Teacher resigns after burning flag in classroom

[BoberFett]

Originally posted by: DealMonkey

Originally posted by: EXman
LoL typical Lib quick to tear down America while offering no ideas on how to fix it.


Sad to see so much apothy in the Pricks & Nerds forum.

Hey F you too buddy! You can just march right back to OT and continue talking about the hair on your ass ... or whatever passes for meaningful conversation over there.

As opposed to the ultra left wing circle jerk that is P&N. *roll*

 

[DealMonkey]

The stream of pissed off flag-wavers posting in this thread suggests otherwise.

 

[jman19]

Originally posted by: moshquerade

Originally posted by: Moonbeam

Originally posted by: moshquerade

Originally posted by: Todd33
Nothing to see here, get back to reading outdated biology text with "Just a theory" stickers in them. We would not want out children to think... bad teacher, you upset the flag waving sheeple.

i gag every time someone falls back on the word sheeple in this forum. it's like the sheeple callers are now the sheeple because they've all picked up on that word like a trail of reeces pieces attracting E.T.

face it, the teacher must be boring. he needs to shock his 6th graders into discussion.
there were other ways to spark their interest rather than lighting something on fire in a classroom.

face it? Hehe, that sort of reminds me of calling sheeple callers sheeple. Fact it is a Reeces piece, no? The only thing your post taught me was that you think you know a lot more about teaching the 6th grade or how 6th grade teachers should think than I think you do. Why on earth should I face your opinion rather than the one of a real teacher? The teacher must be boring because you say so. Why not, you must be boring because that's all you can come up with by way of explanation, seeing yourself in others, as it were.

how do you know i am not a teacher?

mull that one over.

I believe you've mentioned your profession on these forums before... though maybe I'm thinking of a different forum

 

[Fern]

Originally posted by: sandorski

Originally posted by: LEDominator
Why did he even need to burn it in the first place? Especially when a picture would have done just fine...

He was evoking a response and having the students write from that response. Nothing works better than actually seeing it done.

Bah, you could just as soon as showed a film of people protesting and burning a flag. Likely it would have had an even bigger intented impact because such protesters tend to be impassioned.

I doubt he was jumpnig around shouting various slogans as such protester typically do.

The impact he likely achieved was " Wow, this idiot is actually burning something in the classroom. Smell the smoke" I hope it was cotton instead of some fabric that produces toxins as it burns.

Besides, burning a US flag is sooo overdone. It's gotta be on TV, what like 10 times a week? It's either Hamas, Hezbollah, Iraqi's, Lebenese etc. The only thing "odd" was he is prolly non-Arab.

There are far better ways to demonstrate things about freedom of speech IMHO. Ex. Show the Iraqi beaten to a pulp and thrown of a 2 story building onto rocks below while wearing a blindfold - for critzing Sadam. Then show somebody calling Bush a big fat lying idiot and getting a "pat on the back" or a bunch of cheers.

 

[CitizenKain]

Originally posted by: BoberFett
So according to some of you crazy lefties, when the crazy righties want to talk about god and another non-factual information in school it's wrong. But when some teacher wants to shove his opinion (read: non-factual information) on his students it's OK? If we want schools to stick to fact, then teachers should do leave their opinions out of it, right or left wing. Too bad some of you left wing nazis are too crazed to understand how hypocritical you are.

Maybe more teachers should teach creationism in class. That would really get the discussion going, don't you think? Oh wait, you only want teachers to provoke strong opinions when they agree with you, how silly of me.

So did you just make up what the article said in your head before posting? Where do you see him shoving his opinion on students?

Teaches should be able to teach creationism in class, but not as a science. They could teach it in the "Wild crap our ancestors made up" class.

 

[Tom]

Originally posted by: shadow9d9

Originally posted by: Tom

Originally posted by: CitizenKain

Originally posted by: Tom
As a liberal Democratic supporter of the ACLU, I would fire this jerk on the spot. There's a big difference between explaining why there's a right to burn a flag, and burning a flag.

...and that is?

We burned stuff all the time in school, and I really fail to see how this a fire hazard. Especially when people are hiding nationalism while pretending to be concerned with safety.

Burning a flag is a political act. That is why it's protected by the 1st Amendment. Assuming the teacher worked at a public school, taxpayers don't have to employ teachers that want to express political views they find reprehensible.

You could use that argument to argue against ANYTHING you don't find appropriate at school...

