Said Jeff Taff, a high school social studies teacher, quoted in "Burlington teacher suspended after allegedly directing students to watch video questioning election results" (Wisconsin State Journal).
He told students he would be gone from school Tuesday through Thursday and planned to return Friday. In the online lesson plan, he directed students to review materials that included a video discussing debunked claims calling into question President-elect Biden’s victory in the Nov. 3 election over incumbent President Donald Trump....
Last fall, after students raised questions about the Black Lives Matter movement, fourth-grade teacher Melissa Statz taught a lesson regarding the movement and led a classroom discussion about racial injustice. BASD School Board members later held a public discussion about the situation, and permitted supporters and critics alike to publicly evaluate Statz’s teaching methods, with many complaining that the lesson was not part of the curriculum. Darnisha Garbade is president of the Burlington Coalition to Dismantle Racism, a group that has rallied behind Statz and called out incidents of alleged racism in Burlington....
Garbade said she believes it would be wrong for Taff to use the classroom as a forum for promoting the pro-Trump beliefs that spawned Wednesday’s riot in Washington.... Statz said she was aware of Taff's situation, but she does not think her working to promote racial tolerance can be equated with what she considers to be evidence of Taff's blatant politicizing in the classroom. "I don't think it's fair of people to compare the two," she said.
I don't think the classroom should be politicized at all, but if you think it can, what a teacher can do shouldn't depend on which way it is politicized. If you want to say some politicizing is permissible, but the line must be drawn at blatant politicizing, then we'll have to sift through the evidence, and we're likely to disagree, and disagreements about when the line is crossed are going to be intertwined with politics.
Teaching law school for 30+ years, I especially liked keeping my political opinions out of the discussion. It was already my predilection. But I knew plenty of law professors who not only put their politics into the classroom discussion but argued that what they were doing was good, because it's better to be transparent. They thought politics would always be in the discussion anyway.
According to his page on the BASD website, Taff... is engaged in “self-directed leadership education that teaches one how to think for oneself.” Taff was scheduled this school year to teach courses titled “Modern American History” to sophomores and “Modern World History” to juniors.
You never know with these teachers who say they want the students to think for themselves!
Posts
95 comments:
"debunked"
by who?
The media?
Debunked by the media. The guardians of TRUTH!
Cancel cancel cancel....No honest dialogue allowed.
Biden is a crook.
"it's all lies!" say "the media"
You never know with these teachers who say they what the students to think for themselves!
Want.
The students would have been better off reading The Five Crises of the American Regime and discussing that in class. Michael Lind once again hits it out of the park.
This guy clearly didn't get the memo from his 'do anything except teach' union.
"Garbade said she believes it would be wrong for Taff to use the classroom as a forum for promoting the pro-Trump beliefs that spawned Wednesday’s riot in Washington...."
Fair elections are a pro-Trump belief? Let's run with that a bit and see where it leads.
Throughout my career--also 30+ years, teaching history--I have never inserted my own political views into the classroom. I believe that people who do are unprofessional and self-indulgent. And I don't believe that soap box lecturing does any good anyway--by the time people are in college their political views are pretty much formed. As a long-time department chair (9 years), reading student evaluations of courses and professors the salient point was that flaunting political views only antagonizes students. The end result is usually resentment and hardened opinions, not miraculous ideological transformations.
If only my blowhard colleagues would realize that.
Here’s a case of a teacher who took conspiracy theory seriously and has presented it as reality to his students. He isn’t teaching reality based material. He shouldn’t be paid for promoting fantasy unless he wants to teach literature instead of history or social studies.
My oldest girls have all had a history teacher who is an out and proud libertarian - stickers on the wall, the occasional speech about “military adventures,” etc. My preference is for teachers to go fairly low key on their personal politics but I also want free expression; that paired with good humored tolerance is the most important thing to me. I’m also not 100% proud of my intellectual purity here but I would be more uncomfortable with their teacher discussing his politics it were a label I didn’t already agree with.
Garbade said she believes it would be wrong for Taff to use the classroom as a forum for promoting the pro-Trump beliefs that spawned Wednesday’s riot in Washington.
I believe that it would be wrong for Garbade and Statz to use the classroom as a forum for promoting the anti-white beliefs that spawned weeks of riots and looting all over the country.
Hey Inga, critical race theory is also a conspiracy theory. Are you against that too?
There will be no wrong think!
