May 17, 2004

Email just sent to the school.

Hello Mrs. Rector,

My name is Kathleen Cooper. I have contacted the school several times about Mrs. Todds conversations with her students. The year is almost over, thank goodness because her personal opinions on subjects which she has no business discussing with students has crossed a new line today.

Today, she told my sons 7th grade class that "abortion is wrong to take a human life. It would be like me murdering you right now. You should not have pre-marital sex. You should wait until you are married".

This and other subjects she has talked about are not for her to talk to children about at such a young age. They are very impressionable and her opinions do not match what values families may have in their homes.

Mrs. Rector, I implore you and the principal to do something about Mrs. Todds behavior and sharing her personal opinions with her students.

She has discussed suicide giving out her home number to her students, my own personal health problems and giving my son her home number to give to me because laughter and positive thinking can heal my scoliosis, diets such as eating soy and drinking cod liver oil but not apples or bananas because they contain too much sugar. When Mark started school, I was under the impression that she taught language arts, not health or sex education.

I told you on the phone the day we spoke, May 4th 2004, all of the things I wrote about above but the abortion subject is new. I also told you that next year I would have both my sons at Brookside middle school and this behavior will not be tolerated next year at all.

If either of my sons has her for a teacher in the coming year/s and she discusses her personal religious or health or abortion opinions again, I will go to the school board and ask for her removal. I have documented everything Mark has told me this year and also asked a few of his friends if the things she discusses are true and they have said yes. This is unacceptable.

Please take care of this matter and please contact me at xxx-xxxx or email me and let me know what steps if any the school will be taking to rectify this.

Thank you.

Kathleen Cooper

*Update in extended entry*