High School Politics
I will be making a quick trip into the local high school on Monday to assert to one of my employees, a public school teacher, that he is not to be politically propagandizing my children. He will be made aware that it is my job to brainwash my children, not those that work for me.
It seems that the trigonometry teacher was a viewer of the debates on Thursday night and was perceptibly irritated with one of the debaters, the current Governor of Alaska. He then proceeded to spend much of his classroom time on Friday vocalizing his distaste.
After my visit with the teacher, a visit in which I will not only remind him of his true classroom responsibilities but will also assert that he is full of crap up to his ears, I will be visiting with the principal as well.
I encourage every parent with a student in public schools to talk to your children on this subject. See how much classroom time is being spent on topic, and how much time and money are being wasted in attempts to mold your children toward one political position or another.
Our children are too important.
4 comments:
Would you have done the same thing if the teacher had been enthusiastic toward Gov. Palin?
G
This is the same exact question that I asked myself at the time of the posting. (I've never personally been faced with the flip side.)
Two responses;
1) I think that I would though I might be a bit less motivated for expediency. I do not see the schools as the proper venue for political propagandizing.
2) I think progressive parents need to be as protective of this principle as I am. If I were not willing to march to the school to protect their children, would they be?
Children should be free to discuss political theories in the classroom and I have no problem with that, though trig class is not the best class for it. It would have a better application in Economics, History or Government. These discussion can be led or mediated by a teacher who stays out of the fray. I do have a problem with teachers steering the discussions to a particular political perspective.
Btw, I am making the school trip this afternoon. I've been busy!
I hope you were polite. I agree that trig class should be for trigonometry.
I remember a teacher during my Jr High days who was a veteran of the Korean police action. He was none too sympathetic to the pacifists in the community and fairly dogmatic and expressive of that fact in class. I was sent to the office the first time I argued with him in 7th grade. I don't know if he was ever called on the carpet for voicing his opinions at the school.
I eventually learned how to respect him and his right to express himself and to listen with a critical ear. In return, he valued my work in class, and we ended up being on very good terms. But he didn't change any of my opinions.
As you know, hearing both sides of a debate can stimulate you to ascertain the truth on your own.
G
I was more that polite...I was gentlemanly!
We had a very good discussion and only a portion of it was political in nature. I was pleased there was only one Bush-Hitler comparison.
We used nearly all his conference hour discussing teaching techniques, students in general, and life.
In the end he thanked me for taking the time to come in and speak with him directly, and I thanked him for allowing me the opportunity.
As I left I'm certain I glimpsed a rainbow on the horizon while a cat and mouse played gently in the grass.
Post a Comment