Obey
Biden, Inc.
Make a list of the credible claims of fraud (use the affidavits) and a second list of the Courts that have reviewed that evidence in a trial. Compare.
Do, however, give the Democrats loathsome credit for arranging the perfect, unreviewable crime.
There will be no discussion on vote fraud - unless you can roll tape of conspiracies and insanity pimped by Rachel Maddow.
Right, Russia Russia Inga?
@Lord Clanfiddle:
The end result is usually resentment and hardened opinions, not miraculous ideological transformations.
I think you are completely right about that. I've had some opportunities to work in a classroom environment, and while I love politics in the classroom, that's not the same as loving my politics in the classroom. My mentor would push back against every political opinion I had regardless if he agreed with it or not, and I think that's the right model. If a student makes a left-wing point, ask him to answer a right-wing critique. And vice versa. There is endless opportunity for good discussions. Substituting that for partisan antagonisms is such a waste of everyone's time, and as you point out, probably harmful in the long-term.
R/Teachers is all atwitter to bring this latest travesty to the classroom, just like they wanted to do during the BLM riots. Of course they're mostly SJWs and would take the opposite slant..
But for the life of me, I don't recall my teachers addressing current events in the classroom, not even after the assassination of JFK, or the civil rights marches, or during the Vietnam War, nothing. I learned about those things after school on my own, and had to make up my own mind.
Anything to get the kids interested I guess.
My HS government teacher was a former Texas Teacher of the Year. She did a good job of introducing us to politicians on both sides of the aisle. Bill Archer came and spoke to our class. However, she had no problem making it clear she was a Democrat, and her desire to prove it effected her teaching. The Fall when I took that class, Ann Richards won the election to be Governor of Texas. The day after the election, we had a pop quiz with the question "Who is the Governor of Texas?" She failed everyone that answered "Bill Clements", until the students got their scores back and reminded our award winning government teacher about Inauguration Day.
I'd say Jeff Taff is a very good teacher if he is teaching his students about election integrity, how it works, and how it could be defeated. It was only 4 (really just 1, and more recently in primaries) years ago, that would have been considered promoting Democrat concerns.
Lord Clanfiddle - on the contrary; I hope your blowhard colleagues keep it up.
My lesbian teenager wants nothing to do with Gay, Inc because she rightly perceives that to them she’s a product not a person, and she likewise has no use for Allies, Inc because she doesn’t want to be someone’s pet and someone’s project, and all of my teenagers know a religious sermon when they hear one and if some professor or institution is preaching they automatically tune it out.
Some kids are less independent-minded, however. But a lot are.
Burlington teacher suspended after allegedly directing students to watch video questioning election results.
Instead, he should have done the lesson with puppets.
Kaffee: Yes, Sir. At the time of your departure, you gave your students a lesson plan, is that right?
Jessep: I told them to watch the video, that the election results weren’t to be touched.
Kaffee: And did you give an order to the class leader as well?
Jessep: I ordered the class leader to have the lesson plan followed exactly.
Kaffee: Why?
Jessep: I felt the discussion might descend into politicizing once word of the lesson plan got out.
Kaffee: Blatant politicizing?
Jessep: Is there another kind?
If Ballot stuffing OK? Post office boxes for address...? 200,000 votes that do not connect to an actual person. All cool?
Yippe - shut up! the media declared that "it's all lies!"
In the new era of unity, dissent will not be tolerated.
The leftwing clamp down on speech is only going to get worse.
Stay calm!
J Farmer
Lind's opening statement is a reminder of the media's narrative memory hole.
...as the slow-motion disintegration of the United States of America in its present form.
The first occurred on June 8, 2020, when the Seattle police evacuated their East Precinct building in the city's Capitol Hill neighborhood. Left-wing rioters stormed the police headquarters and looted it. For 24 days, Seattle’s government allowed would-be revolutionaries to create an anarchist commune, acting out the fantasy of “abolishing the police” embraced by much of the American left as well as liberals who should have known better. This anarchist commune, created in the midst of nationwide protests against the death on May 25 of a Black Minnesotan, George Floyd, in police custody, was the scene of the fatal shootings of two Black men before the police finally shut it down on July 1.
IOW, Looking at both sides or challenging the Left-wing narrative is verboten. However, pushing the left-wing narrative on students is "educating them". People need to understand the Left controls Education and they aren't your friend. Its all about power and pushing their beliefs on society.
