Friday, September 7, 2007

Right back to work!

I got back on Sunday, and i e-mail the school where I was subbing before I left for my "world tour". I e-mail them just to let them know that i'm in for a good 2 1/2 weeks and I will be willing and able to help them out if they need me. So Monday I check my e-mail and find this long letter from the principal, saying that their language arts teacher is having issues, and doesn't know if she will show on Tuesday, for staff meeting, and Wednesday is the FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL. So the principal asks me to show up on Tuesday just in case she doesn't show. So of course, I show up on Tuesday and she doesn't show, mind you the next day, is the first day of school for the kids. So all day, i am trying to set up the classroom, and trying to figure out, what the hell i do if this teacher doesn't show......AND, to top this off, the social studies teacher is MIA. The Principal tried calling her and other teachers tried calling her but no answer! So somewhere in the middle of the day, one of the teachers gets her address and goes to her house to see if she is there, and checks if everything is okay. Of course, she is not there........So the principal tells me that I could be subbing for social studies also! Awesome! In the midst of trying to set the classroom up, and coming up with a lesson plan, until they get the situation figured out, i might be teaching social studies also!........so by the end of the day, one of the teachers get a call from the social studies teacher, and come to find out, she got assaulted the night before and was hospitalized the whole day! SCARY!!
She ended up coming in at the end of day to get the classroom ready.....i can't even imagine that!
So the first day of school, went by pretty smooth, no books for the kids because the teacher did not order her books, so I had to wing it a little till we get books. Principal told me that, she would like me to sub till they can find a new teacher...which is fine, because i really feel bad for the kids, but having books and a better lesson plan would be great!!
First week is done, and Tuesday is "Back to School Night".
...yes.....i am a professional volleyball player.

10 comments:

Nicole said...

Reading this gave me a panic attack! You are a brave woman to step into all of that and take over a class. I am sure you will do fine. Can't wait to hear more! Is this a public or private school? And what age are you teaching?

Anonymous said...

It's a private school and i'm the 3rd grade home room teacher, but i teach language arts to 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 6th also. Fun! Fun! Fun!

mpmb said...

hey ... whatever it takes to pay the bills!

Elroy Kihano said...

I commend you for your patience and understanding of the little ones.

By the way, check out the September issue of Filipinas Magazine (www.filipinas.com). They published a good article about Chad & Kimo's efforts to qualify for the Olympics.

I sent an e-mail to when they will publish an article about you and Diane.

TeamHiDi said...

thanks for the goos word!

TeamHiDi said...

i meant good word

Elroy Kihano said...

Heidi,

I am providing below string of information for your info.

I am communicating with the Governor via e-mail in addition to Senator Leland Yee regarding the Governor's veto of legistlation by the California Assembly that mandates all California High Schools to include in their social science curriculum significant historical information about Philippine soldiers fighting side by side American soldiers in World War II.

If left to the California high schools then there will be inconsistencies in how its taught. A good example is only a paragraph.

My goal and objective is to get Filipino Americans involved with the hope that they too will voice their viewpoints by contacting the Governor and their elected representatives.

A good example, those young children you are working with today will growing up and attending high school. If there is only a paragraph that talks about the Philippine significant and historical contributions in World War II but a whole chapter about other contributions like the 442nd Regiment consisting of Japanese Americans fighting in World War II, then the message being sent to the student is the Philippine contributions is insignificant or less significant.

For a Filipino American how does that make them feel when they see high school social science curriulum contain just a paragraph about the Philippines and how they were an important ally to the United States in World War II?

I have talke to Filipino Americans who could care less or just not interested. That is fine that is their right to feel that way. But there are other Filipino Americans who are concerned and feel that its not right and want to do something about it.

Please share with other FILAMs.

My e-mail address is kihano@earthlink.net. I have more info to share with other FILAMS if they would like to learn more. In the subject line of their e-mail if they could type FILAMs then I will know the intent of the e-mail.


