Keep Politics Out of the Schools

(Or at least anything to do with Republicans)

Published on October 4, 2004 By Ciperl In Politics

I'm going to start out with the link for my little rant. That way you all can see my frustration with the Democratic Party. This is from ABC: http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/news/WABC_100304_middleschoolteacher.html

A middle school teacher in New Jersey was told "You have caused more disruption to this school and to these students with your partisanship and your hatred and your inflammatory ways. Get yourself and get out of the building." by the schools principal. Why? Because she had a picture of George W Bush (who is the current president) along side pictures of the other presidents and a photo of the Declaration of Independence. During parents night, one of the parents demanded to know why George W Bush's photo was on the wall. And it wasn't fair thqat he be on the wall and not John Kerry. (I guess some parents forgot that JOHN KERRY IS CURRENTLY NOT THE PRESIDENT.) Some of the parents decided to take it further and sent emails into the school asking why a teacher at that school liked George W Bush because he "kills people."

Classrooms must have changed quite a bit since I went to middle school. But I remember my classrooms had pictures of all the presidents on one of the walls. So now, because there are people out there who HATE George W Bush to a point where it has become irrational, a teacher has been thrown out of school.

What is this world coming to?

Comments

Myrrander

on Oct 04, 2004

Hmm, yeah, after reading the article it does seem that the school made an error of judgement. The one puzzling thing to me is what pictures of the presidents have to do with English class, which the article says the teacher in question teaches. Seems to me that there might be more to the story. I'm an English teacher myself, and I don't see any possible reason for an English teacher having the pictures on the wall. Were all the other president pics of republicans? Had she said anything partisan? She claims she didn't, but the article doesn't quote any of the parents that complained. Offhand, I'd say the administration overreacted -- hopefully you'll be able to follow up on this.

MythicalMino

on Oct 04, 2004

i also posted about this in the Current Events section....

I agree....Kerry is NOT president (at least not yet). And even if he was President, or will be President....President Bush's picture shoudl still not be removed.

I wonder if the Kerry Campaign will say something about this? is it petty to think he should? I don't think it is....

But, schools have changed....very much so.

Ciperl

on Oct 04, 2004

I found this link when follows up on the other article that points out that now one of the New Jersey Senetors is getting involved.

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2004/10/4/111256.shtml

My wife is also an English teacher and she has taught the Declaration of Independance as part of an English lesson. Many times in the middle school English/Civics/History are taught as a part of overlapping education topics. (Though she's not sure about New Jersey.) The teacher had the picture of the current president inside a montage of other presidents, the declaration of independance, the constitution, and a picture of Ben Franklin's printing press. Sounds more like an educational visual add and not a political agenda to me.

Angloesque

on Oct 04, 2004

While we're at it, could we keep politics out of the NFL, too? Watching the game yesterday and also last Monday, and there were Bush/Cheney and Kerry/Edwards signs in the crowd. Can't we just enjoy a freakin' football game?

As for school (er, going back on topic), my history teacher would never tell us whom he voted for. Drove me nuts at the time, since I pretty much venerated him, but I can see why that's a good thing now. The story in question isn't very well written--there are not nearly enough sides represented to get a whole picture, but the picture we do see is scary. I think it sounds like the parents are to blame for making a huge deal out of it--but again, I've only heard part of the story.

-A.

Myrrander

on Oct 04, 2004

Sounds more like an educational visual add and not a political agenda to me.

Makes sense to me. If that's all that's going on here, these administrators majorly overreacted.

Grim Xiozan

on Oct 04, 2004

The Picture

The Teacher

My Thoughts
This is bull, come on, if you hang up some pictures of Presidents, it is only natural and proper to hang up a picture of the current President, I never heard of one single case like this during the era of Clinton or Bush Sr. What the hell, just because you hate the guy does not change the fact that HE IS THE PRESIDENT. Argh.

This is total ass ridiculous, UNLESS the teacher was openly promoting Bush over Kerry, which there is no proof that she did but that all she did was have a picture of the CURRENT United States PRESIDENT.

Damn *grumble* *grumble* hypocrites *grumble* *grumble*

- *grumble* GX *grumble* un-proud member of ENGSOC

Gideon MacLeish

on Oct 04, 2004

Civics is important anywhere in a public school. We are teaching our students, among other things, how to be good citizens. Good citizenship means respecting the office of the president, even if you do not respect the person who holds it. George W. Bush IS the president, at least until January 20 of this year. And even if he is a former president at that time, he is still due proper respect as a statesman of this country.

This is not partisanship, this is proper civic behavior. I have never, nor will I, cast a vote for George W. Bush for president of this country, but I WILL defer to him his proper respect as the holder of that office. The school's decision was wrong.

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