Did these parents go too far?

By Megan Gildow | Monday, January 5, 2009, 04:38 AM

A Pennsylvania family is in the news after a local supermarket refused to put their 3-year-old son’s name on a birthday cake.

Why would they do that? Because the toddler shares a name with one of history’s most reviled men.

Heath and Deborah Campbell named their first son Adolf Hitler Campbell. That was followed by JoyceLynn Aryan Nation, 1, and Honszlynn Hinler Jeannie Campbell, 8 months.

The father says he was raised not to mix socially with other races but doesn’t care if his children do. They chose the names because he liked them and figured no one else would have those names.

I’m going to go out on a limb and say that there are not a lot of little ones running around with those names.

I know we have some educators who read here and some of them will probably agree with me when I say that the unique name craze has gotten… a little out of hand. I check to make sure I have the correct spelling of even the most basic names when I am talking to kids and there have been more than a few I wouldn’t have dared to take a guess at spelling.

But the Campbell’s kids may have some of the most outrageous names I have seen. This seems almost cruel and very short-sighted. I can just picture job applications, college applications, etc.

Obviously along with our freedom of speech, religion, bearing arms, etc., we have the right to name out kids as we choose in America. It’s not that way everywhere though.

The Campbells finally got their cake through Walmart, although a spokesman for the company said the corporation would review its cake decorating policies too. Because the original supermarket is a private company, they had the right to refuse to make the order. Father Heath says that Adolf’s birthday party was attended by children of different races.

But in the long run, this isn’t really about a cake. If they are already having these problems at 3-years-old, just imagine what’s in store in the future. Sure, we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover or a person by their name but that’s not a very realistic expectation in every situation.

What do you think? Has this couple crossed a line with their children’s names?

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Springfield students on C-SPAN show

By Megan Gildow | Thursday, December 18, 2008, 04:34 PM

Staff photo by Marshall Gorby

Several Springfield High School students had the chance to interview author Jon Meacham this morning on C-SPAN’s Washington Journal.

The students were selected by school staff to participate on the show when the C-SPAN bus pulled into town today.

Catch a replay here.

Read more schools news on our education blog.

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Board president: Candidate names will be public record

By Megan Gildow | Thursday, December 18, 2008, 01:40 PM

Applicants interested in being Springfield City Schools next superintendent or high school campus director will be told their names will be subject to public record, said board President Donna Picklesimer.

The district had been considering a search strategy that would keep candidates’ names private unless they were part of the slate of applicants to be interviewed by the board.

Board members decided in a meeting with search firm officials this morning to advice applicants that their application materials would be “considered public records and subject to public records request,” said Picklesimer.

“We’re still very concerned about the impact that’s going to have on the candidate pool,” she said.

The board’s understanding of public records law led them to the decision, she said.

“I don’t think that the law was written with the intention to make it more difficult to have good candidates but at this time we just felt like… this was an appropriate response to the concern that’s been raised,” she said.

The firm, BWP & Associates, Inc., was in town this week collecting information from the community to develop a wish list of sorts for the new superintendent and the Springfield High School campus director.

Both positions are currently filled by interim candidates. The board aims to have permanent hires in place for the 2009-10 school year.

Read more schools news on our education blog.

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County superintendent filling exiting superintendent’s shoes

By Megan Gildow | Thursday, December 18, 2008, 11:37 AM

Clark County Educational Service Center Superintendent Stacia Smith has been named interim superintendent of the Southeastern Local School District.

She will temporarily fill the shoes of John Abdella, who announced his retirement earlier this month, while the board selects a long-term interim candidate, said Treasurer Brad McKee. The board confirmed the appointment at a Dec. 16 meeting.

“The boards wanting to hire around Aug. 1 so they’ll probably have someone in place until Aug. 1,” he said.

The board hopes to capitalize on the prime hiring season in the spring to find the new superintendent, McKee said.

March and April are often considered the best months for hiring educators because of the school year structure.

Read more schools news on our education blog.

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A Miracle on Columbia Street

By Megan Gildow | Wednesday, December 17, 2008, 12:59 PM

Okay, not a miracle exactly but a nice moment near the holidays, nonetheless. Un-related to education but I thought it was worth a mention.

Just in case you haven’t left the house today, the sidewalks out there are slick. Very slick.

I was coming down Columbia Street into downtown today when I saw a man who had fallen on the sidewalk.

While I was calling 911, an Ohio Edison worker stopped to help as well. He had seen the man actually fall and helped me make sure he was okay then waited with me for the medics to come.

Then a nurse on her lunch break stopped as well and checked to make sure the man didn’t have any severe injuries and waited with him until the paramedics took over.

The EMT workers were fantastic and showed up very quickly even though I’m sure they’re busy today.

The Ohio Edison worker - whose name I didn’t get - also made sure I got back across Columbia to my car safely and helped me merge back into traffic during the busy lunch hour.

Luckily, the man is going to be fine but remember to be careful on foot and on wheels out there.

And thanks to everyone who reminded me today about all the great people living in Clark County.

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Calamity days dwindle again

By Megan Gildow | Wednesday, December 17, 2008, 09:08 AM

The five annually-allotted cancellations schools are allowed each year took another hit today due to inclement weather across the county.

Here’s our full list of delays and closings.

Local school districts used some of the five “calamity days” in September when wind storms took out the power lines.

Fulton Elementary and Urbana’s Local Intermediate were the final two buildings to open for that, each using four of their calamity days. With both districts closed again today, those two schools are out of calamity days and will have to make up any more missed days.

And it’s only December.

Read more school news on our education blog.

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Springfield still plans to hold forums tonight

By Megan Gildow | Wednesday, December 17, 2008, 09:02 AM

Springfield schools will still conduct its community forums this evening to gather input for the qualities and attributes the community is looking for in the next superintendent and high school campus director.

School is closed today but representatives from Illinois-based BWP & Associates will still meet with residents at Hayward and Roosevelt middle schools tonight as well as invitation-only focus groups through the day.

The open community forums are at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. There will be a session at each school at both times.

Read more schools news on our education blog.

Note: I changed this blog to correct an error: The forums are tonight not this weekend. Sorry for the confusion!

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