I have noticed that in my community, that there is an aire of mis-information as to what being pagan or Wiccan is all about.  One of the "popular" girls who claimed to be wiccan, was recently arrested, and admitted to robbery of a local convenience store.  18 years old and her life is ruined with this act.  

She really didn't ever walk the "path" but used the terms to explain her dark and twisted thought patterns.  It truely has become a mess at the high school in this predominantly Catholic community.

Many of this young gals friends are in a cult like fascination with this girls energy, and it's scaring me.  Part of me wants to take this to the school board and help dispell the "Twilight" and "Witch is the same thing as Vampire" sort of fascination and "emo" "goth" sort of relationship.

Any suggestions as to how to approach the school board?   How to approach a presentation for the student body?  Dispelling the fantasy to invite the reality?


Any input will be invaluable, and I thank you in advance.

A few months ago, a similar chain of events occured here where I live.  It seemed to be an absolute calamity at first in this conservative (backward) town, but things calmed down surprising quickly.  (Those who made such a big deal of it to begin with don't don't seem to have much of an attention span.)  The girls involved in a short string of petty crimes have grown out of their childish phase and gone their seperate ways, both geographically and emotionally, and the whole thing is nearly forgotten.  That is my prediction for the situation in your community.  I hope this helps.

Blessings.
Monk

If you feel obligated to enlighten your community regarding the Pagan or Wiccan path, I would first ask you a few questions:1) Are you in or out of the broom closet? If you're in, you won't be for long. 2) Are you prepared to receive ALL of the attention you will draw to yourself (good or bad)? I was raised Catholic and know first hand how closed minded Catholics and especially Christians can be. Be prepared. I personally am in the broom closet and prefer to remain that way, but that's my choice. However, if you're ready to deal with the fallout of addressing the school board (which I have no problem with whatsoever), I'd start with the Wiccan rede: "An' it harm none, Do what ye will". By my definition, ROBBERY is harming someone- which would be a radical deviation off of the Wiccan path. Expand then on what it means to be Wiccan- to honor all life and cycles of the earth- not harming it.  As for the whole Twilight thing, chalk that up to teenage girls' infatuation. I would like to think the the "educated folks" that run your local school system are intelligent enough to realize that. Try expanding on the difference between Hollywood fantasy and the true religion that is Wicca and Paganism. OR, you can just let the dust settle and let it all fade away. Sometimes, it better to let sleeping giants remain asleep. Stand up for yourself certainly, but its wise to be selective when picking your fights, especially when you are a minority within the community. Just my opinion darlin' Good luck.

Blessings,

Draco

I think I'm with Draco on this one.  Why do you want to approach the school board?  Especially if you're in the closet.    What do you hope to achieve?  Is it wicca is not so bad or is it 'I'm not so bad'.  If it's the wicca thought, then you might want to reevaluate your community, they may not be in the position to welcome it, especially at this moment.  
If it's the 'I'm not so bad', then, aren't your deeds doing that advertising for you?  For people in the community who don't know you, who cares about them.

Narrow minded people don't like it when you confuse them with the truth (especially when that truth diverges from their notions of what truth ought to be).
The whole thing smacks of "the devil made me do it" defense strategy. These girls are no more Wiccan or Pagan than I am a contender for the heavy weight boxing championship.

I agree with Draco and GreenMonk, but there is another issue yet to be addressed. I've purused many a magical forum, from Wicca to Kabbalah, and while I see much anger at the Christian public and much amusement with pagan-goth adolescents, I see few people willing to educate the public or be role models for the kids. I am not saying that I am the exception--I like to think that I project to others that I am liberal in religious orientation, but I do not broadcast that I am practicing.

I admit that I am frequently amused �by teen practitioners, but I do not consider this a good thing. I have no right to act in this manner unless I offer to share with them what knowledge I have, humble though it is. However, I have never approached a teen in obvious need of "research skills" with the intent of showing them how to at least go about learning for themselves. So, I might laugh at the kids trying to find power and identity or chuckle at kids who think that being a vampire will make them feel less like a loser, but are I not the greater fool in my passivity?

Also, we all cringe at conservative Christians bashing us, but we never give them a person from our ranks with whom they can relate. All the public sees are kids committing crimes in the name of magic, or they see the eccentrics like Lori Cabot and Fiona Horn. �For goodness sakes, I'm a stereotypical librarian, glasses and ankle-length skirts, but I don't have the guts to say to the public that I practice magic and here is what you need to know. �

So Earthmother, I guess the point that I am making is that if you choose to go before the school board, you are a far braver practitioner than most of the pagan community, including me. You will have to endure a lot of crap, but you will be doing the best for the public, and possibly, giving pagan teens a role model. I've always loved the saying, "Wisdom is knowing what to do next; Virtue is doing it." If I were in your position, I would probably stick to being wise, but I think that virtue is the greater path.

Could you write an anonymous letter to the editor?  Every time a "crime" is committed by the Islamic community, the CAIR people come in and denounce it.  You would simply be following the same idea by denouncing such idiotic crimes as unpagan and that they are in no way related to the reality of modern witchcraft.