[extropy-chat] Boycott National Geographic

[Brian Lee]

I went to NG's site to email them my opinion on this matter and saw this in 
the Geography Bee FAQ 
(http://www.nationalgeographic.com/geographybee/faq.html):

""""""""""
2) Who can participate in the National Geographic Bee?

Bee registration is open to schools and homeschool associations with 
students in grades four through eight who are not over the age of 15 by the 
time of the national level. A student must be enrolled in a school or 
homeschool association that is registered with the Bee. Also, students of 
the eligible grade levels must be following a school schedule and academic 
course load comparable to the majority of the student's grade-mates and 
age-mates. A student may not be enrolled in more than two academic courses 
at the high school and/or college level during each school year of the 
competition. We reserve the right to disqualify a student if we believe the 
rules have not been followed.

Schools from all 50 U.S. states, the U.S. territories, and the U.S. 
Department of Defense schools participate in the National Geographic Bee. 
Students enrolled in public or private schools may not compete as part of a 
homeschool association's Bee and, conversely, students who are homeschooled 
must participate through a registered homeschool association.
"""""""""

It seems like the restriction is really around schools with less than 6 
Geography Bee participants. So it does not directly prevent homeschoolers, 
but makes it harder. There are homeschool associations that allow parents to 
group together to join stuff like this.

BAL

>From: Mike Lorrey <mlorrey at yahoo.com>
>To: ExI chat list <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org>
>Subject: [extropy-chat] Boycott National Geographic
>Date: Sat, 19 Mar 2005 16:47:39 -0800 (PST)
>
>I realize that most members of this list, if not all (as well as
>myself) recognise what a great resource the National Geographic Society
>is, and has been over the years. The quality of their publications and
>programming is stunning and informative. I have enjoyed their magazines
>and programs quite a bit over the years, particularly the highly
>detailed fold out maps they frequently publish in NG (no, Spike, the
>nude native girls are only an occasional feature).
>
>However, something has come to pass with NG that is really incensing
>me. NG has made it a mission to improve geographic education in the US,
>and sponsors the National Geographic Bees for school age children. Last
>years winner was a boy from the New Hampshire town of Francestown who
>happens to be homeschooled. This is not an accident, as home schooled
>children regularly take many top placements in this annual competition,
>which has helped significantly to promote the idea that homeschooling
>produces quality educated children, contrary to the bible-addled
>backwoods hick that the NEA likes to promote.
>
>This year, NG has a new rule that bans all homeschooled children from
>the Geography Bee competition. This is not just prejudiced, bigoted,
>and discriminatory, it is a violation of the 14th amendment. It is
>apparently in response to NEA pressure, which sees homeschooling and
>education vochers as a threat to its agenda to teach its
>socialist/statist ideas to all of Americas children. The NEA is
>responsible for promoting the Geography Bee in schools and influences
>buying decisions for school district purchasing of geographic education
>materials.
>
>As such I am part of a group of folks who are announcing a complete
>boycott of all National Geographic products until this policy changes.
>This means no tv programs, no magazines, no NG sponsored ecotourism,
>etc. You are encouraged to communicate your own disapproval of NGs
>actions to its leadership, which you can find a list of at:
>http://www.nationalgeographic.com/about/masthead.html
>the phone number for National Geographic headquarters is 202-857-7000.
>(Hit (3) to get the staff directory). You can email the NG with your
>own opinions of their discrimination at:
>http://www.nationalgeographic.com/community/email.html
>
>This is an issue that you can have an enormous impact on by copying the
>above text into an email to your local newspaper's "letters to the
>editor" mailbox and posting it to some of your favorite lists, fora, or
>websites. Thanks for your help.
>
>Mike Lorrey
>Vice-Chair, 2nd District, Libertarian Party of NH
>"Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom.
>It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves."
>                                       -William Pitt (1759-1806)
>Blog: http://intlib.blogspot.com
>
>
>
>__________________________________
>Do you Yahoo!?
>Yahoo! Small Business - Try our new resources site!
>http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/resources/
>_______________________________________________
>extropy-chat mailing list
>extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org
>http://lists.extropy.org/mailman/listinfo/extropy-chat