Say Yes to Student Exploitation?

[XLFD]

Child exploitation is defined as using a minor child for profit, power, status, sexual gratification, or some other purpose.  It's often lumped with child abuse and child neglect as very bad things, that bad adults allow to happen to children.  

Economic exploitation of a child, also referred to as “criminal exploitation of a child,” refers to the use of a child in any way for economic gain.  Children are often used to help sell and distribute illegal drugs, and in some war-ridden countries, children are recruited as soldiers, and forced to fight. 

In Ludington, children have been recruited by public officials allied with special interest groups in order to market controversial ideas.   Officials and trusted scions of the community exploiting kids as political props is incredibly alarming, because people see that happening and believe that it's okay to exploit children in other ways.  

Earlier this year, we saw this happening at the 'splash pad' hearings for the MI DNR Recreational Passport Grant at city hall.  Several young children were sent to the microphone encouraged by parents and at least one city official that were for the splash pad.  It was very stressful for the kids, the daughter of two Splash Pad Committee members cried while she was at the microphone, others cried later on even though things went their way; they were not crying because those opposed to the splash pad upset them, they were crying from the traumatization of what they had to do.  

The Yes for LAS Facebook page was created so that a group consisting of almost exclusively people affiliated with one local bank could show their support for the bond proposal to raise the debt millage substantially at a special May 7 election.  The picture above has served as their banner since their inception in early March and they freely use other pictures of Ludington kids enjoying themselves as if to say that this could all end if you don't vote 'yes'.  And who wants to disappoint the kids?

Recently, they have posted five videos of LASD students with different words but the same message:  You have to vote yes.  I have arranged those videos into what I feel is least exploitive to most exploitive.  The first features two members of the State quiz bowl champions of Michigan, Brian and Richie who offer their opinion as to why the bond proposal should pass.

With them it flows out just a little awkwardly, perhaps had they been on Scottville/MCC's State Champion forensics team they could have had better delivery and reasons for passage.  The "Thanks for your support" does seem a little forced at the end, but as state champ quiz bowlers, they are used to being in front of the camera and anxious, it comes with the territory.  This could be forgiven by most, as could the next video by other state tested performers representing the Ludington O-bots:

Vivica and Sidney do a plausible job, and like the two young men above, are used to some of the limelight.  They sincerely believe that the passage of the proposal will be better for Ludington robotics, and it might be-- after they graduate.  However, in the construction phase, robotics and free space will be inconvenienced just like most other programs during that time. 

You may be saying at this time that you see no exploitation, no puppet-mastering.  But remember, these are almost functional adults, and some seem perhaps to have better skills at conveying their point than some of the other members of 'Yes for LAS'.  Let's get to the lower grades and see what happens there.  Next come Emma and Lena(?) from the seventh grade, members of the STEAM team:

Both are incredible young ladies to be sure, but we begin to see a bit more scripting, as both look down at what they are to say, and whereas it might be their own words, it really doesn't sound that way and the semi-emphatic "yes for LAS" punctuates that thought.  Have you noticed the background of the videos, can you guess where all of these five videos were filmed?  That answer will come, but let's look at four more middle schoolers

One would hope that these kids succeed in their goals, yet once again we see a bit of scripting and a choreographed effort to get the 'Yes for LAS' message across.  Optimistic Olivia mentions she hopes to see updated tech with the passage, but the bond cannot really be used for that.  The others seems to stress safety and preparing for their career-- I don't remember either as a big issue when I was in middle school, but more power to the director of this short film.  

Some may say at this point that these middle schoolers in the last two videos weren't being exploited as marketing tools to sell the public a $100 million set of new clothes.  But I can't help thinking that if I ran a couple of videos of middle school boys and girls crying and lamenting over the imminent loss of the school they spent three years of their life in (Foster School) and the lower elementary school they spent another three years at, that I would be exploiting them by showing their sadness and frustration.

And that's what has me sad and frustrated over this last video, where the 'Yes for LAS' production team goes low grade, and four cute-as-can-be children get exploited by unseen prompters:

Ali is concerned about running across a (traffic closed) road at Foster Elementary, Tommy gets prompted before forgetting his lines, then relates thermostat issues at his school.  Max seems unduly worried about fires and tornadoes at his school and thinks the new one will be somehow immune, and Gracelyn just wants technology and safety.  Just a few months ago, they wrote a letter to Santa telling him what else they wanted.

If you haven't figured it out yet, they are at the Ludington Library.

Is the 'Yes for LAS' so bereft of content that would appeal to the electorate to pass this lemon proposal that they feel the need to exploit the very children they want you to think that they are trying to help?  The answer is in the videos. 

[shinblind]

They are recruiting them younger and younger every year.

[Willy]

Right on the money shinblind. Below is a photo I took last week while visiting family in Lansing. It's a billboard promoting Lansing Community College and on it is an image of a person representing the average student. Hard to believe this is America which is represented by the Constitution, not the Middle East controlled by Sharia Law.

[XLFD]

Have you ever noticed that the adults who exploit children seem to come from left field?  Communist and socialist tyrants throughout the last century have made a habit of appealing to the children, brainwashing them so that they can tell them where daddy has the guns hid, or about the freedom fighters hiding in the basement, or where mommy is getting that extra income that Big Brother knows nothing about.  

[Willy]

Thanks for this report X. It is disgusting how these children are being used. I hope people can see thru this charade. So far everything the videos say about education has been accomplished in current structures with current equipment. Are the proponents of this millage trying to say that if this passes, Ludington will have State titles in academics every year after the construction has been completed? That sounds as silly as the proposal. If safety is a concern why are there still no sidewalks near many schools, for kids to walk on when traveling to and from school. Especially on dark, cold and snowy mornings. Who cares about the kids then? But what can be expected of leftists who are now running our schools. The library is another story. I call it the nightmare for anyone trying to do serious reading or research. Kids running around, people talking loudly on and off their phones including the staff, a resident day care open to the rest of the library making more noise than playground full of kids. The library is nothing more than a community center posing as a book shelf. The following video is about the National debt but can be applied to this current situation.

[AQUAMAN]

Willy, your observations about our local library are right on the money, it can be a serious disaster zone most of the time when someone wants quiet, peace, and concentration to read and go online. And that's not considerate or accepted norms of a library all my life until the last 5-10 years of recent, sad. As for your video, it too is right on the money. This is where all to many in our current society have gone, both in the public and private sector.