Teacher under investigation for alleged liberalism

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For me the cut-off is very simple. One question is a joke (and a good one at that ), more is preaching. The teacher doesn't deserve to get fired for it, but it's a big strike that I'm sure will put him on the "short list", and rightly so. You can discuss your opinions all you want in the classroom, but forcing a student to complete a biased sentence that you made up is really pushing it. I for one would not have faulted a student who refused to answer the questions, and the test should either be redone (with normal questions) or automatically passed (100%).

I'm all for joke questions, but this was not done in jest no matter what he says. Much as I may agree with the content, I strongly disagree with the method.

 

Yes, really. You may have noticed that I live in Texas. You may also have noticed that it is a red state; that it is the Bush "Royal" family headquarters and that it is the home state of arch-consevatives Tom DeLay, Dick Army and Phil Gramm. It is the reverse, mirror image, of TGS' home state, whose dismay with his state started this thread.

The majority of teachers in the public schools that I speak with here are hard core Republican, church-going, Bush supporters. There's nothing wrong with that, for I have a desk drawer full of business cards from local school districts that have wanted to recruit me as a teacher - no one has ever asked me for whom I voted. That fact is teachers are not chosen for their political ideology, despite the hysterics of those few who believe that the "innocent youth" of America is being corrupted by great waves of "liberal" ideology in the public school systems. This really has no test in reality.

BTW, those of you who are complaining about my comparison of the theory of "ID" while conveniently ignoring this comment regarding ideology, which was really much of the content of this thread anyway: Get over it.

[ November 27, 2005, 08:02: Message edited by: Chandos the Red ]

 

On a minor sidenote here, you should have heard the things a certain history teacher of mine has said. Talk about a over-the-top leftist, military and medieval loving tree-hugging hippie.

Still, he was one of the best teachers I've ever encountered, although he used to get some of the details dead wrong. A most inspiring character however, and inspiration is one of the best virtues when learning is considered.

Being a liberal twit doesn't make you a bad teacher. And I suppose commercials that promote consumerism are better source for an ideology? Who has the bigger effect on children of the west these days? Parents and teachers or consumerism-biased media? Which one do you think gets more children's time and brain-space?

 

In Poland, the teacher's union used to side openly with the Democratic Left Alliance (don't let the name deceive you, it's the direct successor of the commie party) but I haven't been faced with militant or preachy leftism so far. Oh yes, dislike and contempt of the radical right, but no radiating leftism. No right-wing indoctrination, either. The only thing I can recall was getting an absence hour for refusing to leave mass early. The school was taking part in the mass in the St. Cross church for the beginning or end of the teaching year, so it was an official school event, and it took a bit longer than some teachers preferred.

 

I hope you are not suggesting that liberals are "twits." That would be an unfortunate mistake....

 

Does anyone know what was the age of the students? Or which class took this test.

Bush bashing is quite predominant in some parts of the US media. A relatively young kid (less than 12?) would probably think that Bush and Republican were synonyms for stupid after a year of exposure to this guy and other anti-bush statements. That is the real danger of people like this guy, colouring the outlook of students without their even noticing it.
Early teens wouldn't give a damn.

 

Hmm, maybe - although I've often been tempted to think people in power were twits, idiots or just corrupt b......s.
Anyway, if the teacher gives that on a quiz, and regularly so, he deserves at least a serious earpulling, possibly firing. What he speaks about in his free time is his thing, but this can be a little too far. I mean, I've had teachers who said similar things, but they didn't use them on tests - where agreeing with them was a matter of good grade as well (choose - express your own opinion or get the question right).
Otherwise, why does everyone, part. in the USA, calls the leftist (ok, as leftist as it is in the States) agenda "liberal"? Hasn't anyone looked up the word, ever?

 

Two items.

First, I believe it wrong for a teacher to use their position as a soapbox. Teachers are in a unique position of authority, to make a political statement (on any subject) is simply abusing that authority. Teachers actually have a great deal of influence over some students (not all) and a teacher entering the classroom with any agenda other than education violates the trust parents and the school board places in that teacher.

The second item: A long time ago the members of congress from specific states sat together and congregated between sessions with other members who had similar views on running the country. The conservatives met on the right side of the room and the liberals met on the left. They became labeled by which direction they wandered between sessions -- left or right. Now I believe members congress literally sit on either the left or right depending on whether they are democrat or republican, respectively.

 

Of course not all liberals are twits, or total morons. This applies for the people of the right wing as well.
Some radical fanatics might be terrifyingly intelligent or even wise in their own manner, or just plain charismatic.

But if a person might be a twit, and somewhat liberal, this does not mean that she would make a bad teacher per se. As a liberal and a bit leftist twit myself, I happen to be very fond of liberal people, may they be twits or not.

Making a test with those kind of questions is inconsiderate and tactless however.

This teacher hasn't tought by his responsibilities, if he's given only a one single view to his country's politics. But it should make no difference what his personal opinions might be, even if he'd indulged his students what he thinks of his countrys current situation. Denying the freedom to do so would be wrong.