Governor,

Per your Veto/Chapter Summary, you vetoed Bill AB 1076.

In your summary, you state that the State should refrain from legislating details of school curriculum because school districts may provide instruction on any topic not expressly prohibited by the Education Code.

I am providing an article in today's San Diego Union Tribune entitled 'A date which has lived in obscurity'. In this article, Melissa Jamero, daughter of Elena Jamero both attended an event at Balboa Park commemorating the victory in the Philippines on Sep 3, 1945. This is where the United States with Philippine soldiers fought side by side to defeat the Japanese.

Most importantly, is Melissa Jamero's comment, “In school there is is only a paragraph in a textbook,” said Melissa, 17, a freshman at the University of California Los Angeles. “It's never taught.

So Governor, I ask this question, you have heard from the Filipino community and the State Legislature. Twice you have vetoed Assembly Bills that would require all high school social science curriculum to include factual historical information about the Japanese invasion of the Philippines and how the U.S. and Philippines fought side by side to defeat the Japanese. If there is only a paragraph in a high school social science curriculum about such a significant and historical event in World War II that involves the United States and Philippines, then how else can we expect all high schools in the State of California to take this matter seriously?

This is your second term as Governor. This issue will not simply go away because of your consistent vetoing. There is no gurantee that the next Governor of California will approve such legislation if and when it is presented for signature.

My issue here is that when our education system conveniently ommits significant and important historical facts about the World Wars the United States have fought and the countries that have fought side by side with us.

We commemorate our victories in Europe and Japan, the 442 regiment consisting of Japanese Americans, the Tuskege Airman, Latinos, Native Americans who used their own language to communicate critical information and rightfully so. However, when we ask to recognize the contributions of the Philippine soldiers who fought bravely and galantly along side the American soldiers, there is resistance to even include this important historical event in our state's high school social science curriculum!

We, the citizens of California who believe very strongly that the Philippine contributions in the United States victory in World War II must be included in our high schools social science curriculum, will continue contacting our elected representatives and the new Governor. News articles such as the ones in the San Diego Union Tribune help with public awareness. Special events like those at Balboa Park is another way to increase public awareness.

I voted for you twice because I understood the platform you were running on. However, I have to say I disagree with you on this issue and your vetoing of AB 1076.

I am a Filipino American who has served his country honorably for 22 years. I was also involved in Lebanon in 1983 when we lost over 200 Marines and the first Gulf War.

When there is only a paragraph in a high school's social science curriculum about the Philippine contributions in helping the United States victory over Japan in World War II, I can't help but feel slighted and overlooked whether its intentional or unintentional.

That said, if I feel this way can you imagine how many more like me feel the same way.

The right thing to do is be inclusive and not selectively exclusive.

You have received previous e-mails from me in the past on this very topic. I will not surrender in defeat! I will continue to champion this cause because I firmly believe our high schools must teach social science from a curriculum that contains all the historical facts about World War II and not a curriculum that contains just a paragraph about a country's significant contributions to the United States.

Sincerely,

Elroy Kihano
Chula Vista

VETO/CHAPTER SUMMARY
Bill: AB 1076 2005-2006

VETOED DATE: 09/22/06

To the Members of the California Assembly:

I am returning Assembly Bill 1076 without my signature.

I strongly support the authors intent to recognize the contributions of the

Filipinos during World War II. Accordingly, I issued a proclamation on

October 19, 2005 recognizing the contributions of Filipinos during World War

II and proclaimed October 20 as Filipino-American Veterans Day. In addition,

I sent a letter to the State Board of Education recommending that they

encourage instruction on World War II to include a component which focuses on

the courage and sacrifices of the Filipi no people and their soldiers during

World War II.

However, I have vetoed nearly identical bills in the last two year and I

continue to believe that current law already provides the necessary

flexibility for schools to incorporate this topic in their social science

instruction and that the State should refrain from legislating the details of

school curriculum. Because school districts may provide instruction on any

topic not expressly prohibited by the Education Code, the authorization

provided by this bill is unnecessary.