As for Law Professors "pushing their politics", why not be more clear? They are pushing their "Left wing politics" because 90% of law professors are left-wingers. You had a case a couple years ago, where a law school hired a conservative Professor by mistake and bought out his contract. They didn't want "his kind", on their faculty.
Statz said she was aware of Taff's situation, but she does not think her working to promote racial tolerance can be equated with what she considers to be evidence of Taff's blatant politicizing in the classroom. "I don't think it's fair of people to compare the two," she said.
Well, of course not. Nobody's going to equate their cause, which they consider right and justified, with somebody's else cause, which is just plain wrong.
The rules for the people we like are always going to be different from the rules for people we don't.
BURLINGTON — A teacher at Burlington High School has been pulled out of the classroom after allegations that he directed students to watch a video baselessly questioning the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.
Of course the opening paragraph of Madison.com is a complete lie. Nothing has been debunked. And it is now surprise that a public school would vilify and discipline a teacher that does not tow the party line and deviates from the indoctrination program.
These kids have educated parents and home questioning the outcome. But it's not much different from this blog the last three months.
Why is every Althouse thread polluted with Left-wing liars trying to justify censorship and election fraud?
Crooked Wisconsin.
I wanna know the hell he avoided detection long enough to make it as far as he did?
"Throughout my career--also 30+ years, teaching history--I have never inserted my own political views into the classroom. I believe that people who do are unprofessional and self-indulgent. And I don't believe that soap box lecturing does any good anyway--by the time people are in college their political views are pretty much formed. As a long-time department chair (9 years), reading student evaluations of courses and professors the salient point was that flaunting political views only antagonizes students. The end result is usually resentment and hardened opinions, not miraculous ideological transformations."
In other words, if you hide it, you can manipulate them.
That's the point my pro-transparency colleagues argued.
Double-plus ungoodthink there, comrade. In Big Biden*'s Oceania, that will not be tolerated.
Carol said...
R/Teachers is all atwitter to bring this latest travesty to the classroom, just like they wanted to do during the BLM riots
My 4th grade son attended a "town hall" rant by his Principal yesterday which included kids as young as kindergarten. It was completely inappropriate even for high schoolers so my wife turned off his screen after a minute and listened to the rest herself.
"The end result is usually resentment and hardened opinions, not miraculous ideological transformations."
I'm sorry to disagree, but it's fairly clear that the Left's school-based propaganda efforts have been overwhelmingly successful. That's not to say there are no hardened opinions and resentment, but it is all directed towards the enemies of the Left. There, has, in fact, been a miraculous ideological transformation.
Chuckles, I've been thinking. Maybe the problem isn't that big dick in your mouth, you stupid cocksucker. Maybe the problem is that you only have one big dick in your mouth. You should be sucking on a whole bag of big old dicks, Chuckles.
"Here’s a case of a teacher who took conspiracy theory seriously and has presented it as reality to his students. He isn’t teaching reality based material. He shouldn’t be paid for promoting fantasy unless he wants to teach literature instead of history or social studies."
How do you know?!
First, what was the video? For all I know, it laid out the controversy and explained the allegations and what the evidence was.
Second, what did the teacher say? Did he say you must believe this video, it's the truth? Or did he say: Watch critically? What are the allegations, what evidence is provided? What questions are raised that are not answered in this video? Do you think this argument would be convincing to a person who did not want Trump to win? Why not? If you wanted to refute the theory presented in this video, where would you look, what could you do?
Ironically, your statement raises all kinds of questions for me! You don't seem to be doing critical thinking yourself, because you can't imagine the alternatives to the rut you are already in. Thanks for the displaying the problem for us.
Kids? Thinking for themselves?? OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, The HORROR!! The horror....
Inga knows!
The only indoctrination allowed in public schools is left-wing indoctrination.
Come on, man.
"Throughout my career--also 30+ years, teaching history--I have never inserted my own political views into the classroom."
You couldn't get hired to scrub toilets in a public school if you had started your career today.
There, has, in fact, been a miraculous ideological transformation.
I guess it depends on if you believe the beliefs of this new wave of young progressives that've have been influenced by our education system are a function of ignorance or an actual underlying shift in personal philosophy.
Obviously ignorance is a solvable problem. Even today it still generally holds true that people tend to shift rightwards as the age rather than shift leftwards, and I believe at least part of that may be due to a reduction of ingorance over time due to life experience. But if your starting point is hard core Socialism, Green New Deal position, after the shift rightward you may only end up as a relative moderate.
