Help Me Convice Someone D&D Isn't Evil

[Alzrius]

You should have listed it as D20. She would never have known what it was and if she ever happened to get a look at your books you did not lie aftera ll.

I agree. If you could go back and change what you did, you shouldn't have given her so much information. "D&D" should never have been on the list, but rather "rpgs" or "d20 system games." Although some people have expressed other opinions, I still hold that underhandedness is your best weapon. Game anyway, and dont let her know. To do otherwise is to let her get away with this complete miscarraige of justice, and you should not let that happen. If you don't want to do behind her back, then you can alternately (or additionally) follow Mythago's advice and bring in a greater authority that will come down on your side. The ACLU is there to handle problems just like this.

 

[Trevalon Moonleirion]

Wow. I never expected this kind of response...THANK YOU!

I'm far too tired to write an incredibly lenghtly post, but I'll try and cover some of the things that popped up in the thread.

I agree, as many have mentioned, that just going around her back and playing anyway would be a bad thing. Even if I wanted to do this, our sponsor would not let us--she's a young teacher and doesn't have tenure, which means she's not about to fight any huge battles for us since she can get fired if they don't like the way she looks.

Being civil with the heinous bitch is a number one priority--shows that D&D can't be all that bad since I'm polite and whatnot. I could also argue the fact that just about all of the interested club members are in the top 10% of their respective classes...hell most of us are in the top ten PEOPLE in our classes in terms of GPA.

I'm going to have to talk with her, look around at some of the research and see what I can do. My mom is supportive of me, and I'm fairly sure that I could gather her support. One of my best friends parents is the Principal at one of the feeder middle schools for our high school, so she has some clout, in addition to her powers as a parent.

I'm a student aide for the Principal, so I'm in pretty good with him and his secretary. Most of the time, teachers go to him when our AP is being a bitch, and he sets her fairly straight.

I suppose I could point out my own statistics as well:

Two heads of the club have played D&D for 4(Fayredeth) and 6 (Me) years and are...

• ranked 4th and 5th respectively in the senior class
• neither one of us have ever had so much as a detention
• we have taken honors and AP classes for all of high school--Fayredeth is independently studying Physics with an intent to take the AP test
• I'm President of our Thespian Troupe, Corresponding Secretary of Student Government, flute section leader in band, bass section leader in choir (Madrigal Choir and concert choir), a member of scholastic bowl--and god knows that all of the horrible things I've listed above are because i played that satanic game..."

Most, if not all of our current members are very similarly qualified. More fun examples of why no one likes this woman: she's trying to ban the wearing of hooded sweatshirts at our school. She's also trying to ban spikey haircuts... she just never changes...

 

[Trainz]

You should have listed it as D20. She would never have known what it was and if she ever happened to get a look at your books you did not lie aftera ll.

Exactly.

Say:"OK, we won't play D&D" and play d20Modern. DO NOT USE A SCREEN. Such ignorants identify screens with D&D (if and when they go that far in their "research").

Also put a chess board on the table with the pieces on it. When she comes around, roll some dice, look into the d20 book, say some mumbo-jumbo like:"I got a move of opportunity" and move the pieces around, and proceed until she leaves.

If she is smart enough to figure it all out (not likely), you weren't playing D&D, you where playing Modern.

It will work.

I remember back in the early 90's, I was working alone in an office, answering the phone after regular working hours and doing some minor accounting. My boss had left 10 minutes ago. I then proceeded to open the two Monstrous Compendiums I had just bought and started placing the sheets in the binders. I was almost drooling. The sheets where all over my desk.

All of a sudden, my boss comes back in, having forgotten something. She comes to my desk, looking in the drawers to find what she forgot. She then notices the sheets. She even grabbed one and looked at it. She put it back down and said sorry, gotta go.

I couldn't beleive my luck, but then I realized: all those binders and papers must have looked like homework to her.

I'm telling you man, it is quite easy to fool that girl that wants to prevent you from playing. Just use your brain. You obviously have more than that ignorant bi@%&.

You know what, I kinda envy you. You got a nice challenge in front of you. Makes you feel more alive.

Have fun !

 

[JRRNeiklot]

I agree with Mark. This isn't about D&D. It's about her restricting what activities you can participate in. If she indeed has the power to enforce that, there is little you can do.

 

[jdavis]

Wow. I never expected this kind of response...THANK YOU!

