Help Me Convice Someone D&D Isn't Evil

[Trevalon Moonleirion]

I'm coming to you my fellow ENWorlders, in desperation. I normally don't really care what people think of our hobby--what they want to think is their own business--but when people start pushing their opinions down my throat, I get pissed off. I'll start from the beginning, though, to explain my plight.

My friend Ed (Fayredeth here on the boards) and I have been talking about starting up a gaming club at our high school for a while now. This year, we finally got our act together and tried to get something in motion. Amazingly, we really had no trouble getting our bitch of an assisstant principal to approve the club. We should have known there was trouble to be found. All the horrid woman wanted from us was a proposed time and meeting place, along with what games we planned to play. We put very typical games on there: chess, backgammon, risk, boggle, scrabble etc. In the middle of the list, we slipped in D&D...because that's the whole reason Ed and I decided to start the club. I slipped it into the middle because we were afraid that our wonderful AP would start shoving religion down our throats (she and her family are rather notorious for being rather forceful christians). We thought we'd give it a shot anyway--after all we got the club started in the first place!

Several days later (which is rather fast for this woman) our sponsor got a reply back--and a rather rude one at that... she has told our AP that she hates the nickname "Nan" (her name is Nanette), yet she still insists on calling our poor sponsor this. She said that all of the games were fine... EXCEPT D&D. She had apparently read some "research" saying that "the game resulted in some negative outcomes." My friends and I were outraged. What true scientific research has actually been done on D&D?! To the best of my knowledge, it's mostly very strongly biased espousings of hardcore christians and other religous groups...but in any event I want to see this research she casually mentions. The thing that really gets us is that in various curricula throughout the school, Harry Potter and The Hobbit are taught in the classroom! How can D&D be ANY different from those?!

I responded in a memo to her, very casually, and very diplomatically inquiring to see the "reasearch" she spoke of, stating what I know of D&D "research" politely, and pointing out Harry Potter was being taught in school.

So my friends...what the hell am I going to do?! This woman is notoriously impossible to get into touch with, and when you can talk to her, she is rude, condescending, arrogant, and makes up rules that only serve to rally students against her. (Case in point, announcing THE WEEK BEFORE HOMECOMING that there were severe dress code restrictions--no strapless dresses, etc. etc. and so forth. This is ONE week before Homecoming... don't you think most people have their dresses by then? She pulled the exact same crap last year at prom as well!) Teachers can't stand this woman, and I certainly can't either.

What are your suggestions? What would you do in my place? What have you done in a similar circumstance? Is there any dependable evidence that D&D is good or bad for you?

Thanks!

 

[arwink]

Two points:

1) Calm down a bit before trying anything. From the tone of your post, you're not going to do your cause any good at present, and you're resentment towards your AP is going to make any arguement you present seem petty.

2) People have done behavioural and sociological studies of RPG's, in much the same way they do studies of people who play computer games or watch violent videos. It's not scientific as such, and you can probably find as many positive papers as negative ones.

 

[Creamsteak]

Every Scientific Research Study on Role-Playing Games Since 1994

(Find a couple that fit your case, as it's 50/50 stuff.)

 

[Mark]

D&D is not on trial, and do not let it be. The crux of the issue is whether or not she has the right to retrict particular activities. If that is in question, I'd suggest you begin with a petition drive to see if you realistically have enough people who will support your cause. Good luck, Jason.

 

[Celtavian]

Re

Take D&D off the list and start the club behind her back. Remember, your a young person. Very few adults such as this AP have much respect for young peoples views, and she will probably just use the old cliche "adults know best."

D&D is only as evil as the person playing it, just as with anything else.

I really can't stand people like your AP. Uninformed, ignorant, sorry person using her petty power to make sure nobody does anything she wouldn't think is right.

 

[jdavis]

Unfortunatly you don't have a leg to stand on, but there is hope if she is disliked enough that Parents and teachers can do something about it. Enough Parents complaining in mass to the school board can change things. Years ago when I was in school it wasn't all that unheard of for groups of parents to complain and it usually got results.

As far as her dislike of D&D, well that has been the general feeling from alot of exteme Christans for decades, I ran into the same problems when I was in High School in the Mid 80's. I thought it was sort of funny that their idea of factual material is books and pamphlets written by people who write broad uninformed opinions and call them facts. My grandmother read a book on how the Eagles were satanic, it was based on the song "Hotel California" having the lyric "you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave." the whole book revolved around how obviously satanic that verse was, Thus no Eagles albums for me.

The Principal will never buy into any arguement you ever give and even trying to argue the point will turn out bad for you. Find a outlet for gaming outside of school.

 

[Creamsteak]

Do as Celtavian said, only wait a good length. School's have ebbs and tides, and you don't want to be around when there is a tide... (In other words, wait till the AP is wrapped up in her own superficial world of suscpending kids for bringing nail clippers and soda bottles to school. She'll forget you ever existed.)

 

[DerianCypher]

If you think that she is being unreasonable after you have tried to convince her of your side, go over her head. There is probably a very good reason why she is only the Assistant principle. Your principle will probably be more open to reason than her.

DC

 

[Alzrius]

I agree with what Mark said. The nature of D&D shouldn't be the point of contention with her. Don't play her game, make her play yours.

My advice to you: she approved the club in its basic form. Meet and play D&D anyway, just don't tell her or let it come to her attention. You may want to wait a while until her focus is off of you though, just to be safe.

Be prepared for if you get caught. Its not likely this will happen if you play it right, but if you spread the word too widely or if some butt-kisser tells her, be ready. For one thing, instead of D&D, play with other D20 games, so you can honestly say you aren't playing D&D. Also, go online, and find studies that show that roleplaying doesn't cause problems of any sort, and even encourages good behavior.

This may seem pointless, as all the evidence in the world won't convince someone who isn't going to listen, but what you're preparing for isn't to try and convince her; its for when you appeal to a higher authority. If you get caught playing D&D, she'll try and shut you down and maybe even levelling some punishments at you. You're only choice then will be to take it right to the principal (or, heavens forbid, some higher source of authority). When that happens, be ready. Have the necessary evidence that D&D doesn't cause behavior problems, point out that the AP is being irrational and ignorant. But most importantly of all, be calm, respectful, and polite when you do so. You'll be arguing from a position of weakness, since any authority will automatically give more credence to her than you, so you have to tread lightly. If you're some red-faced angry kid, they won't rule for you no matter how in the right you are.

You're in for an uphill battle, and the results are uncertain (but not in your favor). Game at school as long as you can without being noticed, and prepare for the (probably) inevitable showdown. You just might get lucky and win out in the end.

 

[Emiricol]

Quick questions.

1) Does she or does she not have the written authority to choose which clubs get approved and which do not? (sounds like she does.)

2) If she does, can she exclude a club for any reason, or particular reasons? (sounds like any reason.)

3) If she can do it for any reason, what is the established "appeals process"? It may be something as simple as "in case of disagreement, the principal is the final judge."

Frankly, I don't think you have any real options, besides to do as Alzrius says, or just find another place. Sometimes it is just best to pick your battles, and it doesn't sound like there's much to gain (and a lot to lose, potentially) by fighting this one to its probable conclusion.