What's wrong with that ? Public schools are not a free for all where teachers should be allowed to espouse any political view they feel like, or use any technique they can think of.

btw, I don't buy into the claim that this teacher was just trying to provoke discussion. Burning a flag, any flag, not just a US flag, doesn't fall into the category of just something to talk about.

Actually burning a flag is an expression of hate, hate of a person or group of people, or an idea that flag represents.

At best the teacher is an idiot who does not understand this, at worst he's either mentally ill, or actually wanted to express his hatred for something or somebody.

And it's fine with me if he wants to express that hatred, but we don't have to pay him to teach it to our children.

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by: Tom

Originally posted by: shadow9d9

Originally posted by: Tom

Originally posted by: CitizenKain

Originally posted by: Tom
As a liberal Democratic supporter of the ACLU, I would fire this jerk on the spot. There's a big difference between explaining why there's a right to burn a flag, and burning a flag.

...and that is?

We burned stuff all the time in school, and I really fail to see how this a fire hazard. Especially when people are hiding nationalism while pretending to be concerned with safety.

Burning a flag is a political act. That is why it's protected by the 1st Amendment. Assuming the teacher worked at a public school, taxpayers don't have to employ teachers that want to express political views they find reprehensible.

You could use that argument to argue against ANYTHING you don't find appropriate at school...

What's wrong with that ? Public schools are not a free for all where teachers should be allowed to espouse any political view they feel like, or use any technique they can think of.

btw, I don't buy into the claim that this teacher was just trying to provoke discussion. Burning a flag, any flag, not just a US flag, doesn't fall into the category of just something to talk about.

Actually burning a flag is an expression of hate, hate of a person or group of people, or an idea that flag represents.

At best the teacher is an idiot who does not understand this, at worst he's either mentally ill, or actually wanted to express his hatred for something or somebody.

And it's fine with me if he wants to express that hatred, but we don't have to pay him to teach it to our children.

Eh it's no big deal.Unfortunately there are always idiots who look for trivial things to get their panties in a bunch over.

 

[BoberFett]

Originally posted by: CitizenKain

Originally posted by: BoberFett
So according to some of you crazy lefties, when the crazy righties want to talk about god and another non-factual information in school it's wrong. But when some teacher wants to shove his opinion (read: non-factual information) on his students it's OK? If we want schools to stick to fact, then teachers should do leave their opinions out of it, right or left wing. Too bad some of you left wing nazis are too crazed to understand how hypocritical you are.

Maybe more teachers should teach creationism in class. That would really get the discussion going, don't you think? Oh wait, you only want teachers to provoke strong opinions when they agree with you, how silly of me.

So did you just make up what the article said in your head before posting? Where do you see him shoving his opinion on students?

Teaches should be able to teach creationism in class, but not as a science. They could teach it in the "Wild crap our ancestors made up" class.

One can discuss flag burning as a form of protest without burning a flag. Should a teachers call his students crackers, ******, chinks and spics in order to promote discussions regarding race?

Edit: Interesting, the only racial slur banned on AT refers to blacks.

 

[Todd33]

[/quote]
One can discuss flag burning as a form of protest without burning a flag. Should a teachers call his students crackers, ******, chinks and spics in order to promote discussions regarding race?

Edit: Interesting, the only racial slur banned on AT refers to blacks.[/quote]

Flag burning is victim-less, there is no inherent evil. It's all about symbols. The teacher asked them to write about it after they witnessed it. Maybe they can do book reviews and skip reading the book next time?

 

[UDT89]

well i think freedom of speech is curbed in school and other public places like work.

i mean you cant just walk into an airport and yell bomb can you? but thats freedom of speech.

freedom of speech should have a common sense clause

 

[mattpegher]

I don't see that if he trying to get the students to write about their feeling why he didn't just get some footage of burning a flag, with or without protesters. Whats the point in doing it. Granted he should be within his right and the school board should stick by him and explain that it was just a teaching tool, not a political statement.

 

[shadow9d9]

Originally posted by: UDT89
well i think freedom of speech is curbed in school and other public places like work.

i mean you cant just walk into an airport and yell bomb can you? but thats freedom of speech.

freedom of speech should have a common sense clause

It has exceptions through case law such as yelling fire in a crowded theater... which would be your airport example.. since this is nothing close to such a thing, it would not apply here. It might be called the clear and present danger clause off the top of my head...

