementary school. Two families have complained about the design, and Principal Mary Sue Gibson said she planned to complain to the supply company.

"I just don't want to get into that political arena at all," Gibson said.

Read more: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2010446812_apusobamaschoolsupplies.html

---

More pointless whining.

[noamnety]

1. It's inappropriate in a public school.

If my school was selling supplies with republican logos and campaign slogans to students, you can bet I'd be complaining about it.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iN6_nIJQcbM/Sx0nArsDUiI/AAAAAAAAEhs/vSf2J7PqUMA/s320/change+we+can+believe+in+notebook.jpg

[Lorien]

2. Agreed. nt

[emilyg]

10. +1

[Deja Q]

13. +1000

[tekisui]

3. The guy that sent them out was a McCain supporter.

Greg Jones, a sales representative with Pencil Wholesale, said the design was an accident.

Jones, who delivers supplies to about 800 schools, said he remembers seeing the design but didn't think anything about it. He said the supplies were designed by a different company and that "the art department was trying to be cutesy."

"I wish I could do it over. But, for now, I can just make it right," Jones said.

It's his job to go to schools that might have received supplies with the controversial design and remove them.

Finding what schools the supplies went to has been difficult. From a case of 72 notebooks, three have been found that have a design similar to the Obama logo.

"It's turned out to be really ugly. We're trying to get them out of the schools as fast as we can," said Jones, who identified himself as a registered Republican who voted for John McCain in 2008.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2010446812_apusobamaschoolsupplies.html

This has nothing to do with the Obama Administration or Campaign, so it seems.

[snagglepuss]

4. This should be a separate thread.

I wonder whether this was a mistake or an attempt to smear Democrats by suggesting they are distributing propanganda.

[RamboLiberal]

9. I think the McCain supporter who designed this was actually

doing a smackdown of the Obama slogan. Note it was "change(money)" we believe in on the supplies.

[noamnety]

11. Oh! I think you are right.

And yes, that would be what a mccain supporter would believe in (money).

[Quantess]

Something learned from the Karl Rove Manual of Dirty Tricks, no doubt.

[noamnety]

6. I don't think it's a case of dirty tricks.

It's pretty easy to figure out where they came from - the supplier.

[Quantess]

7. I meant to reply to post #3

The supplier is a registered republican, a McCain supporter. So, for that reason, I wonder whether it was truly an "accident".

[Quantess]

5. dupe, self delete

[southernyankeebelle]

8. I agree with that. Lets make sure when there is a republican president they will do the same. I

have a feeling it won't happen. The liberals in this country better start pushing back just like the crazies on the extreme right. We have become the silent majority now. Come young people get out there and protest but do it very peacefully. No fighting no evil signs. We can be better then the extreme right.

[C_Lawyer09]

12. Tons of teachers came to my Army recruiting office

repeatedly to get pee-chees, pencils, pens, book covers, etc. Of course we always gave what we could. I chuckled sometimes, because some of the same teachers weren't what you would call pro-military. Some of my fellow recruiters would sometimes get aggravated at the duality. Hey, it's tax payer money. I felt good, as did many others about providing supplies for rural WA state schools that were suffering under unpassed bonds, levies, etc. I'm not much for symbolism anymore, most are just trying to do what they can to get by. Of course in Army recruiting, a logo never helped inspire a desire to join. My feeling is, if a pencil is needed, who gives a darn what logo it bears. Our tacit endorsement of so many things, pro and con, has become simplicity by display. Those teachers just wanted some damn tools to teach. So much in todays heated and divisive environment is highlighted by the message. Yet, the real offenders, kings and queens of nepotism/cronyism are rarely mentioned. Within the school districts in which I recruited, recruiters helped with much, across cities and counties, and may have never realized an enlistment. It was fun and fulfilling to do so, and it was nice to show the masses that the Army is composed of a largely generous group, that is but a microcosm of the United States, regardless of the negative stories that are often capitalized on. There is much to complain about in this world. The irony is that the 90% who don't have a choice of footware, motorized transportation, or what meal they will eat for dinner, are the ones doing the complaining.

[noamnety]

14. That's a bit different because this company wasn't donating them.

It was a for profit venture.

[C_Lawyer09]

15. Understood

But is the reality any different? Of all the things to complain about.

[noamnety]

16. eh, I don't know that it's all that different.

I would still complain about it if a republican campaign office donated their swag to the school, just as I would if a church donated some jesus pencils to us.

Marketing within a school to a captive audience is unethical.

(I'm glad I don't work in one of the Channel One schools for that reason.)