"Here’s a case of a teacher who took conspiracy theory seriously and has presented it as reality to his students. He isn’t teaching reality based material. He shouldn’t be paid for promoting fantasy unless he wants to teach literature instead of history or social studies."
Shorter: "We can't let kids watch stuff we disagree with, because they might agree with it, and then where will we be?!"
The most telling thing that convinces me the election was stolen, and that the intentions of the left and the Democrats is actually evil, is this: if they thought they won honestly, they would be the first ones to insist on transparent counting, recounts and election integrity. And, if they thought their ideas were something other than self-serving crap, they would not attempt to censor and de-platform opposing views, or punish people like this poor teacher.
"Why is every Althouse thread polluted with Left-wing liars trying to justify censorship and election fraud?"
Well, when the alternative is to set them loose in the parks to molest squirrels...
I attended a public high school 4 plus decades ago and a number of my teachers espoused their political beliefs back then. My favorite History / American Government teacher was an uber liberal. Yet, he encouraged discussion on the current political topics (current for then) and didn’t shut down the discussion if he didn’t like what a student was saying. All was civil. I don’t think that is happening today very much as evidenced by what is being said about this Burlington teacher by his critics. I believe many of the white protestors from this past summer who caused the mayhem were indoctrinated by high school and college teachers to believe only one viewpoint and not be exposed to multiple viewpoints. Today’s students are no longer taught to think for themselves but be of a collective mindset.
I was taught to think like a man.
Thinking for oneself has become a flag that you don't buy the dem/media BS.
As such, thinking for oneself won't be permitted for much longer.
Interesting that BLM just promotes racial tolerance.
George Floyd had more fentanyl in him than the average fentanyl OD. But he died because of police brutality and racism.
Michael Brown assaulted a police officer and tried to take his gun. But it was "hands up, don't shoot".
Jacob Blake violated a restraining order, fought with police, had a knife, but it was racism that lead to him being shot.
I'm really tired of the media lying to me (commission and omission) about this. Only one answer is allowed for the plight of African Americans, and it's not their fault. White America makes the fathers abandon their children, makes them engage in violent crime, drug abuse, unhealthy eating habits, and act out-of-control in the classroom.
We are making them stay in horrible schools, but they're horrible because of student behavior, and trying to reign that in is racist.
Would a teacher be allow to say that George Floyd would be alive if he hadn't swallowed that packet of fentanyl and keep their job? That Michael Brown would be alive if he didn't rush at Officer Wilson? That Trayvon Martin would be alive if he hadn't attacked George Zimmerman? I really doubt it.
@Ann 9:52. I understand your colleague's point--though I'd argue that 'manipulation' overt or covert is mostly pointless. If a college student (much less a law student) is so easily manipulated, I suspect that they'd be just as vulnerable to the next strong opinion to come along.
"Debunked" "Baseless"
The chosen words tossed at us so many times by the least curious people in history, our Journalists.
That said, I remember my favorite Government teacher in high school. Just saying that is amazing because I don't recall many of my high school teachers. Just a couple who left their mark. This guy had us reading everything, not just textbooks, but periodicals, journals, and followed with long open discussions. What I remember is that I came away with a solid understanding of how this country works, what liberty means, and how to use a library (this was before computers and one had to learn how to use Constance Winchell's Guide to Reference Books.)
Great teachers can lead you in a direction to discover for yourself without imprinting their own beliefs. At least they used to be able to do that. I fear that today most consider themselves Teacher/Activist. I would no more recommend a teacher going over the election fraud (even though I am sure it occurred), than I would a teacher advocating for BLM. Discussing it objectively is one thing. Advocating is another.
J. Farmer, thanks for the hat tip on Michael Lind's piece. I do not always agree with him, but this article does nail key points.
“I was taught to think like a man.”
And I was taught to think as a man.
But vive la différence.
Schools will now start teaching about conservatives the same way they taught about Black people in the early-mid 20th century.
A curious species, to be studied perhaps, but not included in polite society.
@J Farmer, 9:28
The Lind article says: "After President Donald Trump stirred them up in an incendiary address in which he claimed that Joe Biden had stolen the presidency from him, a mob of right-wing radicals broke into the United States Capitol"
But that isn't true! Trump's speech was delayed - he was in the middle of it, addressing a large crowd, when the Capitol was entered. Maybe a more critical eye is called for when reading this.
