Strollerderby : tennessee

Tennessee Public School Computers Block LGBT Websites

Hannah Tennant-Moore — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:30:00 GMT

Whoopsie! It turns out that the computers of the Tennessee public school system are inexplicably biased against gay rights. How the heck did that happen? School administrators are completely baffled by the embarrassing snafu, but say that it must be the fault of their filtering service, Education Networks of America.

But the ENA has clearly stated that they are off the hook. "The decisions on whether to block certain websites are made solely by the school districts,” the ENA attorney said. “ENA does not participate in these decisions in any way and is instead simply told which websites to block." Huh. Is it possible that homophobia had something to do with this?

Some of the blocked Web sites include Human Rights Campaign--with such inappropriate messages for kids as, “In a world defined by difference, our strength depends on our common humanity”--and the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network, which creepily “envisions a world in which every child learns to respect and accept all people.” Not all Web pages dealing with gay people were blocked, however. Tennessee schoolchildren are more than welcome to peruse such sites as People Can Change and The Americans For Truth Against Homosexuality.

As Jezebel points out, the silver lining of this rather shocking homophobic agenda is that no one wants to take the blame for it, showing how much public opinion has progressed in favor of gay rights.

Photo: britannica.com

Court Bans Divorced Mom's Partner from Sleeping Over

JeanneSager — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 17:01:00 GMT

Proving once again that what's good for the gander isn't necessarily going to be allowed by homophobic family court judges for the goose, a divorced mom from Tennessee has been informed she can't allow her lesbian partner to sleep over on the same nights as her kids.

Her ex-husband, meanwhile, has remarried and his wife sleeps over - well, lives - with him every night.

Angel Chandler and Joseph Barker have been divorced for ten years, and shared custody of their two kids (now thirteen and fifteen) that whole time. They've both entered new relationships too, Barker remarrying five years ago while Chandler has maintained a monogamous relationship with a woman since 1999. But when they went to court late last year to modify the custody arrangements, the State of Tennessee sent both parents and both kids for psychological work-ups.

The evaluation determined Chandler's partner was a positive influence on her two kids. The court ignored it. A "paramour" restriction was added to the custody arrangements earlier this year, restricting Chandler's partner from being in their home on the nights when the kids were with Mom. Because after nine years, suddenly a set of teenagers are going to be shocked to find out Mom's a lesbian?

The women are now living in a duplex, side by side, so they can abide by court rules and still be together - sort of. The ACLU has stepped into the fray, filing a brief this week that urges the court to remove the paramour restriction, calling it unconstitutional for interfering with Chandler's abilities to raise her children as she sees fit.

If the court really wants to do what's best for the kids, how about allowing two sets of parents to get on with their lives in loving relationships and letting those kids see examples on both sides of happy, committed, successful couples?

Image: Amazon

Source: ACLU

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Ten-Year-Old Does 90 MPH While Adults Party In the Back

JeanneSager — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 19:54:00 GMT

That's it. I'm not going out on the road with my kid again until I buy a tank. Maybe I should vote for McCain after all - he'd probably love to see us all driving them. OK, the venom is gone. On to the story.

A 10-year-old, driving 90 MPH down a Tennesee highway, flipped a van over the weekend. Why weren't any adults watching when a child climbed into the driver's seat and took the wheel, you might ask? I know I did. The answer didn't make me feel any better. A man and a woman were in the back of the van when it flipped, along with another 10-year-old and a 6-year-old.

Just wait, it gets worse.

The man, Randy Lewis of Bristol, Tenn., told police he'd had 15 beers that night plus some liquor. The woman, Paula Elaine Evans, was reportedly shoveling pills into her mouth as fast as she could when the cops arrived. Police would not tell the media if Lewis and Evans were the boy's parents. For his sake, I hope not. Lewis has been charged with seven violations, including third offense DUI and felony reckless endangerment while Evans faces charges of either child abuse or child neglect. Both are in jail while the three kids are in state custody.

Really, where do you begin with this one? I'm all for assigning someone as DD when you've had a little too much (or you know, two and a half cases too much) to drink. But my vote's for someone who can see over the steering wheel. Then there's Lewis' history. This was his third driving while intoxicated charge. And his duds at the arraignment? A shirt that says "By This Dad a Beer."

How about we just buy him a vasectomy?

Image: Fox News

Source: Kingsport Times-News

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Don't Pay Child Support? Bid the Gun Rack Bye Bye

JeanneSager — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 20:57:00 GMT

If you teach a man to fish, he may eat for a lifetime - but that doesn't mean his kids will. Which is why the State of Tennessee is looking to revoke 1,200-some fishing and hunting licenses from deadbeat moms and dads.

In the last few days, letters were sent out to more than 20,0000 residents across the state with a warning - pay in full within 90 days or hand over their recreational, driver's or professional license. This isn't the first year state officials have taken advantage of the fact that the state issues licenses for everything from driving to casting a line. State and federal law both allow for social services to revoke any state-issued license as a means to punish parents who aren't living up to their court-ordered obligation to help support their children. Unfortunately, it doesn't always work. Approximately 7,000 licenses were yanked last year because the parents failed to heed the warning.

