Xanthippa's Chamberpot

One of the most embarrassing episodes in the history of the USA are the ‘Salem Witch Trials‘.

The very home of one of the people executed for practicing ‘witchcraft’ , Rebecca Nurse, has been turned into a museum.  It stands in today’s town of Danvers, MA, which was originally settled as ‘Salem Village’.

It seems that, once again, trouble is brewing in this quaint little town.

This time, it is not the Devil who is afflicting young people, but none other than the lovable-appearing Muppet, Beaker!

The affliction of the town’s young people – which causes them to exclaim ‘Meep!’ without provocation – has become so severe that the administrators of the Danvers High School have been forced to resort to banning the word, both written and spoken!

So, when such a posession by evil (?)  Muppet begun to sweep through the youth population (some students even said ‘Meep’ AT a teacher!), how was the school to protect the students not yet infected into channeling this spirit?  Obviously, the school had to take the strongest possible steps!  According to news reports, the school instituted a rule (clearly communicated to all parents) that any student who utters this sound ‘Meep!’, or even wears an article of clothing with the word ‘Meep!’ on it, will face expulsion from school!  Oh, and the police will be notified, too…

After all, what else could they do?  Now, even MORE young people were affected than the LAST time – and they had to resort to ‘witch trial’ and executions then!!!

Could they learn a lesson from history?

Or, perhaps, educational professionals might have some of them ‘professional educational tools’ they could employ?

…don’t be ridiculous – that would mean actually doing their job!

They did what any authority in power these days seems to think is the ‘best’ way to deal with something they don’t like:  BAN IT!!!

Of course, this hit the blogosphere pretty fast:  I read about it on Dvorak Uncensored.  They carry a quote from a lawyer who says she sent an email stating ‘Meep!’ (the address is publicly available on the school’s website, right margin) to the principal, vice principal and administrator, only to get a reply from the VP that her email has, indeed, been forwarded to the local police department….

This is serious matter:  curbing the freedom of speech of students is nothing to Tinker with!  The only circumstances – according to the US Supreme Court – that a student’s right to free speech may be abridged on public school grounds is if the ‘speech’ is ‘sexually explicit’ or if it ‘promotes the use of illegal substances’….  Of course, I am no lawyer, but, in my never-humble-opinion, the word ‘Meep!’ does not do either!

Despite the clear rules of law, the school leadership has deemed this offensive word, ‘Meep!’, to be such a danger and such a disruption, no amount of force is unjustified in getting rid of it!

Welcome to the Salem Muppet Hunt!

When I told my own kids about this situation, both my sons shouted out (simultaneously) “Reason!” and “Common Sense!”  The point being, if the teens in Danvers High switched to saying ‘Reason!’ or ‘Common Sense’ in the same manner they are now using the term ‘Meep!’, would the school ban ‘Reason!’ and ‘Common Sense!’ ?

Some clever people (sorry, I lost the link) have suggested that, perhaps, the students might stop saying ‘Meep!’, but each and every one of them could, say, accidentally drop a textbook at 10:45 each and every day…. accidents DO happen….

Personally, I think they ought to continue the behaviour, but change ‘Meep!’  sound to ‘Baaaaaaaaah!’  After all, if the school WANTS them to behave like sheep, they might as well SOUND like sheep!

Now, I did not grow up with the Muppets:  right generation, wrong continent.  But, my husband did.  And, he likes Beaker!  He has the audacity to think that Beaker, contrary to the Danvers High administrators, is not actually evil!  He asked me to send them this message (I recommend you turn the volume down – the music is seriously ‘wussy’, to the point of ‘ear-bleed-causing’, but the video does make the point):  DON’T FEAR THE BEAKER!!!

Of course, there are those conspiracy-minded folk who think that the reason that the school had banned ‘Meep!’ is because during the 2008 US Presidential election, the Muppet Show endorsed Beaker for President – against Obama-Kermit!  And that this is just political payback by Obama-Kermit cronies…  Personally, I don’t believe a word of that!  Though, if you would like adirect  confirmation that this ‘conspiracy theory’ is ludicrous, perhaps you could ask the Danvers High School principal, Thomas Murray, directly.  His email is murray@danvers.org )

All I have to say to the pedagogues of Danvers High:

TEACHER!  LEAVE THOSE KIDS ALONE!!!!

Oh, and:  Meep! MEEP!