11 Year-Old Declares Victory in Battle Over Cartwheels

[Se7enBeatleofDoom]

And they wondering why American public schools are failing. There running schools here like jails.

[lfaegre]

@Se7enBeatleofDoom Gulags...

[Se7enBeatleofDoom]

@lfaegre It the same thing!

[Ometopada]

WTF!? Just watch... Next thing the schools are gonna forbid is music classes cause playing guitar you might cut yourself, or playing drums you can get a drumstick in your eye, or playing piano will give you a fucking arthritis or you might go to far with a flute and fuck yourself or anyone else for that matter! Or how about gym classes? That`ll be gone. The board of schools will say: "Sweating releases pheromones and the kids are getting to horny to handle. Let`s pull the plug on gym class."

[InfamousPaintball11]

What the heck I go to that school!?!?!!

[lfaegre]

@InfamousPaintball11 It has recently come to my attention that cartwheels and handstands are now permitted at SJEA and you have at least in part, this episode of civil disobedience for its legitimacy of expression and growth... 

[MrGameshowfan]

I think it is much better to let Deirdre tumble

[sippydip]

if kids arent allowed to do cartwheels because you could get hurt, it makes no sense because they can play for example basketball and that could hurt kids just as bad if not worse if it hit someone in the head and knocked them down onto the blacktop.

[Ozzy0sbourne]

that's good.

i dont understand why the vid is rated 3 stars though.

[JuicyCoutureCheerx05]

i did a backhandspring when my teacher wasnt looking and she was like "omg i can do that to: and she didi one becuz she used to be a gymnast

[monhomri21]

i hate how in schools they teach you about free speech but if you say something that is against there agenda, they say your wrong even though there is no right or wrong answer.

[lfaegre]

This is why:

"Free education for all children in public schools...."

---Plank 10 of the Communist Manifesto

[mysubsbang]

yep i got into arguments with most of my teachers in high school. they would send me to the office at least 3 times a day. bunch of punks lol.

[anthonynumber12]

when i was at school i layed down a frontflip width no hands and the teacher got mad lol

[dorkrider78]

I agree that the girl should be able to practice tumbling at recess but unfortunately i think the school suspended her thinking if the girl got hurt, the school would be sued. which unfortunately the likely reality of people not taking responsibility for their actions in this generation.

[lfaegre]

The Principal and Edison Schools may have considered their liability, but never publicly mentioned it and in the aftermath consented to our insistence that she be permitted to perform cartwheels...

[MermaidGirl84]

I'd be more worried about OTHER kids, without Deirdre's gymnastics training, doing cartwheels. After all, since Deirdre has been taking gymnastics since she was six, she's probably been taught how to do cartwheels safely, whereas the self-taught (or parent-taught) kids probably haven't.

[lfaegre]

"...At some point, you've become convinced that it makes sense for the State to do everything in its over-reaching power to prevent children from ever encountering... anything...challenging, problematic, or  painful. You've become convinced that no child should do anything unless all children can do it without fear of any pain being involved."

---Kimberly Swygert, Number 2 Pencil

[mysubsbang]

even with no training kids get hurt all the time this was rediculous on the princepals part. load of bull if you ask me the dumb teach was just jealouse cant do them her/himself

[ZoBuG03]

but you just said that people need to earn it

[ZoBuG03]

treat people the way you want to be treated and isnt that in respect

[lfaegre]

That is what this episode was about in essence. 'Life, liberty and happiness' shall not be denied to anyone...

[ZoBuG03]

yea but can lead to serious trouble which it is disrespectful to a person

[lfaegre]

Respect must be earned. And some are unworthy...

[ZoBuG03]

"challenge athority" you feel that citizens should challenge athority... see this is why your daughter got suspended

[lfaegre]

Questioning authority is about living responsibly. My daughter responsibly reacted to an abuse. I am very, very proud of anyone who practices civil disobedience...

[ZoBuG03]

true.... but for reasonable reasons

[lfaegre]

To be free, you must be responsible; citizens must challenge authority as part of that responsibility or become subjected to abuse and dictatorship...

[ZoBuG03]

so do students have the option to get personal space too whatever they want to do or was that just for your daughter

[lfaegre]

All of us should be free to persue 'life liberty and happiness' without interference from abusive sources whether they are individuals or collectively abusive such as government...

[ZoBuG03]

im sure she has her reasons

[lfaegre]

She is a 'hack' of the education establishment. And when the story embarrassed Edison Schools nationally, she was told to give Deidre what we had originally asked for: an area that she could do cartwheels and handstands. It was a reasonable resolution that we had asked for three weeks before her suspension and she was forced to capitulate making her arrogant intransigence obvious to anyone who knew the story-and even to those who didn't...

[ZoBuG03]

"Patton did Deirdre a favor she did not intend... " so this act was for publicty...

[lfaegre]

I knew IF she suspended her it would be a national story. I did not think she could be THAT stupid...

[ZoBuG03]

cause it makes sense

[lfaegre]

Patton learned the lesson you describe 'the hard way.' Deirdre was celebrated and rewarded around the world for challenging arrogant authority. Patton did Deirdre a favor she did not intend...

[lfaegre]

You must be referring to Patton...

[ZoBuG03]

people if i didnt know the story i would say that the suspension for Deirdre was unfair.. but i do and the fact is that she had it comming to her.... she when you do something that someone has asked you not to do ... you are gonna be punish,... and some of us have to learn the hard way

[ZoBuG03]

at a school you are suppose to be learning and is not a practice ground for this girl to do gymnastics

[lfaegre]

Hey ZoBuG03, great to hear from you. You mean something like a prison or detention camp?

