Letter to the Editor

I am writing about an incident that happened on December 19th 2023 that occurred at the Mountain Home Junior High in Mrs. Zielkes’ 8th period English class where a boy made a speech titled “Why Women Don’t Deserve Rights”. The English teacher approved this topic and sat by while the student began his speech referring to women as “walking dishwashers”.

The speech goes further into violence against girls/women, how women don’t deserve to have their own money, jobs ect. After this speech was brought to my attention I called the school and was told to email the principal and vice principal. They have yet to get back to me but have instead circumvented the adults and instead pulled my step daughter into the vice principals office where they then defended the boys speech labelling it “satire” and asked why she hadn’t made a complaint before the boy gave his speech. They went on to defend how its “not a serious topic” and that it was simply satire.

I believe the school and teacher here in Mountain Home do not see the direct ramifications to young girls who had to hear about how they don’t deserve rights and how they are only useful in the kitchen. Those girls sat through being publicly bullied and now after speaking up about it are being punished by being transferred to another teacher/classroom.

Sincerely,

Cydney Haines-Gettman