I'm far too tired to write an incredibly lenghtly post, but I'll try and cover some of the things that popped up in the thread.

I agree, as many have mentioned, that just going around her back and playing anyway would be a bad thing. Even if I wanted to do this, our sponsor would not let us--she's a young teacher and doesn't have tenure, which means she's not about to fight any huge battles for us since she can get fired if they don't like the way she looks.

Being civil with the heinous bitch is a number one priority--shows that D&D can't be all that bad since I'm polite and whatnot. I could also argue the fact that just about all of the interested club members are in the top 10% of their respective classes...hell most of us are in the top ten PEOPLE in our classes in terms of GPA.

I'm going to have to talk with her, look around at some of the research and see what I can do. My mom is supportive of me, and I'm fairly sure that I could gather her support. One of my best friends parents is the Principal at one of the feeder middle schools for our high school, so she has some clout, in addition to her powers as a parent.

I'm a student aide for the Principal, so I'm in pretty good with him and his secretary. Most of the time, teachers go to him when our AP is being a bitch, and he sets her fairly straight.

I suppose I could point out my own statistics as well:

Two heads of the club have played D&D for 4(Fayredeth) and 6 (Me) years and are...

• ranked 4th and 5th respectively in the senior class
• neither one of us have ever had so much as a detention
• we have taken honors and AP classes for all of high school--Fayredeth is independently studying Physics with an intent to take the AP test
• I'm President of our Thespian Troupe, Corresponding Secretary of Student Government, flute section leader in band, bass section leader in choir (Madrigal Choir and concert choir), a member of scholastic bowl--and god knows that all of the horrible things I've listed above are because i played that satanic game..."

Most, if not all of our current members are very similarly qualified. More fun examples of why no one likes this woman: she's trying to ban the wearing of hooded sweatshirts at our school. She's also trying to ban spikey haircuts... she just never changes...

Nothing like defending your hobby from closed minded people to get people going.

You have all the right qualifications in order to fight the woman and win, being that you are in the upper crust of the school, have supportive parents and have direct access to the woman's superiors. Being that you are both Seniors you might not be able to win the fight before it is time for you to leave school but it is still better to give it a shot. Good Luck.

 

[s/LaSH]

I personally never had obstructions to my playing, but there were those who disapproved. My group at the time suggested cracking open Middle Earth RPG, then allying with a Balrog to conquer the world. I don't recommend that. However, Middle Earth is huge right now. Get the d20 conversion and see if you can get that approved.

If you want anecdotal evidence, here's my story: the man who bought me the D&D game in the first place was a Catholic priest.

And if you want some more stuff to show off, poke around these boards for one of the multifarious ethics/alignment threads. That's the sort of discussion naturally provoked by the game. I think that would impress anyone but a dyed-in-the-wool A-grade fundamentalist, and I don't want to offend anyone, so I won't continue here. (I am a practicing Catholic too, by the way.)

 

[LostSoul]

Little ing Hitlers.

Yeah, just go behind her back. People are dumb. And tell her how you're glad that she stopped you from playing D&D and how it's helped you out. (Humour her.)

Then when you're out of her sphere of influence, tell her that you played only D&D, and there's nothing she can do about it. And tell her she's gained weight over the years you spent in school.

-LostSoul, pissed off right to hell

 

[LostSoul]

I do recall teachers that were worried about my D&D playing, but I didn't really give a flying . But these were actually really good teachers, the kind that makes you realize that most teachers out there are just little people who like the power they get from lording over people's "future". (I can't remember the number of times the guidance counsellor at my school told me to off after I said that nobody really needed to go right into university after high school.) These good teachers actually listened to the points we had to make, about how D&D taught us a lot about history and gave us a good reason to learn on our own, a good reason to write on our own, read on our own, etc.

-LostSoul, who thinks teachers should get paid more to force the thousands of buffons who teach now out of the work force.

 

[Mean Eyed Cat]

Hey Trevalon Moonleirion I will email you a bunch of pro D&D/RPG articles I found. They are in RTF format

Also check out http://www.trhickman.com/Intel/Essays/Ethic1.html Great resource.

 

[LostSoul]

I doubt you are going to convince someone like her. She's probably already got her mind made up, and will think any giving in will be a sign of weakness. So she's going to be as stubborn as a that don't wanna come out.