For these reasons, I am unable to sign this bill.

Sincerely,

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Enrolled Bill ReportPage 6 of 1Bill Number: AB 1076 Author: Jerome Horton


A date which has lived in obscurity

Veterans want victory in Philippines honored

By Rick Rogers
STAFF WRITER

September 9, 2007



EDUARDO CONTRERAS / Union-Tribune
Navy retiree Bob Medina spoke yesterday about life in the Philippines during the Japanese occupation.

SAN DIEGO – Elena Jamero and her daughter Melissa heard of yesterday's commemoration of World War II Philippines liberation during a visit to Balboa Park this year.

It reminded Jamero of the tales her grandfather told of the Battle of Corregidor, the Bataan Death March, fighting the Japanese as a young Filipino guerrilla and meeting Gen. Douglas MacArthur.

Jamero and her daughter drove from Temecula to join about 200 others at the Veterans Museum and Memorial Center at Balboa Park, where Filipino veterans shared their stories.

“I thought it would be good to expose my daughter to some history,” said Jamero, 59. “I wanted to pass on stories my grandfather told me. There was much more to the story than he ever said. They sacrificed a lot. It turned out to be real eye-opening for both of us.”

“In school there is is only a paragraph in a textbook,” said Melissa, 17, a freshman at the University of California Los Angeles. “It's never taught.”

Victory in Europe Day, May 8, and Victory Over Japan Day, Aug. 15, have long been fixtures on the calendar.

But victory in the Philippines, Sept. 3, 1945, has gone largely unacknowledged. It is an obscure day for all but a dwindling few who fought the Japanese army starting in May 1942 when U.S. troops surrendered at Corregidor until the Japanese surrendered in 1945.

Until now.

The day is being embraced like never before. Yesterday's commemoration was the first of its kind in San Diego County, and it came 62 years after the war ended.

Some, like Rudy D. Liporada, a Filipino community leader, would like to see Sept. 3 recognized on par with June 12, the day the Philippines won independence from Spain in 1898.

Liporada thinks the day deserves that kind of honor.

“The liberation of the Philippines is very significant because it's really where World War II started in the Far East and where it ended,” said Liporada, president of the Baguio City Association of San Diego, a nonprofit association of immigrants, retired and active military personnel.

“We are beginning to see the significance that the Philippines played in the broader war.”

Isabelo Torio, a Bataan survivor and a guerrilla, said it has taken decades for Filipinos to finally grasp and take pride in their role of hobbling the Japanese advance in the Far East after the attack at Pearl Harbor in December 1941.

The Japanese defeat in the Philippines “was an important moment in history, but not one very well known,” said Torio, from Rancho Bernardo. “It opened the way to make the United States and the Philippines allies. It delayed the advance of the Japanese and kept them from taking Australia, which might have altered the war.”

A man who shaped this history was Edwin Ramsey, 90, a retired colonel. Ramsey is credited with leading the last horse cavalry charge in American military history Jan. 16, 1942, at the village of Morong, Bataan.

Ramsey is further credited with gathering intelligence that helped MacArthur fulfill in 1944 his famous “I shall return” oath of 1942.

MacArthur hung the Distinguished Service Cross around Ramsey's neck “for extraordinary heroism in the Philippine Islands from 21 April 1942 to 30 April 1945.”

Ramsey, who lives in Los Angeles and attended the Balboa Park event, said he is glad the public is reappraising the Philippine guerrilla war, but not for any vainglorious reason.

“Hopefully it will remind people that if you don't have the courage to step up for what is right, it is very easy to lose it,” Ramsey said as he signed copies of his book “Lieutenant Ramsey's War: From Horse Soldier to Guerrilla Commander.”

“Don't think that because the United States is powerful now that it will always be that way. If you don't stand up for your freedoms, chances are you won't be free.”

TeamHiDi said...

Elroy....I think this is absolutely awesome what you are trying to do!! I will also spread the word to more FIL AMS.

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