In my opinion, within the United States, their are two institutions where Americans can expect to find rampant stupidity.  One, as you may have guessed if you've read the posts on this blog, is the institution of Government.  Many of our leaders are not smart men or smart women - I give you Barbara Boxer, Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Janet Napolitano and Joe Biden to name those at the tippy top of my list.  The other institution where Americans encounter extraordinary stupidity is in our nation's education system.  And here, let me clarify that I am talking about the education machinery in totality, not just the much maligned public school system.  Private or public, lower or higher education, the number of bald-assed dumb people who work within the system boggles the mind.  It's an exquisite paradox - some of the dumbest people on the planet are charged with educating our kids. 

Enter the "leadership" of Illinois District 113,  which is responsible for the Highland Park High School in Highland Park, Illinois.

The Superintendent George Fornero and Assistant Superintendent Suzan Hebson announced their now tumultuous decision that their champion girls varsity basketball team cannot take to the perilous roads to play at a tournament located in a den of illegal immigrant iniquity - suburban Scottsdale Arizona.

This touched off a furor, as it should, and went viral over the internet, to the certain consternation of Mr. Fornero, who refused to talk to the press - in a bob-and-weave fitting of a basketball court, he claimed that the decision to bar the trip was not his alone.  I guess they rule by committee in District 113, which somehow doesn't surprise me.

So at this point, the story has become an internet conflagration.  Nationally 60% of Americans support the law, despite the ceaseless vilification of the Az law by a hysterical liberal media, and a whopping 70% of the presumably legal residents of Arizona also support the law.  Thus Mr. Fornero, and Ms. Hebson clasped hands and dove head first into a virtual wood chipper.   Apparently they are not being paid for their brains.

Now, scrambling to douse the flames of discontent, District 113 issues a follow up press release.  Here it is below.  Give it a read, then we test your reading comprehension skills:

"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:    May 12, 2010

HIGHLAND PARK HIGH SCHOOL

District 113 Comments on Arizona Trip Decision

There has been significant media attention to Township High School District 113’s decision to not send the Highland Park High School varsity girls’ basketball team to a tournament in Scottsdale , Arizona scheduled for December, 2010. This decision is not a political statement regarding the State of Arizona ’s recently enacted legislation regarding immigration.

Rather, under long standing constitutional law, all school districts are required to provide an education to all children within the District’s borders regardless of immigration status.  Similarly, when our students travel, the school district is responsible, both legally and ethically, for their safety, security and liberty.

District 113 boasts a diverse student population and, as a school district, we believe in equal opportunity for each of our students. The selection of a varsity basketball team for the 2010-2011 winter athletic season will take place in November,2010. The team has yet to be selected. We cannot commit at this time top laying at a venue where some of our students’ safety or liberty might be placed at risk because of state immigration law."

Question 1:  Is the above press release a political statement?

Multiple Choice Answers:

Answer 1)  What is a political statement?

Answer 2) Hec no.  District 113 is worried about South American style immigration squads that will be roam the streets of Scottsdale throwing suspected illegal immigrants into the back of unmarked vans and 'disappearing' them at the Mexican border.  Damn Arizonian hides for enforcing laws the Federal Government refuses to!  Damn them all to hell!

Answer 3) I saw an illegal immigrant once

Answer 4)  Of course it's a political statement!  They are ruining these kids chances to excel at their sport because they don't like the fact that Arizona is taking a stand and enforcing the law.  These cretins are using these kids to further their own political agenda and it's vile, pathetic, and most of all - STUPID.

Yes indeed, this hilarious attempt to douse the flames of outrage simply enlarged the blaze many fold.  In this political statement Press Release denying a political act, these presumably "highly educated" morons have admitted that the only reason the girls trip was canceled, and the kids tireless cookie-selling fund raising was for naught, is because the sovereign State of Arizona passed a law that says if a Police Officer has probable cause that a violation of law has been committed, and has reasonable suspicion that the subject or subjects of that violation are illegal aliens, they can be question as to their immigration status,  arrested if illegal, turned over to ICE, and deported home. 

Who knew that Highland Park High School was a hot-bed of illegal immigration activity?  Further still, that these anonymous illegal high-schoolers would be aided and abetted by the Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent of the school system. 

We think an ICE raid on Highland Park High School is in order

And we think Superintendent George Fornero and Assistant Superintendent Suzan Hebson should be fired and then sued for causing those girls mental pain and anguish while using them as political pawns.

PS:  The correct answer is number 4.