Innaproriate political and religious content in a public school

[hawtdawg]

In Texas, we just had the history of the enlightenment changed in history books, by a dentist and a couple of other non-historians, to remove Jefferson from the enlightenment (i guess he wasn't christian enough) and talk more about the influence of God on our founding fathers.

This kind of shit makes me want to leave the country.

 

[Uhtrinity]

It's impossible in some areas to cover content without interjecting at least some level of opinion or bias. Furthermore, it's important to introduce some types of issues which are controversial. And, it's equally important to teach students debating skills.

What the hell are students supposed to debate? Which color to paint the hallways in the school? Or would you rather that students don't learn such skills?

I agree, but in cases like you you bring in people with opposing viewpoints. In that scenario you can have partisan politics in a class like government, but with both sides presented.

However the example at our school was far from that and also interjected religion which is a big no no, especially considering a week ago we had a concert and the kids sang, "Thank goodness I'm a country boy".

Fortunately this is the first and hopefully last time anything like this happens. Otherwise our school is great, has an excellent environment for staff as well as students, and the students do great academically.

 

[Uhtrinity]

Just have some teacher show some Micheal Moore movies in the classroom to balance it out like they do in schools in SF.

Two wrongs don't make a right ..

I agree 100%, just get it past the teachers union that if any teacher engages in it they lose their job. Good luck with that.

We aren't covered by a teachers union and this is a Public school (Charter), so if someone decided to push it someone could lose their job. Guess I'll see how much fallout there is by Monday.

 

[brandonb]

Do you have kids?

Yes, but at an elementary level. What's the point? He is already pretty good at "teases, fibbings, etc." I tell him things that are flat out wrong to see if he challenges what I say. "You are making my brain hurt" is something I hear often. So I assume he's use the same type of logic as he gets older and would see through funny business like the OP mentioned pretty easily.

 

[MotF Bane]

It's impossible in some areas to cover content without interjecting at least some level of opinion or bias. Furthermore, it's important to introduce some types of issues which are controversial. And, it's equally important to teach students debating skills.

What the hell are students supposed to debate? Which color to paint the hallways in the school? Or would you rather that students don't learn such skills?

My senior year of high school, I was in AP Government, and at a private Catholic school. We (the 18-20 in the class) suspected he leaned right on politics, but he never gave us any solid proof of it, or admitted anything, until the very last day. So it absolutely is possible to cover even controversial issues in unbiased informative methods.

For that matter, even if you do believe that opinions must be shown for some topics, fifth grade is too young for it. At that age, they're still likely to take the word of a teacher, or a parent, for an issue, and not really look into it themselves, or to understand it.

 

[monovillage]

It's impossible in some areas to cover content without interjecting at least some level of opinion or bias. Furthermore, it's important to introduce some types of issues which are controversial. And, it's equally important to teach students debating skills.

What the hell are students supposed to debate? Which color to paint the hallways in the school? Or would you rather that students don't learn such skills?

Debate or presenting different sides of a political topic is one thing, full on advocacy of a single political point of view by a teacher is another. Do you try to claim that some teachers aren't enthusiastic supporters of one political view or another? Do you claim that some teachers don't push their personal political views on to students? In this day and age where so many kids carry cell phones it wouldn't be hard for this to be recorded and presented to the school board and offending teachers fired if it shows they push a political agenda in their classes. More in reference to the OPs horror that a political/religious view was presented to school children that they didn't agree with.

 

[Doboji]

Yes, but at an elementary level. What's the point? He is already pretty good at "teases, fibbings, etc." I tell him things that are flat out wrong to see if he challenges what I say. "You are making my brain hurt" is something I hear often. So I assume he's use the same type of logic as he gets older and would see through funny business like the OP mentioned pretty easily.

Well I know that when I was in High School, as the only Jew amongst 3000 students... it definitely made me pretty damn uncomfortable when we had a substitute teacher one day teach us about how important it was to pray to Jesus. Having said that... being a minority and dealing with that adversity certainly didn't impede my Jewish identity, it probably strengthened it.

I was a pretty stubborn SOB and I enjoyed the controversy of being different.... not everyone is like that. It's kind of like saying so what if a teacher punched a kid in the head for not listening... I mean really the kid was fine, and if he's strong minded he should easily put it behind him. You don't determine if something is wrong or not simply by how quickly a victim can absorb the blow.

=Max

 

[peonyu]

When people talk about Tolerance this is what they mean. That man has different views than the OP, but he is a parent aswell and he was able to speak up there just as you would be able to if you asked to. He chose to bring Religion into it, thats his views and he is allowed to share them. It might make you uncomfortable but so what, tolerate it. That is what America is all about.

 

[AreaCode707]

You should have asked on the spot if you could present an alternative set of views then set the stage for the kids that, "that was one viewpoint of many, here is another, talk to your teachers and parents and do some reading for information on the many more."