Military Uniforms at Rochester Schools

By now, if you're reading this, you probably have heard about the Lieutenant Colonel who was turned away at his daughter's school because he was wearing his Army Combat Uniform (ACUs).  I knew when I first saw the story that there was more to it.  That kind of thing just is not characteristic of the people and culture in south eastern Michigan.  The folks here are some of the most patriotic and pro-military people I have seen any where I have served.  

As a aside, the internet has caused a national (if not international) courtroom where too many people and institutions are presumed guilty before all the evidence is presented, by millions of jurors who have no "skin in the game" other than as an observer behind a keyboard.  Maybe we should all slow down just a bit before we share stories on facebook and express our personal scorn at the outrage of the day and wait for all the facts to come to light.  

Anyway, the Superintendent of Rochester City Schools is a former Marine officer.  He sent the following letter to every military organization in the area:

September 11, 2014

Dear Members of the Armed Services Community, 

I know that many of you may have heard through military networks or news outlets about an incident that took place at Adams High School Tuesday morning involving a parent in military uniform who came to school to visit his child.

First, I want to emphasize that the district does not have a policy excluding individuals in uniform and we will be working with the administration and the firm that handles our security to make sure district policies are understood and communicated accurately. Second, I want to assure you that we are investigating the incident and will take disciplinary action if appropriate.

Finally, I want you to know that we have spoken to the parent and have apologized for any perception that individuals in uniform are not welcome in the school. As a former officer of Marines and the Superintendent of an excellent school district, I deeply regret this unfortunate incident. I want to personally assure the entire armed services community, and particularly those who have students in our district, that we respect and honor your service to our country. I have personally spoken to many officers and enlisted men and women to convey this message, and will continue to make sure that respect for the United States of America and those who serve to preserve and protect is one of the core values instilled in our students.

Yours in Service,

Robert Shaner, Ph.D.SuperintendentRochester Community Schools

 I personally think that is pretty classy.  He could have made his case in the press and just waited it out until the storm died down.  However, he chose to explain and apologize to the people who were offended.  He didn't have to do that.  It's not like Rochester schools are a business that one can withhold their business from.  Even if a service member chose to home school or drive his kid out of district due to this incident, his tax dollars would still go to the schools - nothing lost for Rochester schools.  Dr. Shaner did this because he is a Marine and his honor and the honor of his schools matters to him.  That is much more characteristic of south eastern Michigan than the lone, misinformed, ignorant, or just stupid rent-a-cop that caused this uproar.

Ollivander's Wand Shop

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter section of Universal Studios/Island of Adventure features Ollivander's Wand Shop.  You stand in line to go in and "Ollivander" selects one "student" to select a wand (but we all know the wand selects the wizard, not the other way around).  The little show is similar to the scene in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and the selected student wizard is shuffled off to pay for the wand, if she chooses to take it home.

After that and after looking around the shop, Joseph really, really, wanted a wand.  I gave in.  They had replica wands from each of the characters in the movies, or you could choose your own "interactive" wand that could be used to "make magic" in the Harry Potter areas of Universal.  Joseph and I picked out a wand.  I let him hold it to see if it felt good in his hand.... kind of his own wand fitting.

Just across from Ollivander's is a bakery where the wand will make a snowman dance across a cake.  The kids were crazy excited about Daddy making the snowman move with magic.  They were so excited that a lady called her husband over to watch their reaction the third or fourth time we made it happen.

We made magic (or tried, sometimes we couldn't master the spell) all over the Harry Potter area to the delight of the kids.

That evening, when I was trying to get Joseph to bed, he asked me how the wand works.  I must add here that they have been watching youtube videos of the "Mystery Magician" because they are really interested in how "magic" really happens.  I forget what I told him but he said, "I noticed that there is a thing on the end of the wand that looks like it could be a magnet, and the snowman was metal.  Is that how it made the snowman move?"

I explained to his satisfaction how the wand is like a TV remote control and moving it certain ways made the magic happen, just like the remote makes the channels change and the TV turn on and off.

Maybe I ruined the "magic" for him, but if he's smart enough to think of magnets and metals at barely age 5, I'd rather encourage his critical thinking and scientific exploration instead of making up lies to preserve the "magic".