Americans do not have standing or civil rights was the ruling by the Fourth Estate, ivory towers, and religious ("ethical") chambers of justice. Around half of a million assemble. Several hundred, who may or may not be "Trump supporters", occupy and riot, not in businesses, neighborhoods, on people's lawns, in front of their homes, but the People's House. Diversity breeds adversity.
I was taught to think like a man.
A tall man? A moderately overweight man? A black man, a brown man, a white man? Color matters. A masculine man... man-man? These are all grounds for cancellation, maybe, selectively, when politically congruent.
That Trayvon Martin would be alive if he hadn't attacked George Zimmerman
Shooting a man bashing your head into the ground is not grounds for self-defense. Shooting to kill an unarmed woman who pose not immediate threat is.
Floyd would be alive if he hadn't swallowed that packet of fentanyl
Ah, yes, the other viral video that depicted fair treatment, an unbalanced Floyd, and didn't make the news. Floyd's departure and probable cause of death. He was also a Covid-19 case, fleeing after committing a crime. This is grounds for multi-trimester national protests, tolerant Democrat officials, and a press spread diversity and likely incitement to violence.
"He shouldn’t be paid for promoting fantasy unless he wants to teach literature instead of history or social studies."
My son is going through AP US History right now. The curriculum is nothing but conspiracy theories based on poor copying of Howard Zinn's activist fictions about the US and strong smatterings of 1619 from the mostly ignorant, self-hating, ed school push out who "teaches" the class.
She insisted we call her an "educator". That was a warning sign and we asked for a different teacher. Unfortunately this blob of self-loathing leftism is the only one teaching that class this quarter.
Public schools are child abuse.
I think there is a good argument that part of a social studies course would be helping students understand current events, especially at a high school level as opposed to a middle school or grade school level. But doing so is hard because the teacher has to be very careful to employ 'cruel neutrality' and put forth the strongest arguments and counter arguments from all sides. Something tells me when the school presented classes about the BLM movement they did not include critical viewpoints against the movement. What is good for the goose is good for the gander. So if the school is going to allow BLM classes they should also allow classes on the election. Even if the children would ultimately not believe any of the claims it is important for them to understand the viewpoint and rationale of the people who do believe the claims. Because this is currently, and likely will be in future an animating purpose for tens of millions of Americans. While there is obviously strong disagreement between the Left and Right today in America, the understanding of the other side is lopsided. Lots of folk on the Left do not understand the viewpoints or rationales of the Right. And much of this is because they are not exposed to that in school. Students who perhaps naturally lean to the Left are being underserved by the education system that doesn't teach them what the values, beliefs or rationales of the Right are.
Diversity [dogma] breeds adversity. Baby Lives Matter (BLM). All Lives Matter.
“I was taught to think like a man.”
'I was taught to walk like a man.'
-- Frankie Valli
Here’s a case of a teacher who took conspiracy theory seriously and has presented it as reality to his students.
Statz is female, so that should be "her students".
She insisted we call her an "educator".
Call her an educatrix, a la Educatrix Jill.
In the online lesson plan, he directed students to review materials that included a video discussing debunked claims calling into question President-elect Biden’s victory in the Nov. 3 election over incumbent President Donald Trump.
Behold the power of magic debunking powder sprinkled into a news article referencing an election fraud video. Wear gloves when you're messing with debunking powder, as you wouldn't want to debunk yourself.
My son is going through AP US History right now. The curriculum is nothing but conspiracy theories based on poor copying of Howard Zinn's activist fictions about the US and strong smatterings of 1619 from the mostly ignorant, self-hating, ed school push out who "teaches" the class.
I recently reviewed the Khan Academy AP US History course because it's among the materials being used in one of my kids' classes. There were several egregious examples of the above, but the worst was a multiple choice question that basically insisted that you call the Christian missionary activity in the new world an example of "religious intolerance."
Blogger J. Farmer said...
If a student makes a left-wing point, ask him to answer a right-wing critique. And vice versa.
I don't know how many teachers would be capable of that. It is difficult to argue the other side as well as your own, simply because most people tend to spend far more time thinking about why they are right and the other side is wrong rather than the reverse. I think kids will pick up on that lopsidedness.