This time around, almost 18,000 residents stand to lose their driver's licenses, another 1,200 their right to hunt and fish. If they aren't willing to feed and clothe their own kids, I find it hard feel bad for someone who's been told they can't take off on a boat for a few days or go out to camp with the boys. Although there are people who hunt and fish to feed their families, I live in a rural area where I've watched the same people who tell me they need to hunt to eat plunk down a couple hundred on a brand new rifle or fancy fly-fishing reel. Besides, these men and women AREN'T feeding their families, that's the reason they got themselves into this mess in the first place. The state may even be doing them the favor of helping them save a little money this year. That's a couple hundred that could buy a nice hunk of cow from the grocery store and a pile of produce at the farmers' market.

I am a little wary of the plan to revoke 400 professional licenses, the state-issued permission for people to work in fields including healthcare and real estate. If you're trying to get someone to pay their child support, does it make sense to essentially put them out of business?

Image: Timatteo

Source: Crossville Chronicle

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Pregnant Illegal Immigrant Wrongly Jailed

Hannah Tennant-Moore — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 20:00:00 GMT

A woman who was forced to give birth while in custody should have been released before she went into labor, according to federal policy. Juana Villegas, an illegal immigrant with no criminal record, was arrested for a traffic violation days before her due date. She went into labor while in custody, and was returned to jail immediately after the birth; she was separated from her infant son for two days and was not allowed to bring a breast pump back to jail with her.

Villegas’ treatment has raised concerns about the ways local law enforcement work with federal immigration officials to apprehend illegal immigrants. Federal immigration policy mandates that people who are arrested on non-criminal immigration violations who are pregnant, are sole caregivers, or have other humanitarian concerns be recommended for immediate release. But Immigration and Customs Enforcement placed a hold on Villegas the day she was arrested, which means that she was ordered held past any local sentence. She claims that she informed officers that her baby was due in a matter of days.

Although Villegas does have a lawyer, it remains to be seen whether or not this new understanding of Villegas’ treatment will lead to a lawsuit.

Photo: BBC

Illegal Immigrant Shackled During Labor

Hannah Tennant-Moore — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 22:00:00 GMT

The controversial practice of shackling female inmates during labor is in the news once again—and this time the issue is even more contentious because it involves an illegal immigrant. Juana Villegas of Nashville was arrested for driving without a license just days before her due date. Although the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency said it would let her go on her own recognizance since she was pregnant, Villegas was jailed until she could be sentenced for her alleged traffic violation. And, since she had previously been deported, Villegas was considered a medium security inmate.

Unfortunately, Villegas went into labor before a judge could see her. She was transported to the hospital in handcuffs, which remained on for much of the labor—though just how much is disputed: Villegas' lawyer, Elliot Ozment, says she was shackled by one wrist and one ankle until shortly before the birth, while the sheriff’s office claims she was only shackled by the ankle and that the cuffs were removed two hours before the birth.

Ozment, who is still deciding whether or not to file suit, also claims that prison guards didn’t allow Villegas to bring a breast pump back to jail with her, even though her breasts were painfully swollen since she was forced to be separated from her infant for 34 hours while awaiting a hearing.

Every single person who commented on this story in The Tennessean felt that Villegas does not deserve a shred of compassion, and that she received much better treatment than she deserved. What do you think?

Photo: Zuma Press

12 of the 100 Greatest Places to Vacation

Brett Singer — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 14:00:00 GMT

Life Magazine has just come out with a new tome -- LIFE: Dream Destinations: The World's 100 Greatest Places to Vacation. Twelve spots are chosen for families, and here they are:

London: The wife and I took Thing 1 and his Gramma to London when he was only 2 years old. It was great. There's a lot to do that can appeal to even a young kid (the Globe Theater, changing of the guard, and eating fish and chips in a pub were a few highlights). Depending on where you stay, there can be a lot of walking and/or tube riding, so if you are more Country Mouse than City Mouse, just be prepared for a potentially urban adventure. Highly recommended.

Riviera Maya: I had to look this one up (I don't get out much). This is an area of Mexico designed for tourists. This site has some info on family-friendly vacations in the area.

Orlando: Um, duh. Disney. Other theme parks. Sun. Fun. Go.

Wisconsin Dells: The "Waterpark Capital of the World." 18 indoor and 3 outdoor waterparks, one of which, Noah's Ark, is the largest in the United States. Never been but it sounds pleasant enough, if a tad soggy.

The Ahwahnee Hotel, Yosemite Valley, California: this sounds a lot like…nature. For those who like that kind of thing, you can't go wrong. If not, go to London, or Orlando.

New York City: I live here and we hate tourists. OK, we don't hate you. But we wish you wouldn't stand in the middle of Times Square and not move. (I kid. Well, not about the standing in the street part.) Obviously, there are millions of things to do for those with families and without. The notion of New York as scary place is gone, although personally I would stay away from Bushwick. Bonus: we have a new Governor!

The Bahamas: Why not? Can I go now?

