District decides to leave the money on the table, but will move forward with ‘Confucius Classroom’

Question: If you are an advocate against, say, a program supported by a foreign regime that provides both a) money and b) materials – which thing are you most angry about?

Hacienda-La Puente Unified School District officials are betting on the money.

After a long process that has included heated debate, claims of communist propaganda and tampering, and even a visit from the Daily Show with Jon Stewart, officials with the school district have decided to not accept money from the Chinese government to fund its Chinese language and culture program, although it will still operate under the name “Confucius Classroom.”

The district will go without the $30,000 a year it would have received. But it will still use textbooks and other materials provided by Hanban, pending approval from a district committee.

So let me get this straight, after a lot of people spoke out against this program, the district is getting rid of the money, but is keeping all the materials – a.k.a. all the elements lots of people were very peeved and paranoid about – and that is supposed to smooth things over?

Excuse me for not believing this isn’t exactly the end of this debate.

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