What are they teaching kids?

[rhino47]

I went to my sisters for Thanksgiving yesterday.After dinner spending time with my 17 year old neice and her boyfriend.To my dismay they both in sync turned to the tv as Bush`s whoring the military troops in iraq came on and started to gush how GREAT it is he is saving them from terrorist.I was so shocked the first 10 seconds I was speechless.
I asked both as to where they got the idea that invading Irag had anything to do with the "war on terror".It seems they take a class
called current events.It seems the tax payers of the state of Ohio pay teachers to teach my neice and other vulnerable minds that Sadam was in league with Bin Ladin.That Sadam had nukes .That all the democrats want is for us to give up and leave Iraq at all costs.
I thought perhaps they misunderstood the teacher.Even perhaps that maybe the teacher taught this at the begining of the school year.This sadly wasnt the case.My neice had her current events notebook which I veiwed.It plainly said in her notes that these above statements were
taught in Oct and Nov.It went on to outline that Deans objective is to raise taxes on the poor working class .That Dean also isnt pro-military and he plans on cutting soldiers pay.
I couldnt even bring myself to read any further drivel.
I sat down with the kids and explained as calmly as I could that these facts were not so.They did not believe me.I even went so far as to show them on the internet the lies *ex:outting of cia agents etc*Still they do not believe that Bush lied.They think because their teacher has a master of course what the teacher said was beyond reproach.Another disturbing fact is another kid in the their class challenged the teacher and suffered harrassement from said teacher.
:wtf: :grr:

[absyntheNsugar]

1. How long before Bushie is called

Our Great Fearless Leader?

[Billy Burnett]

2. And George Washington...

... never told a lie (aside from that cherry tree).

[jpgray]

3. Where do you live?

I don't understand how this came to pass, but things are not this way in Minnesota, at least. Politics stayed completely out of my schooling.

[rhino47]

8. I live in western pa.The school in question is Ashtabula in eastern ohio

[jpgray]

9. It's frightening to think of

The amount of power a teacher has over his/her students is immeasurable--a "current events" class is something I have never heard of before, and I fail to see its purpose. I was asking the location because I was curious if it was an area I had lived in before, or had knowledge of. I have driven through Ohio, but I did not learn much about it.

[DuctapeFatwa]

4. The wisest thing is to limit talk to flowers and dogs

You put the kids in a very difficult position. They may have been instructed to report anti-Americanism or terrorist sympathizers, and when that turns out to be their family members, there can be some conflicts for them.

Nobody would relish the idea of turning in a family member, but remember they are being taught that if they don't, they themselves are terrorists and subject to seizure and disappearance.

Not to mention, that if you have kids of your own, who will care for them when you are taken?

Yes, it is distressing to watch kids being taught what you know are lies, and taught to hate, but that is just the way things are. If they are your kids, you can send them to private schools if you have the bucks, or teach them at home if you have the time.

Or you can just confine conversation to flowers and dogs, maybe situation comedies...

[fujiyama]

7. It reminds of...

the Soviet Union where kids would report their parents...This also happened in Nazi Germany I believe.

Ah, so the indoctrination of the next generation has begun in full swing!

Welcome to the New America!

[Eric J in MN]

5. those views aren't unique to one teacher in Ohio

Fox News uses the caption "War on Terror" throughout stories on Iraq.

Dick Cheney says that Saddam would have soon gotten nuclear weapons.

Bush says they are fighting terrorists in Iraq so we don't have to fight them here.

[rhino47]

10. isnt that kind of a LBJ statement about vietnam?

*fighting them over there so we don`t have to fight them here?"

[Eric J in MN]

13. that's new to me but I'm not very familiar with LBJ comments (nt)

nt

[Lisa]

6. ... or you could send them to MY class :)

They're almost college-age, right?


We covered "The Project for a New American Century" and the concept of "hubris" yesterday.

[alittlelark]

11. homeschooling due to revisionist history

I was sick of the SH*T they teach our children in regards to native Americans etc.... Couldn't allow my children to become indoctrinated into the mindset. Big leap - but nessesary in my mind. Fortunately we have the resources to do so (tutors...). As an Anth Grad I am disgusted by what they teach our children - I hope to the cloud being that I am someday able to once again put my offspring in public school.

[janx]

12. Homeschooling is great if you have the background

and resources.

Unfortunately, there are some people homeschooling their kids who should not be doing so because they lack those.

I teach English composition at the college level, and every once in awhile I see a real tragedy--a young adult who can't write because he or she has been homeschooled by a parent who is not qualified. It just breaks my heart. I try to work with students like that, and I give them every benefit of every doubt. Most are hard working and do rewrites at every chance...but it's just such a damn shame to see that a parent would do something like that. In one semester I can't possibly make up for years of bad teaching/learning. I do my best, but it's very depressing.

[rhino47]

14. Is this very common?

In your opinion what is the effectiveness of homeschooling?Do you find the majority undereducated ?I`m not that knowledgable about the issue but it does peak my interest having two children of school age.Thank you for your input.

[alittlelark]

17. CA schools

Our school is in the top 10 in CA every year since the mandatory testing began....no geog, hist, socio,.unless it is in the 'format' that is approved for the test.....It's a crock.
My kids were reading (without tutoring) by 3. I was told that the other kids would 'catch up'........by 2nd grade I realised that it was a CROCK of (insert). Pulled 'em out. Now I have a 4th grader doing Biochem and a 2nd grader doing linear algebra.

The majority of kids are not undereducated, just understimulated.

[genius]

15. The Americans got their school model from the Nazis, who got it from

the Hindu caste system. The idea is to create a society of followers who can take orders. why do you think it is they stopped teaching history in the schools. Anyone who takes the time to check out their kid's classroom knows that the teachers target all kinds of discipline on leaders and reward followers. Curiosity is considered taboo in grammar school, where the children learn that to get approval they need to join the crowd and lose their individuality. What is frightening is not that this is happening across Aemrica but that parents don't care enough to notice it. The pre-selected leaders in society don't go to the same schools. Check out "The Underground History of Education in America."

[Corgigal]

16. what I would have said

that may or may not make a difference was this, Oh really? Say does your high school allow recruiters in? Then point at the 17 year old boy and say, Uncle Sam wants you. A light laugh and let them just look at each other.

[DemBones DemBones]

18. A class in current events should be factually accurate.

If your sister finds it upsetting that her daughter is in fact being indoctrinated in the GOP/PNAC philosophy, she should speak to the principal of the school about what this teacher is doing. Teachers are allowed to have opinions, of course, but they shouldn't be giving their opinions as notes. In a class such as current events, the students should learn the facts and discuss various views about the facts.

I don't like Howard Dean but what this teacher said about him isn't true. These kids are 17 now, which tells me that next year many of them will be able to VOTE in the presidential election. That means tax dollars are being used to coerce young voters into voting for Bush* and other GOP candidates, which is highly unethical and possibly illegal. And the indoctrination is obviously working on your niece and her boyfriend.

Your sister may not want to take any action but you should inform Democrats in Ohio what's happening in at least one Ohio high school. It's truly outrageous. That teacher should be fired. If the principal knows what's going on, he should be fired, too.

[sandnsea]

19. Teacher said

This is kind of off this particular tragedy, where a teacher is clearly allowing their political views into the classroom.

But this also illustrates my personal frustration when some teachers blame parents for a child's education. Because anything I tell my kids has always been met with "teacher said". I can know full well teacher didn't say because teacher isn't stupid, but when a kid gets something in their head, that's the end of it.

Teachers are all-knowing to most kids. I wonder if they really understand that.