Should Riordan step aside for his "stupid dirty girl" comments?

[Cascadian]

How can you not be disgusted at Richard Riordan's comments to a 6 year old girl? Should he resign for such comments? Should Guv Arnold ask him to step aside?

[rfranklin]

1. Schwarzenegger should be recalled for defending him too...

He's a soopid dirty muscleman.

[stellanoir]

2. a couple months ago. . .

in the produce section a little toddler was fussing in her mom's shopping cart. It was in the late afternoon, a time when a lot most little kids get cranky. The little girl went to reach for a piece of fruit that was within her grasp like any little kid would do. The mother (probably in her late teens) chastised her and called her stupid. I was shocked. I'd heard parents call behaviors stupid or other little kids calling each other stupid but I had never witnessed nor could I understand why any parent would ever want to attach that label to any child, never mind their own.

It was all I could do to not approach the young mom and say," why the heck did you even bother having a kid. . .?" but thankfully the dad swooped down picked up his daughter and comforted her which is probably all she wanted in the first place. So at least the kid has a prayer.

[stellanoir]

3. found this on Atrios' blog (check out what the kid thought)

California NAACP president Alice A. Huffman says it best:

"It is abusive to use such language toward a child, regardless the gender, race, socioeconomic background or national heritage," Alice A. Huffman, president of the California State Conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said in a statement.
"To say that he was only kidding or joking suggests that Mr. Riordan, who is in charge of developing education policy for our children, knows nothing about children and has even less respect for them."

Isis' mother Trinity Lila thinks that Riordan probably should resign as well, and she sounds like she's a great mom:
"I let my daughter go to story hour and figured she'd be safe in a room full of librarians and parents and other children and the secretary of education," Lila said.
"If I was in the room, I would have defended her. But she did OK without me. I'm really proud of her for standing up for herself. She's OK. She's moved on. It's not like I'm going to sue to pay her therapy bills."

Lila said her daughter didn't correct Riordan because "she told me she didn't want to hurt his feelings. I got the impression she just didn't think he was very bright."

"I really didn't know much about the man, so I wasn't aware of how socially inept he is," she said. "He's a bureaucrat and I guess he's a grandfather. But it doesn't seem like he's had a lot of exposure to kids. It was really a stupid thing to say."

[girl gone mad]

4. link for people out of the loop..

like me: http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/07/08/girls.name.ap/

He needs therapy.

And what's with Mervyn Dymally? He's ready to stage a protest when he thinks the girl is African American, but thinks we should forgive and forget all about it when he finds out the girl is white? A little case of foot in mouth disease? He doesn't make our side look very good.

[Crunchy Frog]

5. Yes

It seems like the "Traditional Values" party has forgotten all concepts relating to even the most basic of social graces.

They are so used to being in the attack mode that they don't even have second thoughts about using it on innocent young children.

I'm not from California by the way, just have strong opinions on this.

[lazarus]

6. more inability to understand what they're saying

Arnold said that Riordan's comments are "unacceptable."

Then he left Riordan in his position.

Now, if someone is allowed to do something with no consequences, then that behaviour is, by definition, acceptable.

[Sharpodotcom]

7. Shame

There appears to be absolutely no responsibilty or accountabilty anymore.

[newyawker99]

18. Hi Sharpdotcom!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Catt03]

8. No

The child's mother nor the child have a problem with this.

He has apologized a zillion times about the remark. It is getting silly and boring to keep this in the news.

[Divernan]

10. His remark reflects an unacceptable, even dangerous persona for his job.

This is substantively different than someone like Chaney losing his cool and publicly shouting an obscenity commonly uttered by adults in private. What keeps this from being "silly" or "boring" is that his language revealed an incredibly offensive attitude toward a small child. No NORMAL person would have reacted that way in that situation. What makes this dangerous is that this man controls education policy for children. I guess there are some people who were raised with their parents constantly telling them they were stupid, and so think that this is normal or acceptable. It is not. It is psychological abuse, which experts have determined is more damaging in the long run than physical abuse.

[bowens43]

14. Did you see it?

I did. I saw a stupid man make a stupid mistake. I didn't see a man intentionally trying to hurt a child. It certainly didn't , IMO rise to the level of abuse. It was OBVIOUS that he was joking.

[Catt03]

15. He made a remark that was silly and inappropriate

The constant attention given to this event is over the the top.

So if you are saying that Riordan is not normal and should be fired?
Okay...but there appears to be no plaintiff here.

Are you hearing the parents? The mother said it was no big deal. The kid took care of herself by confronting him again. The family says it is okay...they feel he was teasing.

Yeah it was inappropriate and I am sure if the mother wanted action or other redemption other than an apology she would be joining everyone else in calling for his head. She's not.

[Divernan]

12. The child's mother thinks he should resign.

See quote in post three above.

[bowens43]

9. No.

It was stupid but there was no malice. It was meant as a joke.

[Divernan]

11. How on earth do you know there was "no malice."

The phrase "stupid, dirty" is per se malicious. And if you or anyone you know thinks it is funny to tell a child he or she is stupid, go read any basic child-rearing or chid psychology book, because you couldn't be more wrong!

[bowens43]

13. I watched the video.

It's quite obvious that he wasn't intending to be malicious. He thought he was making a joke. I it was stupid but it's obvious from the video that he didn't mean to hurt the girl by saying it.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

16. It was a joke

We should be attacking the Republicans on the issues, not on this type of fluffy media nonsense. And there is PLENTY to attack the Republicans on. I saw the video. Riordan was having fun with the kids and it was obvious. The kids laughed when he said it as it was completely incongruous. The girl said her name was "Isis" an Egyptian name and she asked him what it meant. He was just goofing on her with the other kids and I just don't get where it was all that malicious. Immediately after he made those remarks, he then expressed interest in her name and went from a joking tone to one of seriousness. He could have made a funny face at the girl, it would have been the same. It was lame of him to do it, but let's call the Republicans out on their policies, not on this type of non thing. I really don't want to live in a society or be in a party where a person can't say anything anymore or even make a fool of themselves without the sky falling in. Let's not become a mirror image of the constipated anal retentive party.

[bemildred]

17. You need a "Hell yes! And take Ahnuld too." option. nt

[Undemcided]

19. I saw the video.

In the context it was said it was silly.

[skygazer]

20. Yes

It doesn't matter if it was meant to be malicious or not nor does it matter if the child or her mother was upset about it. The comment was completely inappropriate and offensive. This is the guy who is in charge of education, for crying out loud! If he thinks its harmless and okay to make such a remark, what does that say for his job philosophy? You don't degrade and demean children, that's no way to teach them about life. I can't believe anyone would stick up for him!

(as for the avatar, I'm originally from VT but I live in CA)