I believe the Trump-supporting teacher's claim that encouraging students to watch a video questioning our election integrity is not political, but rather a matter of civics, and is indeed a part of helping kids learn to think for themselves.
Again, the cure for bad speech is more speech.
The move against this teacher is motivated by fear. Fear of learning facts.
The more this election is examined, the more facts are proven. Let the class dive into the facts. Explain exactly why vote counting stopped in 6 states at the same time. Just go one fact at a time. But no. To examine facts is a conspiracy. Why? Because leftist only defense is to scream conspiracy, they lack answers to questions. Answers the give proof to the lie.
Want a conspiracy theory? George Floyd was not suffocated. Video evidence shows Floyd complaining of not being able to breath before any cop touched him. Floyd died of a self administered dose of Fentanyl. A drug that slows and stops respiration.
Hands up dont shot? Another conspiracy.
The left only knows how the create conspiracies and narratives, and pointing to facts gets you labled a racist.
All the leftist admit there was voter fraud. Another fact.
For some strange reason, this statement via Althouse reminds me a lot of former President Obama. Certainly the teaching reference doesn't completely work but the general tenor to hide beliefs does.
""Throughout my career--also 30+ years, teaching history--I have never inserted my own political views into the classroom. I believe that people who do are unprofessional and self-indulgent. And I don't believe that soap box lecturing does any good anyway--by the time people are in college their political views are pretty much formed. As a long-time department chair (9 years), reading student evaluations of courses and professors the salient point was that flaunting political views only antagonizes students. The end result is usually resentment and hardened opinions, not miraculous ideological transformations."
In other words, if you hide it, you can manipulate them."
Most recently remember his statements on Defund the Police.
Blogger daskol said...
I believe the Trump-supporting teacher's claim that encouraging students to watch a video questioning our election integrity is not political, but rather a matter of civics
Isn't politics an inherent part of civics? There are hundreds of millions of Americans that all hold different ideals and viewpoints and the art of politics is how all those different viewpoints get distilled into governmental action. I think an education system would do a disservice to students if it tried to teach students that politics is not involved in civics and ought not be. It creates sheep that are easy prey for the wolves who understand that politics is an inherent part of civics. Now if you mean it is not political in the sense the teacher wasn't advocating for a specific viewpoint for the children to adopt as their own, I certainly hope that is the case, but I don't know enough about what was actually taught and the manner in which it was taught to come to a conclusion on that.
Yes, it's political in the sense of politics being a part of civics. I should have said it's not necessarily partisan
“I was taught to think like a man.”
'I was taught to walk like a man.'
-- Frankie Valli
__________________
As a boy, Frankie Valli taught me how to sing like a girl.
And Runaround Sue made me cry. I know — big girls don't cry. I cried as a man.
“I was taught to think like a man.”
And I was taught to think as a man.
Since people people can't be taught to think better, I doubt that people can be taught to think, or taught to think in a particular manner.
If a student makes a left-wing point, ask him to answer a right-wing critique. And vice versa.
I don't know how many teachers would be capable of that. It is difficult to argue the other side as well as your own, simply because most people tend to spend far more time thinking about why they are right and the other side is wrong rather than the reverse. I think kids will pick up on that lopsidedness.
As a public school teacher, (in my experience) most teachers (like most Lefties) can't even argue their own side. That's the whole point about silencing dissent.
I doubt that people can be taught to think,
Especially as an adult, er, as a man.
It doesn't matter what subject you teach, some parent somewhere will object to something in the curriculum. Try teaching evolution. Or theories about how the universe began. Nature vs. nuture. Mark Twain. The American classroom is a minefield.
Blogger J. Farmer said...
If a student makes a left-wing point, ask him to answer a right-wing critique. And vice versa.
As already noted, I cant think of many teachers that are capable of using this method. (My daughter taught for 7 years) People with that kind of open mind and reasoning ability, by passed teacher college. Then you have to find any that are confident enough in their own views to allow opposing views voice.
While my kids were in school I had to correct a Biology teach that was attempting to teach the class that genetic modified corn was killing Monarch butterflies. In talking to this biology teacher I discovered she had no idea exactly what the genetic modification did inside the corn plant(trigger the plant to make a very specific protein) and her assertion was the miss reading of a single research paper out of Iowa State University That had horrendous methodology.
Another teacher assigned the class a paper on why we needed to eliminate the electoral College. Not a paper of the pros and cons. When I asked him at student conference why the Electoral College found its way into the Constitution, he could not come up with any response of any kind, he was 100% clueless.
