Repug smackdown in 7th grade science class

[DKRC]

My daughter did it again. Speaking truth to power today in her science class. Her Repug flatearth believin' teacher takes every opportunity to slip political slurs into his lectures and she nails him to the floor every time.
Today he began his lecture about lying Democrats with Al Gore, and listed every Democrat he could think of. My daughter countered with G'duh, Gonzales, Rove, Cheney, Guiliani, McCain, etc. She said every Democrat he named she came back with another lying Repug until he weakly tried saying she'd been brainwashed by the "culture of hate". To which she said, "Do you WATCH Fox News?! There's your culture of hate! They hate every member of the human species that's not a white male Republican!" She said he didn't have an answer for that & changed the topic back to science before they really got into it. She loves it that he starts off on these rants and she shuts him down.

He's a retired Navy man, and is retiring from teaching after this year. I'm sure he's ready after crossing words with my kid. I told her recently, "Well at least this is his last year." And she laughed and said, "O yeah, he's got ME his last year!"

Don't worry, he never takes it out on her in her grades. Straight A's and complimentary comments on her report card everytime. So he's not vindictive, just a glutton for punishment after lunch.

:evilgrin:

[callous taoboy]

1. YES! Way to go, daughter of DKRC! n/t

[xmas74]

2. I would be angry if I were her mother.

Politics should not be in the classroom-whether I agree with the teacher's views or not.

I just don't see where his political views should influence the classroom. If the teacher were a Dem and he began saying something about how Repubs lie and cheat I'd be upset just the same.

It is their job to teach the facts and try to keep the emotion out of it.

[DKRC]

16. There are alot of things in places they don't belong in life

but I'm not swaddlin my kid in cottonbatting because of it.
I never intended to raise her to be a good child, I'm raising her to be a good adult, and that includes knowing how to think and express herself in any company. She's going to be an adult for a helluva lot longer than a child. She's learning now how to stand up for what she believes in and debate a point, no matter how heated, with wit and respect. It's a learning experience all the way around in my view. The other kids don't take him on, but they're paying attention when he starts & she hammers him with facts and counterpoints.

IF he ever crossed the line by retaliating against her grades I'd be on him so fast he wouldn't know what hit him. He doesn't want to cross words with me. I'm not nearly as polite as my kid.

[xmas74]

23. I'd still raise hell at school board meetings.

I've done it before and believe me, they do listen.

She should be allowed to speak out but you also have to worry about how this teacher might refer to her w/ other teachers around.

She's in seventh grade. Right now this is your fight, not hers. I'd rip him up and spit him out for forcing his views on my child or I'd demand that equal time be spent on alternate views. (Usually that demand is what works.)

[DKRC]

25. Alternate views are being expressed - By her

And she's dusting his ass for him in front of the class using facts and intelligence.

[xmas74]

27. I've passed this on to a few friends-

all teachers.

They said to report his ass and that he should be fired for stating his views in the classroom. My best friend and her mother both said it's unethical for him to do so. They also said that teachers talk and that someone like that might make your daughter sound like a troublemaker to other teachers, giving her a bad rep.

I'd report his ass to the school board anyway.

[crikkett]

40. this is key: the class is after lunch - everyone's tired - IMO it's a lesson in thinking and debate

THINKING and DEBATE is something that REAL science teachers LOVE

Consider school lunches and all the starch and fat - I was always comatose after lunch, throughout HS and college. The teacher's probably trying to get some blood into those teen brains so that some synapses can fire.

My physics teacher in HS was a submariner, God bless him I had him midmorning and right after PE, when I was wide awake. I think that made all the difference.

[iverglas]

3. well, I don't know about that ...

She said he didn't have an answer for that & changed the topic back to science before they really got into it.

"Science" in quotation marks? ;)

You serious? Flat earth?!

The glimpses I get into other cultures here!

Y'know, the whole thing sounds like a great learning experience. If only he'd alternate sides in the war, and your daughter got to play Republican once in a while ...

[napi21]

4. Give your daughter a big pat on the back from ME! It sounds

like she will be a future political leader, and maybe President someday!

[90-percent]

5. congratulations

you daughter is traveling through the American public school system with a marvelous ability to THINK! I hope the 'authorities' don't suck all that out of her.