On property that I pay for, I shall make that decision. And as the result of their infinite incompetence, Deirdre had the most extraordinary civics lesson that the tyrannical public education system could have offered. They weren't smart enough even to visualize the outcome that would follow. Public schools are a sham...

[cne08]

The girl was having fun at recess ZoBuG03.

[Firewizard23]

This school should be absolutely professional ashamed of themselves.

There was no reason that this issue could not have been settled on a compromise to start with. The fact that it even went to this level shows poor judgment and character on the part of the staff and faculty of that school in how to manage an eleven year old.

[lfaegre]

Thank you. We asked for an area and Patton intransigently refused which is why we pressed the issue that went around the world. Public schools are responsible for several generations of poorly educated citizens...

[najuarez16]

no 1 got killed in the fire it was only the storage room that burned and no 1 was there

[ijustkeepitreal]

i heard the skool went on fire!!and suum1 got killed

[lfaegre]

I heard about it about an hour ago...

[lfaegre]

Those days are coming back. You are in luck...

[98teddybear]

ok, there are people getting murdered and soldiers being blown into pieces and some how the news channel thought this was worth being put on here? theres other stuff to worry about then this

girl. but anyway good post.

[yhy23]

hahaahahaha in da classroom who da hell does cartwheels in da classroom

[lfaegre]

Didn't do them in the classroom.

[alotlikelara]

that girl isnt even that good

she does the "regular"

[Jazzari01]

I just would like to say that I have graduated from SJEA 4 years-ago and just  graduated High School. I am now an up and comming college student. For any one watching this video I hope they don't get the impression that the school or staff are Jerks. This school was an honor to graduate from and did prepare me for the 'real world'. {to be cont.}

[lfaegre]

You need only read the background found herein and the timeline to realize that your defense of these tyrants is without merit...

[Jazzari01]

If the principle did punish her I am pretty sure there are good reasons for doing so. I dont believe the school should have had handle the situation like they did but if she did refuse to listen to the rules. {to be Cont.}

[Jazzari01]

{CONT.} Later she should have went to her parents and then discussed approprate rules or situations for her. But just let you know. The eduation and staff at that school goes above and beyond and this just happen to be a one bad leaf that should have never happened and was handled incorrectly.

[WOWman1919]

wow..screw talking about war's and important stuff, lets talk about someone doing backflips, ya that sounds like a good news report

[hopelessromantic07]

Hi, Deirdre! What skool do you go to now? I haven't seen u around!

[lfaegre]

I'v been home schooled for a year now. On the last day of school last year I wore a shirt with Denise Patton crossed out and that was my last day in a public school. I am now moving to Lake Tahoe, Nevada to pursue my Figure Skating, Gymnastics and Music.

[Hessian]

what if she broke her wrist the next day at school...

id lawl...

[sumrandomguy93]

i go to this school!XD

[sexyhotlesbianbitch]

that rule is stupid

[legshot39black]

oh my gosh,my name is deidre,im in 6th grade, what the %&$#@

[Pawys1111]

IF she is a gymnast she should know better, Gymnastics should not be done on the grass or hard conrete. Schools cannot support her becuase if she has a accident and they are supporing her to do these tricks they can be sued.

[lfaegre]

I would have signed a waiver or otherwise indemnified them but that was not the point. I pay for that school and she was not going to deny my daughter an innocent cartwheel on grounds I pay for. And she prevailed against the mentally unhealthy adults who were villified universally for their misbehavior...

[GsYuMrNfAeSrT21]

dont be so mean!kids can have dreams! I am a competative gymnast and at her age I had thoose olympic dreams to!

[cold409]

to funny a kid having a dream. Now in 2007 kids yelling they should have firearms in class. As an old very old male I wish we could go back in time where a child had to agruee she could do cart wheels lol. I am afraid for my Grandaugthers now, lifes got strange!

[trustyjoker]

keep fighting for your rigts that is such a dome reason to suspend someone. my teacher \did a cartwheel and she did not get fired?

[otwgymnastt01]

if you were going to go to the olympics, you'd have to be elite by that age, not only doing cartwheels that any kid with no braincells can do.

[hoggdawn]

Well, otwgymnastt01, now aren't you the encouraging sort. Hope you never have kids of your own.

[otwgymnastt01]

She can do cartwheels til her arms fall off, wherever she wants, I I don't think she shoud have gotten suspended either. But she has said that she was "training for the Olympics" and I don't think she should use that as an excuse to not get in trouble. Teachers will obviously know that doing cartwheels on a school field is not part of her training. They're gonna tell the kid to stop, like teachers always do. Its happened to tons of kids. They just blew this waay out of proportion.

[otwgymnastt01]

Her father was also using this to get publicity to be elected for the school board. they just wanted attention.

[hoggdawn]

If indeed her father was using this "just to get attention" I say what better way could there have been to point out the utter absurdity of the educational beauracracy? I'd say his opponents have him a nice slow pitch and he knocked it out of the park. More power to him!

[otwgymnastt01]

lol, maybe. but she could have easiyl avoided this suspention by doing what the teachers said. i have alwasy thoguth teachers were stupid for telling people they cant do cartwheels since i got in trouble during elementary school for it. she just cant always have it her way. thats life.

[sven815]

Congratulations Deirdre.  Keep practicing for the Olympics, they'll come sooner than you think.

[lfaegre]

Thank you so very, very much...

[Jonique918]

who even cares?

[boogiebty]

Okay Deirdre... you got your way now... cant you just stop now!

[lfaegre]

Stop what? Is that a question?

Deirdre

[me18907]

fight for you'r rights!!! i went to a charter school, they suck majorly!!!