17 March 2003
Amanda Kosior
Joel Giambra's kids
I just read the articles on Joel Giambra's decision to remove his kids from Waterfront because of racial issues and I'm disgusted by its facts. I am a white, 16-year-old student at the Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts. I've attended BAVPA since 5th grade and I'm currently in 11th grade. I am in love with the diverse student body.I am floored to see a parent, a politician at that, removing their child from a school because of race. I believe this is one of the biggest mistakes he could have done. Removing his children was not a wise decision on Giambra's part. For one, he is showing them that racism is all right—that segregation is right and everything that our country fought for in the past is wrong. Shame on him, it only shows his poor parenting skills.
Second, attending a diverse school allows a child to experience the different cultures that each race has. I know personally I've learned many things I normally wouldn't if I hadn't attended my school.
Third, if Giambra thinks he is saving his children from being singled out because they are white and the school only punishes white kids, he just started a much bigger problem for them. He just put his kids in the public eye, and now they are going to face problems in their schooling with different kids. If he thought the papers where hard on him, imagine what children in their teens are like. Everyone has seen those harsh teenage movies where gangs of children tease and poke fun. And let me tell you, being enrolled in a school, I see what goes on, and those kids are definitely going to get harassed for their father's arrogant behavior.
It is sad to see a parent choosing what the best environment is for his children when he himself isn't providing the best parenting skills and information they need to live.
If Giambra thinks he is giving them a more positive education he is wrong. He has chosen to isolate his own children as well as make them out to look like idiots. Ignorance never goes away because of the ignorant actions that refuse to go away. Instead of having his blinders on maybe Giambra needs to enroll into a class himself.
The Buffalo Report articles to which Ms. Kosior refers are "Joel Giambra's mealy-mouthed hypocrisy" (March 12) and "The real reason Joel Giambra said that dumb thing that got him into so much trouble last Saturday night" (March 14).
Copyright 2003 by Buffalo Report, Inc.