Posts by Funchback

41

"We Miss You! (but only at the meetings)"

by Funchback in

it has been a good (7) weeks since i've last attended a kh meeting.

this weekend, however, the calls of "encouragement" came rolling in.

on saturday, a brother (actually a very decent, likable, and genuine man) left me a message and said that he misses me at the meetings.

Funchback

luna... You mean I gotta hear that expression for (10) more years???

By the way, welcome to the Forum!

41

"We Miss You! (but only at the meetings)"

by Funchback in

it has been a good (7) weeks since i've last attended a kh meeting.

this weekend, however, the calls of "encouragement" came rolling in.

on saturday, a brother (actually a very decent, likable, and genuine man) left me a message and said that he misses me at the meetings.

Funchback

DIM-

Most definitely. I look forward to it.

Also, I got ANOTHER call today from another sister who said EXACTLY: "We miss you at the meetings..."

Why is it ALWAYS "we"??? She is single. She doesn't have any kids. Why can't she say "I" miss you???

Also, again, why is it ONLY at the meetings??? Oh, wait! I know now! It's because Dubs don't do things together recreationally on a regular basis.

3

JW in the News - Taping Children to their Desks

by Funchback in

i don't know if this is a repost...

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/6987929.htm

coral gables.

JW in the News - Taping Children to their Desks

by Funchback in

i don't know if this is a repost...

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/6987929.htm

coral gables.

Funchback

I don't know if this is a repost...

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/6987929.htm

CORAL GABLES
Aide, teacher face angry judge
A judge slaps a schoolteacher and her volunteer aide with high bonds for allegedly taping down 6-year-olds for misbehaving.
BY MATTHEW I. PINZUR AND CHARLES SAVAGE
[email protected]




Vonda Christie (left) and Ivonne Nieves (right). CHARLES TRAINOR JR/HERALD STAFF

Judge chides teacher,

aide in tape abuse case

A veteran schoolteacher and her classroom volunteer, charged with using tape to bind misbehaving students to chairs and a blackboard, received higher-than-usual bonds -- and a verbal backhand -- from a Miami-Dade County judge on Friday.

Vonda Christie, a first-grade teacher at Coral Gables Elementary, was given a $50,000 bond, which she posted about 2 p.m. She is charged with five counts of child abuse, but police said she only watched while volunteer Ivon Nieves Marrero bound the five students, all 6 years old, for unruly behavior in late August and early September.

Marrero is charged with five counts of child abuse and false imprisonment. She was held on $100,000 bond and was still in custody Friday evening.

''What we have here is five egregious cases of child abuse,'' said Circuit Judge Gerald Klein, responding to an argument for a lower bond by Yery Marrero, who is representing the volunteer but is not related. ``I have a lot of respect for you, but none for your client.''

Marrero has been on probation since February for cocaine possession, burglary assault and grand theft. An e-mail from Christie to the judge in that case showed she was aware of Marrero's record and still allowed her to work in the classroom.

''Who knows what other information she had to go along with that,'' said Ronald Manto, Christie's attorney. ``Whether that constitutes a crime or just bad judgment is another issue.''

Lawyers for both women have denied the accusations, suggesting the students' parents are trying to generate a lawsuit against the Miami-Dade school system.

''Children of that age can be almost be led into saying anything,'' Manto said. ``Children don't make very good witnesses.''

TEACHER SUPPORT

Many parents in the Coral Gables neighborhood where Christie taught for her entire 15-year career came to her defense following Thursday's arrest.

Alita Patterson, whose daughter was in Christie's class several years ago, called her an ''understanding, caring and kind'' teacher who took extra time to help her daughter learn to read at her own pace. Patterson said Christie also mentored an emotionally troubled boy whose home life had disintegrated.

''She has a little system of rewarding the children who have left her class,'' Patterson said. ``My daughter is now in fifth grade, but when she makes the honor roll, she goes and shows Miss Christie and gets a reward -- a pencil, an activity book. So she's kept in touch with these children through all these years.''

Patterson also said that Christie's methods of discipline were always something like extra homework, nothing physical. She said she didn't believe the teacher had anything to do with the tape incident -- and regardless, the charges were overblown.

''I don't believe that putting tape on somebody constitutes child abuse,'' she said. ``Inappropriate? Absolutely. Child abuse? Absolutely not.''

Darby Plummer, president of the Coral Gables Elementary PTA, said she had known Christie since they were both students at Coral Gables High School. Plummer said she always thought of Christie as a ``caring, amazing person.''

''I hope it's not true for the school, for the kids who it could have happened to, and the kids that could have witnessed it,'' she said. ``And for Ms. Christie's sake, I hope she wasn't involved, because I think the world of her and that continues to be my lasting feeling. I just have hope that it will all work out well.''

Evelyn Moore, a fifth-grade teacher and the union steward at Coral Gables Elementary, said she had the highest respect for her colleague and did not believe the charges.

As testimony to Christie's character, Moore said she was an adoptive parent and a devout Jehovah's Witness who never tried to impose her beliefs on anyone.

`SURREAL'

''It's almost surreal,'' Moore said. 'You just can't imagine this happening. We all do pretty much the same thing . . . We understand what it is to discipline students. We know where you draw the line, and we just don't do that kind of thing. And if you ask me if I believe she has done anything like that, the answer is an emphatic `no.' ''

Following standard procedure, the district has placed Christie on ''alternate assignment'' since the allegations were made. She receives her normal salary of around $44,000 for performing administrative duties outside the classroom until the investigation is complete.

The 38-year-old teacher's personnel file shows consistent but unremarkable performance evaluations. She has neither been in trouble before nor earned any special distinctions or awards, according to a copy obtained by The Herald.