 

[shadow9d9]

Originally posted by: mattpegher
I don't see that if he trying to get the students to write about their feeling why he didn't just get some footage of burning a flag, with or without protesters. Whats the point in doing it. Granted he should be within his right and the school board should stick by him and explain that it was just a teaching tool, not a political statement.

What's the difference if he did it in person? It is the same sh*t.. who cares!

 

[mattpegher]

Originally posted by: shadow9d9

Originally posted by: mattpegher
I don't see that if he trying to get the students to write about their feeling why he didn't just get some footage of burning a flag, with or without protesters. Whats the point in doing it. Granted he should be within his right and the school board should stick by him and explain that it was just a teaching tool, not a political statement.

What's the difference if he did it in person? It is the same sh*t.. who cares!

My thought is did he think that there was going to be a different response in person, esp since they were small "toy" flags. I think that a more extensive discussion would have been is it the same if you just see a burning flag or if there are protestesters around. What does it matter to the kids if its just the flag, do they have some national pride that is offended and is it artificial. Again I don't think that in the news anyone has said that it was a political statement, so I think the school board should grow some balls and tell the parents that it was not political and although they might not agree he was trying to stimulate some thought on the part of their children.

Lets all remember that there are two official ways to dispose of a flag, bury it or burn it (folded and their may be some ceremony).

 

[alejandroAT]

1. burning the flag of your country is an insult especially if your country has sacrificied a lot for it. In greece where i m from, people sacrificed a lot of lives for the right to use it. After 400 years of Turkish slavery, the flag was created and it has been a freedom symbol ever since. Any form of disrespect towards the flag is disrespect to the people who lost their lives to grand you freedom. I m not a nationalist but i do like to respect things that deserve to be respected.

2. Fire is not as dangerous as many people seem to think on this thread. Putting a small fire in the middle of a classroom is never going to amount to anything larger since its just cloth being burned. There are no projectiles from burning cloth and since schools are packed with fire extinguishers, thinking that this may spread to burn the entire school and everyone in it is just paranoid. An unattended fire would do the trick allright but not this one.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: shadow9d9

Originally posted by: mattpegher
I don't see that if he trying to get the students to write about their feeling why he didn't just get some footage of burning a flag, with or without protesters. Whats the point in doing it. Granted he should be within his right and the school board should stick by him and explain that it was just a teaching tool, not a political statement.

What's the difference if he did it in person? It is the same sh*t.. who cares!

A kid respects a teacher as that teacher...you know "teaches"

To see a teacher do this sends the message that "it's OK!", when it is not. Making an ass of yourself, while protected, isn't the best course of action. Especially in a teaching arena.

I'm still of the opinion of a friend of mine - "he did it to cash out a well paying ticket and not for his BS 'noble intentions'."

 

[imported_michaelpatrick33]

I am going to die someday and I won't be taking my flag with me ... in fact I will die with no possessions. If the education system has become so PC that burning a flag to illicit a sociological/psychological response from students concerning their norms, mores and folkways is a firable offense then we as Americans are in trouble. If the teacher simultaneously said killed all infidels and capitalists my young SS initiates than maybe he would be wrong but if he followed safety guidelines and was fired simply because he burned a symbol (reading about or watching a video does not create the visceral reaction that seeing it live does) than I am saddened. When America needs bake sales to make education ends meet financially and spends 100's of billions of dollars on the military something has gone amiss.

And yes I am a registered Republican and not a liberal but I am floating over to the indepedent side because I disagree with many of the current "Republican" positions.

 

[WHAMPOM]

GEEEEZZZZ! :shocked:Insult some people's flag-fetish by burning a toy flag and they see it as a Federal crime or the end of civilization!:roll: This guy was probably the most unboring teacher in that school and was actually succeeding in teaching his students to think for themselves!:laugh:

 

[WHAMPOM]

Originally posted by: DealMonkey

Originally posted by: EXman
LoL typical Lib quick to tear down America while offering no ideas on how to fix it.


Sad to see so much apothy in the Pricks & Nerds forum.

Hey F you too buddy! You can just march right back to OT and continue talking about the hair on your ass ... or whatever passes for meaningful conversation over there.

Just what the heck is "apothy"? Just what are you misspelling, anyway? apathy or apostasy? apoplexy? You're not suffering from G. W. Bush syndrome, now are ya?