busted

[rcgreen]

AURORA, Colo. -- By many accounts, teacher Jay Bennish was notorious for veering off topic to blast President Bush, capitalism and U.S. foreign policy during his social-studies classes here at Overland High School.
Then Sean Allen got an MP3 player for Christmas.
This week, Mr. Bennish was placed on administrative leave pending a school-district investigation after 16-year-old Sean recorded a lecture during his sophomore geography class in which the teacher compared Mr. Bush to Adolf Hitler.

http://www.washtimes.com/national/20...2026-6769r.htm

Is this a legitimate way to expose a teacher's views to open debate,
or is it educational vigilantism? I think it's funny. Teachers are often
such arrogant bullies (intellectually, anyway). It's good to see a kid
with technology stir things up.

[dalek]

Oh well, if you can't have constructive debate in school,
then the alternative is??

We don't need no education
We dont need no thought control
No dark sarcasm in the classroom
Teachers leave them kids alone
Hey! Teachers! Leave them kids alone!
All in all it's just another brick in the wall.
All in all you're just another brick in the wall.

I watched that on CNN last night, and it's polarized the school, 6 or 1/2 dozen of the other, damn'd if you and damn'd if you don't.

If the parent had such a problem with it, why didn't he sit down with the kid and discuss the merits before going public, if anything his son is now in the spotlight and open to ridicule, just what every teenager wants in High School...

We'll be reading about this kid next year showing up with a rocket launcher and wasting those who tormented him...real smart...

[rcgreen]

next year showing up with a rocket launcher

If "the pen is mightier than the sword", then the "MP3 player is
mightier than the rocket launcher"?

[dalek]

Originally posted here by rcgreen
If "the pen is mightier than the sword", then the "MP3 player is
mightier than the rocket launcher"?

In this case...hhhmmm depends on the eventual targets???

[nihil]

Hmmmm...............

after 16-year-old Sean recorded a lecture during his sophomore geography class in which the teacher compared Mr. Bush to Adolf Hitler.

But Bush is ugly, everyone knows that?



"Home of the brave, Land of the free
Why won't you let him be what he wants to be?"

I can sing too..........................

When I was 16 I can distinctly remember my geography teacher asking what a particular feature at a particular map reference was................I said "F*****g politically correct, sir!" and he replied: "Only if you drowned the b******s in it".............it was a reservoir, and blue!



Hell, half the kids wouldn't have attended if it weren't for our "battles".............it was fun, and it was encouraged.................OK fifty years on........................

[Evil Moo]

I think it was pretty irresponsible of this teacher to do that. High Schoolers are highly influencable on matters of politics, usually because they know little about them. Rhetoric is very dangerous for teachers to spout--especially because there usually no intellectual counter-balance to challenge it.

I liked the ending note of the article.

"I don't think he should be fired at all. He should be back in the classroom, but this time teaching geography," said Mr. Allen. "I just want teachers to teach the curriculum." p

[JewishIntent]

I actually had a few teachers back in school taht would spout this type of controversial stuff. The only difference was that it was pertinent to the class we were in, and they did it purposly to get the class thinking and involved in what we were doing. These were actually some of my favorite classes because we weren't just learning from a book, but disscusing real issues that related not only to history, but to the current political climate. And except for the classes that eventually became my major, sciences, these were the classes that i remember the most info from all these years later.

[dalek]

especially because there usually no intellectual counter-balance to challenge it.

So following that, lets use History as an example..The teacher is busy yapping away following the "prescribed" curriculum and saying how Custer was a great hero and that he was a gentleman and didn't lose the battle at big horn, but johnny two feathers stands up in class, and say's to the teacher, that's not how my Grandfather tells it.

Bingo, we now have an opposing view of what was recorded, should it not be debated, or will they tell johnny two feathers to shut up and sit down and learn what we tell you to learn???

Being able to debate in the classroom as far as I can remember was always a great way to hear other opinions, when a teacher can step outside the box on occassions, then this allows his students to develop an awareness of what the pro's and con's of a touchy subject can be like, maybe this teacher did just that, by being controversial, maybe he is challenging his students to think outside the box...

Like jewishintent mentions, as long as it is pertinent to what is being taught, then I don't see what the big deal is, and as Geography touches on foreign affairs, I am sure Bush's track record in this would come up a few times???

[Cybr1d]

Being able to debate in the classroom as far as I can remember was always a great way to hear other opinions, when a teacher can step outside the box on occassions, then this allows his students to develop an awareness of what the pro's and con's of a touchy subject can be like, maybe this teacher did just that, by being controversial, maybe he is challenging his students to think outside the box...

Define debate?

What the teacher did was wrong...end of story. Comparing your president to Hitler is hardly a debate, rather an ignorant, and immoral, political statement. Bush is an idiot...we all know that....but comparing him to Hitler?

The teacher should not get fired...rather have him teach the "prescribed" curiculum. He should defenitely stick to geography, because politics are not his strong point.

We'll be reading about this kid next year showing up with a rocket launcher and wasting those who tormented him...real smart..

How so?




My GF's classes are filled with bullshit like this...wish I was attending her classes.


Besides: Hitler was a military, and political genius. He was also an excellent public speaker... doubt Bush could keep up with him

[dalek]

How so?

Apparently some of the schools other kids are calling this kid a snitch, I don't know about where you may have gone to school, but usually this sort of thing tends to escalate into something a bit more serious (ostrasized). Kids in High School have a tough enough time amongst their peer's as it is without this sort of sh*t coming down on their heads, maybe he can handle it, who know's???

A forum in which students discuss a question by considering opposed arguments.

sounds like debate to me....

Maybe using Hitler to compare Bush was a bit strong, maybe he knows that and what it would cause in the way of controversy, maybe that was his way to instigate thinking on his students part, what?, maybe they are all just sheep and should go by what's written in the curriculum, even if what's written is wrong?

I think the majority of textbooks out there are bogus anyway, I for the love of God don't understand why in grade 9 here in Canada I had to learn the stupid American Civil War, why? what the hell did this squabble have to do with my Country anyway, well we learned it, I surely do know who Stonewall Jackson is, and I know what the Merrimac is, but why is that part of my curriculum for back then.Who writes these textbooks anyways.

Geography if taught correctly is more then just maps and a globe, it requires an understanding of a different culture, foreign affairs, foreign politics, foreign trade, so to me, I can easily see where maybe some of what he is teaching would touch on politics, if he is going to teach his students about Russia, then he is going to teach them about communisim (where's MacCarthy??) is that okay in the bible belt of America, or should he maybe replace communisim with Reps/Dems, sort of skirt the issues so as not to ruffle some kids patriotic dad....


But as with everything else in America, shut those people up who may have a difference of opinion.......It's either my way or the highway attitude.

That's like this forum (Cosmos) what starts out as a civil debate usually degenerates into a personal flame war, some people have thin skins and can't see the forest for the trees.

That's my 0.01 Cents Cdn worth (after conversion)