Snowmass, Aspen, Colorado: Aspen is incredibly beautiful. Also kind of expensive. Snowmass, a ski resort, just opened the Treehouse Kids' Adventure Center, which sounds fun. If you don't ski, this probably isn't for you. But if you do, have at it.

Memphis: Even if you aren't an Elvis fanatic (and if you are, it's OK, you can admit it. There now, wasn't that easy?), there's plenty to do in Memphis, including a Children's Museum, Zoo, and the Mud Island River Park (Mississippi Mud, of course).

Cuzco, Peru: these pictures look intriguing. I like Peruvian food. Need to practice my Spanish though. (De donde esta el... hey, give me a break, it's been awhile.)

Montana’s Dude Ranches: Dude! Who doesn't want to be a cowboy/girl? Unless the kids are allergic to horses, this sounds like a blast.

The Impossible Dream: Space: Now that's just silly. Isn't it? Until Richard Branson re-opens reservations on Virgin Galactic, and maybe lowers the price a bit ($200,000 a person is a tad high), this option will indeed remain the impossible dream.

Anyone been to any of these places, especially the less well-known spots? What are your favorite vacation destinations?

Hands-On Anatomy Lessons For Teenagers

Adrienne Martini — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 22:00:00 GMT

In Oak Ridge, Tenn., high school seniors are getting to put their hands all over other human bodies. Not only are they permitted to do this, it is a requirement.

But the bodies they are touching aren't their own or those of their classmates, which is what teenagers have done since the dawn of time. No, these bodies are preserved in a lab at a nearby community college. And they are most decidedly dead.

Dr. Harry "Whitey" Hitchcock's physiology class at Clinton High School culminates with an opportunity for his students, who are mostly bound for medical school, to translate illustration in a book to structures in situ. Other high schools across the country also offer similar learning demos to motivated students. Some even hold fund raisers to pay for their cadavers.

Parents, for the most part, are OK with this option, even in conservative enclaves like Eastern Tennessee. Some even stop by the lab to watch, according to Emily Voigt's story in the New York Times:

“I’d never seen anything like this before, but I thought if my son can handle it, I can,” Mark Fuhrman said in an interview later. “I start looking at the cadaver closer. It’s got hair. I think: ‘This is not a chunk of meat. This is a person, or what’s left of a person.’ ”

So what do you think? Would you be willing to sell candy bars for a cadaver fund? Would you sign the permission slip for your kids to sink his hands into a body?

Kids With Guns: I Learned it by Watching You!

Sarah, Goon Squad Sarah — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 17:33:00 GMT

And we wonder why kids are shooting each other. Besides the obvious fact that there is far too much violence on television you run across crap like this - A woman in Tennessee has been banned from her child's school after she aimed at and pretended to shoot the students with a toy gun. She really did this. A MOM!

This classy broad pulled this stunt the day after the shootings at Virginia Tech. Did I mention she lived on the Virginia side of Tennessee? She apologized, but she has been banned from the school for a year.

Dammit people! Guns are not funny. Pretending to shoot people isn't funny. Fine. This picture is funny, but that is where I am drawing the line. Let's try to teach our kids that guns are dangerous and death is permanent. This situation seems to be getting more and more serious. I believe in the right to bear arms, but that doesn't mean you should bear arms. Just like I am pro-choice, but that doesn't mean I feel obligated to have an abortion. Let's be responsible parents and not pretend to shoot kids, can we at least all agree on that?

Yet Another Dumb Law: State Should Issue Death Certificates for Abortions

Stefania Pomponi Butler (CityMama) — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 20:03:00 GMT

What is up with lawmakers these days? Is there not enough broken shiznit in their own communities to fix? Are issues like crime, education, prison overcrowding, and global warming so mundane that they have to introduce silly bills in order to keep their jobs interesting? Have lawmakers become fickle?

Case in point, Rep. Stacey Campfield of Tennessee introduced a bill in the General Assembly requiring the state to issue death certificates for aborted fetuses. The measure would give abortion providers 10 days after an abortion to file a death certificate with the state Office of Vital Records. Currently, the state collects information about abortions, but the identities of the women are kept anonymous.

The move would help track how many abortions are performed in the state, according, but it also could create a public record of which women are having abortions. "All these people who say they are pro-life—at least we would see how many lives are being ended out there by abortions," Campfield said.

House Judiciary Chairman Rob Briley called the proposal "the most preposterous bill I've seen in eight years in the Legislature."

Thing is, with all these bills, I can kinda understand the point behind them. But why do they gotta be so whack?

Strollerderby : tennessee

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Ten-Year-Old Does 90 MPH While Adults Party In the Back

Don't Pay Child Support? Bid the Gun Rack Bye Bye

Pregnant Illegal Immigrant Wrongly Jailed

Illegal Immigrant Shackled During Labor

12 of the 100 Greatest Places to Vacation

Hands-On Anatomy Lessons For Teenagers

Kids With Guns: I Learned it by Watching You!

Yet Another Dumb Law: State Should Issue Death Certificates for Abortions