Bah Humbug! Tree Decorated by Okla. Students Removed

[dapper]

Tree Decorated by Okla. Students Removed

OKLAHOMA CITY - A Christmas tree that elementary school students decorated with discarded lottery tickets was removed from the state Capitol over the weekend after a lawmaker complained it was inappropriate.

Rep. Randy Terrill, who opposes the lottery, said he spotted the tree on Wednesday when it was erected as part of the governor's annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony. The Republican lawmaker called the Westwood Elementary School principal, who apologized and asked the governor's office to remove the tree.

Sherry Fair, spokeswoman for Oklahoma City Public Schools, said the teachers and children did not intend to offend anyone. The teachers went to various convenience stores and got used lottery tickets, which were cut into various geometric shapes and placed on the tree.

"They had been studying about the lottery and understood that the lottery money benefits public schools," Fair said. "They came up with a theme about the gift of education."

Terrill said the principal had invited him to talk to students at the school.

Paul Sund, a spokesman for Gov. Brad Henry, said the governor's office had nothing to do with decorating the tree and referred questions to the school district. The office of the state school superintendent selects the schools that decorate the trees.
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http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051205/ap_on_re_us/lotto_tree_removed

Man... what an uptight Gentleman!

[Wickerman]

1. If the lottery is so evil

why do the Repugs overwhelmingly support it? Dems, in nearly every state I have watched adopt a lottery didn't want a lottery while Rethugs fought for it as a funding mechanism.

So, once again something is so bad that adults can participate, you can fund the state coffers with the proceeds, but you "hide" it from the kids? WHat a moran.

[RoyGBiv]

8. It's the opposite here ...

At least among politicians. Various groups had been seeking to establish a lottery for years, but the proposal never gained enough momentum until Governor Brad Henry (D-OK) made it a focus of his election campaign as a method of funding suffering school districts. His campaign was able to benefit from the shortfalls created by Bush's 1st term public school funding "reorganization" and the severely slumping economy. Naturally it hit schools first, and the dread word "consolodation" was uttered very seriousl. Maintaining independent school districts has been long-time sacred cow of the heavily rural population, and in those areas, the lottery was promoted as a way to prevent county-wide consolodation.

Republicans in the state, who are even more brazenly opposed to public school funding that your average Republican, opposed the lottery on those grounds alone as "unnecessary," but used the moral angle in their campaign. This split the conservative voter base. Those with ties to strong fundamentalist religions, particularly the Southern Baptists, opposed it, while other denominations were in favor. Democrats still outnumber Republicans in voter registration, despite our typical standing in national elections, and tended to vote the party line on this issue.

It also helped that the measure was promoted heavily by several popular OKC and Tulsa celebrities.

Not that you needed to know all that. :-)

Terrill is just playing to his base.

[Wickerman]

12. makes sense when you spell it out

The problem with lotteries as a funding mech is that they taper off after a half dozen years or so and then you have to find new payment mechs.

[Sir_Snooze]

2. DuDe!!

That's so awful!! The kids just wanted to do something for X-mas, yet apparently that's not good enough.

[tocqueville]

3. put condoms (different shapes - colors) on a Xmas tree

and motivate it that you want to advertise for the prevention of unwanted pregnancies and STDs...

and wait for the response...

it will surely hit the news

[marbuc]

4. It's a Christmas tree dammit!

It can only be decorated by Christian symbols How about a nativity scene, wisemen, anti-gay propaganda, grotesque pictures of aborted fetuses, and figurines of God's warriors killing Muslim terrarists!

[Benhurst]

9. And the foreskins of 200 Philistines. NT

[Megahurtz]

11. Hahahahaha!!!

Now that's perfect! :rofl:

[MrMonk]

5. "Terrill said the principal had invited him to talk to students

at the school."

Did you accept the invitation, Mr. Hon. Gentleman Representative, sir?

Will you explain to the children why their Christmas tree had to come down?

How do you propose to pay for their education without the funds from the Oklahoma lottery? Raise taxes? (like there's any chance of that)

Terrill, you're a petty-minded sheep focker.

[gristy]

6. So, this is what they are teaching in public schools?

"They had been studying about the lottery and understood that the lottery money benefits public schools," Fair said. "They came up with a theme about the gift of education."

That gambling is good? :wtf:

[MrMonk]

7. You forgot the sarcasm icon.

The kids already know about the lottery. The message of the tree was that the money raised by selling tickets was funding their education.

[gristy]

13. I don't believe using lottery income to fund education is a good thing.

Taxes should fund education. No sarcasm icon required!

[MrMonk]

14. Fair enough. but good luck getting adequate funding through taxes.

[Megahurtz]

10. Oh WAAAAAAAA!!!!

He was offended over a Christmas Tree with Lottery Ticket ornaments!:nopity:

Give me a break.:eyes: Somebody change that guy's diaper or something.