This teacher that is in trouble, is way less dangerous that some of the teachers that attempted to educate my kids.
You can act like a man! Since we're all spending time with our families now, all you need to do is stop crying.
If I were a principle at this school, I would have fixed it by giving a class period to someone knowledgeable of the facts supporting the election fraud side. A second day to a person that debunks it. A third day splitting the class in half randomly and assigning the students a side to support.
(My buddy and I volunteered to defend Apartheid our Jr year. Nobody else wanted to. We tore the other side apart.)
Sounds like a budding Ted Cruz type. Must have been fun at parties.
My 8th grade US History teacher was an outright socialist, but he was a damn good teacher who mostly kept his views out of the classroom. He did an excellent job teaching about the Constitution, the reasons for the way it was constructed, the reasons for the 3/5 Compromise, the reasons for the Electoral College, and the amendment process. He was one of the best teachers I had, and I'm still to the right of Genghis Khan.
"Meade said...
And Runaround Sue made me cry:
That was Dion. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ik57HLn0Nm0
I stand, as a man, corrected.
"As a boy, Frankie Valli taught me how to sing like a girl."
Sounds slightly sexist.
But I wish I could sing like that, girl or not.
Btw I did see him in a small-ish venue many years ago, front and center.
He couldn't hit the really high notes anymore, but he had a ton of charisma and was handsome as hell for 70-something.
I'm guessing Frankie got more pussy in a week than any of us will get in a lifetime : )
"I stand, as a man, corrected."
Or as the GrubHub driver said, 'I stand, and deliver.'
I agree with Iowans comments above. I disagreed with my HS government teachers ideology, but she also taught us how to handle debate. But then I was taught that “1984” was a cautionary tale including the part about group think.
"In the online lesson plan, he directed students to review materials that included a video discussing debunked claims"
That's "debunked", as in "we pretended to respond to them, because if we actually responded we'd be shown to be wrong
"I stand, as a man, corrected."
Or you could stand, as Tammy Wynette, by your man.
Debunked: possible, but improbable, then dismissed with prejudice. Maybe. The circumstantial evidence is there. There are still claims awaiting investigation or summary denial. Forward, once upon a time.
He's right you know...
https://twitter.com/i/status/1304010880858816513
My HS Pol Sci curriculum had a semester on "How to read"
Each student had to clip a frontpage article and dissect it with logic. Circle words that were slanted. And a few other tools. Then produce the intent of the article.
Instructor also asked that we read opposing publications. Pair Mother Jones and the Atlantic Monthly with the Wall Street Journal and the Christian Science Observer.
In another year we role played being communists. We had to learn the political structure of the USSR and produce papers.
There was also Model UN
But come to think of it there was no similar class content on the US.
Or as the GrubHub driver said, 'I stand, and deliver.'
I thought that was Adam Ant.
It doesn't matter what subject you teach, some parent somewhere will object to something in the curriculum. Try teaching evolution. Or theories about how the universe began. Nature vs. nuture. Mark Twain. The American classroom is a minefield.
Two years ago my principal called me into his office, waved a lawyer's letter in my face, and then provided me with a fairly large list of topics I was not allowed to teach or discuss while one of my students was in the class. I was also not allowed to send the student out of the room while I did discuss them because it would stigmatize him. This was a senior Government course.
I completely ignored it and nothing was ever said.
Blogger n.n said...
Debunked: possible, but improbable, then dismissed with prejudice. Maybe. The circumstantial evidence is there. There are still claims awaiting investigation or summary denial. Forward, once upon a time.
Bzzt. No.
No honest vote counter stops counting votes on election night, when there's still votes to count.
No honest vote counter excludes duly certified poll watchers from watching what's going on
What is, at best, "highly improbable", is the claim that Biden won the election honestly.
And the way the Dems and the Establishment have fought tooth and nail against actually looking in to the elections nd what happened, moves it from "highly improbable" to "no way in hell".
There's better than 50 million people in America convinced their votes were stolen. If their votes hadn't been stolen, teh powers to be would be doing everything in their power to convince those people of the legitimacy of the election.
They're not doing that. Because they know the election was illegitimate.
Ann Althouse- "Throughout my career--also 30+ years, teaching history--I have never inserted my own political views into the classroom."
I believe that. This blog proves your bona fides. Diggin' you Ann.
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