The next few seps will take to the direction of controlling every citizens private thoughts and sending people to camps, if they don't agree with the current regime.

[ November 28, 2005, 16:19: Message edited by: Ichor ]

 

No, they are not. There is nothing unique about their postion of "authority." In fact, they have so little authority in American society that it is actually quite pathetic. That is why students are not taught enough these days, because the school boards, the politicians and the parents want all that authority, and say so for themselves.

Teachers are not allowed to teach anymore. And students are smart enough to know that, despite the notion that a lot of people have that young people are a bunch of know nothings, who are unable to think for themselves and who are under the influence of the "evil liberal teachers." A lot of teachers are nothing more than glorified baby-sitters, teaching what is mandated by the politicians in the state legislatures. If the politicians, the parents and the school boards would stop getting hysterical, then teachers and students may be able to once again establish a relationship based on the mutual desire to learn and to teach real subject matter, and have mutual respect for each other in the process.

 

I believe the children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way.

This dude is totally impregnating his opinions onto his students. Students give in easily to suggestion, and teachers know that, which is why they need to be impartial.

 

That's just A lot of kids are more savvy than a lot of old folks are, who should know better. Kids are smarter than you give them credit for, IMO. "Give in easy to suggestion?" There's enough of that all over the place; age has nothing to do with it. Teachers should be impartial? You mean like everyone, and every other institution in society? Yeaaaah, riiiiight. Seems to me that you are asking teachers to be the lone exception.

 

Chandos: you do not seem to understand my statement or the principles of authority. Authority is derived from both positional and personal power. A teacher standing in front of a class HAS positional authority -- if they choose not to use it that is their fault (not the parents or school boards). Personal authority is a much trickier thing and I've known many teachers who certainly have strong personal authority -- those are the teachers the students respect.

 

They are using their social/professional position to do something else than it is required of them. It is no better than a politician using public money to open up a TV channel to advertise himself.
How do teachers get their jobs in US public schools?
It is funny that you say:

Since when Bush-bashing is "teach real subject matter"?
I want teachers to teach my children maths, physics, languages etc. What is right and wrong, if Bush is a crook or not is my function to do back at home. If a teacher tries to break my authority and brainwash my offspring, I will give him a real hard time.

 

@The Shaman: Economic liberalism isn't really leftist, but moral liberalism and leftism often go together. Liberalism in the States tends to combine both, at least in my perception. From economic liberalism to leftism, it's about as far as from free market to communism, but leftist all around the world tend to have a lot of abortion or gay agenda (not putting the two on the same level, just in case someone were to get the wrong idea).

 

They have almost no authority, because they have all those interested parties who will not allow them to teach; they are standing there telling the students what the government, the school board, the church groups and parents want them to say - what those interested groups unashamedly call "the facts."

As I said, teachers are nothing more than glorified baby-sitters. If I stand in front of a group of students and say: "Thomas Jefferson is not only a great president, but was one of the greatest American political thinkers of all times," then I have just made a profound political statement, and an opinion, based on my close reading of American political thinking during the Revolution, sometimes called the Amercian Enlightenment. Those who agree, will say, "yes, he's teaching the right thing; those who don't like Jefferson will say: "that guy is teaching his own personal opinion and corrupting all those young unsuspecting, gullible minds."

See, T2. This statement is exactly what I'm talking about....

 

I agree, generally, and hate the whole 'ageist' thing, as there are plenty of 'kids' able to come up with their own thoughts on matters.
On the other hand - I have an issue with teachers pushing their ideology. I know one who does it, and while a likeable enough person, she is prone to making statements that are biased without acknowledging other points of view at all.

For example - her thinking of Ned Kelly (Australian bushranger - national hero and all that) is that he was nothing more than a murderer and that we've all been brainwashed into seeing him as a hero. Well, I'd actually thought about the issue and still considered him a hero, but with her it was 'my viewpoint is the correct one, and you can't be right because you've been brainwashed' (that was all what I felt being implied, mind you, not stating it like that )

And the thing is - a lot of people went over to her side without considering the issue, or even knowing the facts (like what he was actually trying to achieve and the circumstances under which he killed people (self defence mostly, as well as in revenge for a betrayal) - now, if they'd have looked up the issue themselves and made that decision then sure - but after engaging one in debate it was clear that she had no clue and was in all likelihood just following what she was told by the teacher.

I don't mind actual discussion of things like this, where both sides of the argument are presented and the teacher can favour whichever they do - but totally biased comments made so sway the opinions of uninformed people suck.

 

Do you mean like this:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6798618/

Yes, it's good to know that teachers are the only ones who have been trying to "brainwash" America's youth. Those who are older, and are voters, and are so worldly from all their experience, would never fall for such nonsense. Right?

Wait! There's more:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5016440/

 

I was going to include a stab at politicians at the end there, but decided not to. Yes, the problem is not confined to just youth, but uninformed people in general. The education system has this problem, and so does the media - both need to be attacked equally. Seeing that this is a thread about the educational side of things though...

 

Well, the Williams fiasco was about the government selling it's educational program...but to whom?