My name is Richard Morgan. Last Wednesday May 3rd my son John
who is 15, an A-student, a track runner, a Star Boy Scout, and a person
on the autistic spectrum who thankfully over the years has made
tremendous progress gave a talk to the South Country School District
Board of Education at Brookhaven Elementary school.
... There were about 100 parents students and faculty and administrators in attendance.
What I thought was neat was that John wrote the speech in a couple of days,
and that after he gave it you could see the jaws drop on the school board members-
as John was on target on the various issues re: recruiting in schools- he said of things he's
seen- like the his high school running short of mouse pads- so the computer stations
get mouse pads saying "go Navy", teachers having calendars distributed to them that
glamorize military service, the Guidance Office having military brochures all around,
ditto the library, military recruiters last fall parading in Bellport with the football
team throwing footballs saying "Go Army" and the administrators think this is ok etc.
After the speech 1/2 of the audience applauded and 1/2 didnt mirroring the red/blue
divisions in our elections and nation.
..... as John and I were leaving, the President of the local ambulance company confronted me
as we left and told me, up against the wall in the school hallway, away from witnesses and out
of earshot of John that what John said was a disgrace and I was a disgrace for driving him
there to say it. This same individual is running for the school board in next week's election.
I thanked this person for his input and John and I left. I of course forwarded my version
of this incident to the District Superintendent and all the South Country School Board
members for their review.
Also (Monday night, May 8) there were about 30 activists including John on the grounds
of Old South Haven Presbyterian Church- we got their church council's ok to use their
property for the demonstration simultaneously with "College Night" at Bellport High School
where 100 colleges and numerous military recruiters are present.
In spite of the intervention of the NYCLU, who were most helpful the school district was
adamant prohibiting us access to the school to distribute military opt out forms, pictures
of returning wounded vets etc.
John is revered very much by local "peacesters". All of us are very proud of him.
Sincerely, Richard Morgan
