Little Emma Burton has become a sensation, of sorts, throughout her home state because of her refusal to defy her principles in her kindergarten class.

What principles can a 5 year old have?  What personal beliefs could a youngster that age possibly have?  Miss Burton has personal conviction in something that most children – and adults – do: which team to cheer for in sports.

Emma’s mother, Bug Bytes blogger Julie Burton, recounted the events on her blog as follows:

Thursday afternoon, I am waiting outside the school with Kate. Kids come running out of the doors. They all run up to me, all trying to tell me something…

Kansas Jayhawks logo

Emma’s mom! Emma’s mom! Emma is crying! She’s in trouble! 

Wait, kids! What happened? I look up. Emma is being escorted out by her teacher. Emma is in a complete meltdown. Her teacher is struggling to hold Emma’s hand while carrying her backpack, binder, coat and a piece of paper.

Emma wouldn’t color a jayhawk!

BAAAHAHAHAHAHA. I could not help but laugh. A couple moms near me chuckled.

Emma’s teacher made it to me, very angry.

Emma would not color this Jayhawk today with the rest of her class. She told me she would not color it. She told me she does not like KU and her family likes K-State. She asked me for a K-State picture instead but I told her this was her only option. She took the paper, crumpled it up and threw in the trash can. I asked her to get it out of the trash can and she told me no then refused to speak to me the rest of the day. I told her I would have to have a chat with you about this and she will need to color this tomorrow during recess.

I am trying not to laugh. I have my hands over my mouth, trying to hide my smile that I can’t get off my face. I’m sure her teacher was not happy with my reaction.

I told Emma this is not about the schools, it’s just about the state of Kansas. This does not mean she has to like KU and she can throw it in the trash when she gets home. She told me she wouldn’t bring a Jayhawk in her house.

I took Emma home, crying. I thought about this on the walk home. I was getting mad. This little Jayhawk the kids had to color has everything to do with KU. Even if you argue about the historical significance of the Jayhawkers (which was a very bloody and violent time in Kansas. Nothing a kindergartener needs to know) there is no reason to color KU’s mascot blue, red and yellow. This little Jayhawk the class had to color has everything to do with the University. I feel the teachers should get rid of it entirely or give the kids an option to color one of the two major colleges in the state.

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Now this is where little Emma shines through.  Her mother pressures her to comply and conform, but the tot insisted that she would not cave in to what she believed in:

I was left with the dilemma on what to tell Emma. I ended up telling her that Scott and I were not mad at her. She would not receive a punishment from us. We were actually proud she fought for her school and did not back down. BUT, she could have handled herself a little differently with her teacher. She did not need to cause a scene by destroying the Jayhawk page by throwing it away. She did not need to have a meltdown and refuse to carry any of her belongings outside. I asked if she would please color the jayhawk, just for her teacher, and be done with it.

No.

Emma, you need to color this thing. The teacher might have to send you to the principal’s office.

I don’t care. I’m not coloring it.

Emma Burton's Powercat - Photo: Julie Burton

Hmmm…Ok. What if I make you a deal. What if I print out a Powercat and you color it purple, grey and white. Then write an apology to your teacher because you were rude. Will you agree to that?

(pouts) Fine.

Ok, but you need to color that Jayhawk for your teacher.

(silent, exhales) Fine.

You will?

Yes. But I don’t like it. And I’m wearing a K-State shirt tomorrow.

Fine. You don’t have to like it. Just do it and I want you to tell your teacher you’re sorry as well.

The next day was the “Kansas Party” – which I volunteered to help with. The other moms told me they heard what happened via their own children. They all thought it was very funny. One mom gave Emma a high-give for sticking up for her school (behind teacher’s back). One mom told me her daughter told her Emma tried to use purple crayons but the teacher would not let her. Another mom told me her own daughter was scared to throw away her Jayhawk when she got home because she thought she would get in trouble too. I can only assume Emma caused quite the scene the day before. I asked her teacher if Emma colored the Jayhawk. She did. And she got the apology note.

After the party, I drove Emma home. I asked her if the Jayhawk was in her backpack.

Emma's Jayhawk In The Trash - Photo: Julie Burton

Yes. Get it out and put it in the trash can.

Ok. Emma, what is this Jayhawk coloring book?

She wanted me to color that today too. I told her no. 

Did the rest of the class color it?

Yes. But I would not color two jayhawks.

What did your teacher say to that?

Fine.

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Emma Burton is definitely an incredible child.  Standing up to an ‘authority figure’ to defend perhaps the only strong personal conviction that one could have at 5 years old.  Maybe it’s high time that we all pause and review our personal convictions and beliefs to discover if we have given in or given up.

Whether you stand for something as great as Freedom & Liberty, or something as seemingly minute as a college team:  Never surrender, never back down, and never abolish your principles in the face or fear of ‘authority’.

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I had been encouraged to listen to Dan Quayle, who was running for the United States Senate against a long-term incumbent Democrat. That was the year that viciousness in campaign ads was taking place across the nation. The sitting senator, Birch Bayh, was being trashed pretty harshly by the religious right.

The was the stage, and the actors were set. Being a political junkie since before I was old enough to vote I decided to take the suggestion. In doing so, I was told that Representative Dan Quayle would be at a shopping mall at a designated time to address whoever showed up. I showed up…along with other people.

In the mall there was a small platform, I am guessing about 8- 10 inches high. Congressman Quayle was on the platform speaking and answering questions. I witnessed something which may have little meaning to most, but to me it was significant. I believe it involved Dan’s son, Ben, whom is now serving as a House member representing Arizona’s Third Congressional District. I say I believe it was Ben, because of the ages of the children at the time. I never asked.

Here is what I recall happening. The details are fuzzy, but the influence and impact was not.

Ben must have been playing on the platform as his father spoke. At some point, the toddler toppled over and off of the platform. Nothing serious, it has likely happened to most children, in some manner.

But, what was remarkable to me at the time is that it was A congressman, seeking to unseat a sitting liberal Democrat, that ceased speaking and went to his child’s rescue. He briefly cuddled, reassured, and calmed the frighten boy. He passed his child to another (my belief is that it was the mom, Marilyn). Then, he went back to his speech as though he had never been disrupted.

I left the incident with a distinct impression in mind; “This is the man I want to represent me in the Senate. He is a man that instinctively knows his priorities.” To me that was no small potatoes.

In my religion there is a quote that is occasionally used which says “from small and simple things are great things brought to pass”. Simply standing where priorities are is a very small thing in this day and age. Candidates are “blown by every wind of doctrine” and frequently set aside their professed values for momentary applause. There is a very strong tendency for such candidates to judge the tenets of their convictions to meet the expediency of their campaign…rather than the other way around.

This weekend I just came to know a little more about Rick Santorum. Admittedly, I do not know the entire set of facts. Yet, I do know my impressions. They are favorable.

It appears that Rick Santorum left Florida presumably to “do his taxes”. Today, the news media is reporting that he is placing his young daughter, Bella, in the hospital sometime Sunday. Rick Santorum, has chosen to be where he should be (in my mind), rather than scrambling for votes. I personally admire that. The details are fuzzy, but the influence and impact are not.

Now, I am a political hack. I freely admit that. I am harsh in my assessment of candidates, and quick to offer an uninvited opinion. My mind would have me wander down that road in this article, and throw some comparison to other candidates out on the blogosesphere. I will not!

This is simply to say Rick Santorum impressed me this weekend more than I have been impressed in 31 years.

Thank you, Senator Santorum.