Christie earned a bachelor's degree in sociology and early childhood education from the University of South Florida in May 1988.

Christie applied for a job teaching elementary students with the Miami-Dade school district shortly after graduation. She also said she was interested in coaching volleyball and softball and would like to be a club sponsor for cheerleaders.

Plummer said Christie had been on the volleyball and softball teams in high school, and had also been involved in student government.

''I have chosen teaching for my profession because I have the desire to help educate young ones about our rapidly changing society, and to help those same people to become functionally literate which is an essential tool for survival,'' Christie wrote in her application.

She got the job.

EVALUATIONS

In every annual evaluation in her file, every category -- including classroom management, teacher-student relationships and professional responsibility -- was checked ``acceptable.''

Few remarks are found in her files to supplement the checklists, though in 1992 her principal wrote, ``Ms. Christie is very concerned about her students.''

41

"We Miss You! (but only at the meetings)"

by Funchback in

it has been a good (7) weeks since i've last attended a kh meeting.

this weekend, however, the calls of "encouragement" came rolling in.

on saturday, a brother (actually a very decent, likable, and genuine man) left me a message and said that he misses me at the meetings.

Funchback

DIM-

I guess you (and all of us) shouldn't expect anything less. By the way, how's the baby?

7

Why JW hate when you bring up THIER PAST!

by JT in

jw
friends

i thought you would enjoy this gem from the archives.

james - enjoy.

jehovah?s witnesses, in their eagerness for jesus?

Funchback

Great stuff, James!

This helps to reinforce why I stopped being a JW.

47

Kobe is Kooked

by Funchback in

i know that his guilt or innocence has yet to be determined in a court of law.

but, the initial indications ain't looking good in kobeville.

his attorney made some questionable moves during the trial yesterday.

Funchback

I agree with what ikhandi said.

47

Kobe is Kooked

by Funchback in

i know that his guilt or innocence has yet to be determined in a court of law.

but, the initial indications ain't looking good in kobeville.

his attorney made some questionable moves during the trial yesterday.

Funchback

SixofNine-

I know you're trying to make a funny but it went right over my big ol' head.

I prefaced my comment with:

I know that his guilt or innocence has yet to be determined in a court of law.

With that said, I am simply offering an opinion. Kobe is just acting like a nut.

34

LATEST WT Study Articles Are All About the WOMEN!

by Funchback in

women still can't handle mic's, count money, count attendance, or give public talks.

"in the first century, some of (the women in the bible) had the privilege of ministering to jesus an his apostles.

("cook that lamb and wash the wine jugs, toots!").

Funchback

Women still can't handle mic's, count money, count attendance, or give public talks. BUT...

"In the first century, some of (the women in the Bible) had the privilege of ministering to Jesus an his apostles. ("Cook that lamb and wash the wine jugs, toots!"). Later, Christian women became zealous evangelizers; others gave valuable support to Christian men who were taking the lead, including the apostle Paul; (Greedy men! Always TAKING the lead and never leaving any behind for the women to take.) and some showed exceptional hospitality, even making their home available for congregation meetings (but ONLY if her husband said it was okay!).

"Joel 2:28, 29 predicted that both men and women, young and old, would receive holy spirit and share in spreading the good news of the Kingdom...Some spirit-anointed women were granted miraculous gifts, such as the gift of prophesying." (BUT, were they allowed to read aloud the ~~Watchtower~~ Scrolls at the ~~meeting~~ temple?)"

"This large, spiritual army of faithful sisters contributed to the rapid spread of Christianity in the first century." (Sure, women do all of the dirty work like preaching while the men get to handle the Sound in the back of the Hall!)"

Ah! I knew if I kept reading that I would find a useful purpose for all you women: "A husband says of his wife, a mother of five grown girls: 'Our home was always clean and tidy. Bonnie kept it simple and uncluttered so that our family could focus on spiritual pusuits. Her contribution to the careful management of our finances made it possible for me to work part-time for 32 years. My wife also taught the children the value of hard work. I have nothing but praise for her.' Today both husband and wife serve at the world headquarters of Jehovah's Witnesses. (Sounds like the only person in that family who DOESN'T know what hard work is is the husband/father!)

Subtitle: The Beauty of Subjection

"The wife's subjection to her husband in no way implies inferiroity. Rather, it dignifies her to use her many gifts and talents in harmony with God's will." (Like washing the wine jugs, cleaning the house, making babies, etc.)

Aren't you glad you are no longer a 'JW woman'?

47

Kobe is Kooked

by Funchback in

i know that his guilt or innocence has yet to be determined in a court of law.

but, the initial indications ain't looking good in kobeville.

his attorney made some questionable moves during the trial yesterday.

Funchback

I know that his guilt or innocence has yet to be determined in a court of law. But, the initial indications ain't looking good in Kobeville. His attorney made some questionable moves during the trial yesterday. Also, I don't know if it's because he's just immature or just unwise, but he keeps doing all of these "theatrical" moves to, in my opinion, win public sympathy: "Look at my new tattoos!", "I love my wife SO much!", "I'm being persecuted.", "We didn't have sex..." then "We DID have sex, but it WAS consensual."

I wish Kobe would just silence himself and let the facts speak. He's trying to hard to paint himself as this good-guy-I'm-a-victim person. The more I hear him talk, the more annoyed I become.

Anyhoo, I feel sorry for the alleged victim if she was raped because this trial and the things that will be brought up will probably make her feel raped all over again.

In the early going, though, I say that Kobe is ~~cooked~~ kooked. So is Mayor John Street.