Authority doesn't like to be challenged.

However, challenging authority is why America was created in the first place!

She should work extra hard in this guys class, as he will attack with the only weapon he has - grades, but she should never quit challenging him. Especially since he's got his head up his ass!~

-85% Jimmy

[wakeme2008]

6. print this out and put it on his desk

http://tinyurl.com/25gt26

:)

evil I am

[muntrv]

7. Does he teach intelligent design in science class?

[theoldman]

8. If it were my kid I would be knocking on that teachers door.

It is not a fair fight between a child and an adult. Of course if your child can beat him in a debate, he is as stupid as most Republicans generally are. You need to find out why an ignorant person is trying to teach a science class.

[driver8]

11. So would I!

That is bullshit...for a teacher to try to influence his students with his political views.

I would take a little trip to the Principal's office and set up a meeting with this teacher. I guarantee he wouldn't be spouting his propoganda at my child during class.

This really, really pisses me off.

[jedr]

18. I'd be knocking on his door anyway;

Unless he's teaching directly about politics and the difference between the parties, he can keep his opinions to himself. Plus his difference of opinion better not effect your daughters grade...wouldn't put up with him for a minute!!!!

[DKRC]

32. It's not a fair fight, but I don't know where he'd get reinforcements

She can take him with one lobe of her brain tied behind her back.

[Left Is Write]

9. Why is he getting political in class? I'd be having a pretty angry conversation

with the principal.

[BikeWriter]

28. I agree!

[mwb970]

36. My science classes were all science.

This was before the schools were politicized, of course. No science teacher discussed politics during class time. It was all science.

[Left Is Write]

37. I'll bet it was actual science too -

not religious pseudo-science.

[gatorboy]

From one Firefly fan to another:

jing-tsai! :)

[Madspirit]

14. Firefly Fan!!

Whoohoohoo! I run a group for fans of Buffy, Angel, Firefly and Serenity...and the genre!
Lee

[DKRC]

19. Some people juggle geese

my kid smacks down willfully ignorant Repugs after lunch.

:evilgrin:

[Raine]

10. WOW and she is only in 7th grade

I don't think someone in college could've done any better, you must be very proud of her...you raised her well. :thumbsup: :-)

[donco6]

12. As a teacher, his comments are really inappropriate.

It's a good thing it's his last year.

[Madspirit]

13. k&r and Very Cool Kid...n/t

[patrice]

15. Give her a hug and a Thanks! from me.

BTW: Private school?

I taught Public and Private and I just totally cannot understand how a teacher gets away with that sort of thing in Public Education. I would have been tarred and feathered if I had tried it and I had plenty of opportunity, because I taught high school Psychology.

[DKRC]

24. Public school since kindergarten

Montessori for the 3 years before that. We lived in an elderly dominated apt complex in FL so 1/2 day with other kids was necessary balance. It also laid a great foundation. She loves learning and has her academic career plotted out to her PhD.

[patrice]

33. Oh Very Good! We got Montessori for our baby-girl too, nearly 30 years ago now

Three years of Montessori - she became like that too - completely autonomous, never any trouble, except that I had some difficulty keeping up with everything she chose to do.

Nothing beyond learning experiences with alcohol and drugs, very pretty, but only one serious boyfriend all through high school. Messy bedroom and she didn't keep curfew very well, but we didn't get too freaked out about it, because she was nearly perfect in every other regard. I went with her for parent's day when she enrolled at university; she knew exactly where she was going and what she was doing from day one. And she just did it!

She has her own quite successfull business in her home now and even survived the dotcom bust by sticking with what she wanted. She's in France this month at Cannes, to promote a film she's working on.

I credit Montessori for giving her that basic trust in herself and what she could do. Part of it IS temperament/genetic heritage, but she's never been as confused as many with good genes often are. I know church didn't have that much to do with it. It was Montessori.

[DKRC]

44. Montessori was more important than I realized at the time

plus I've had her by myself since she was 3 so she's also seen how I manage. Life knocks you down, you get back up and keep walking. We don't do church. I was raised Southern Baptist in AL and walked away from both at 19. In TX at 9 a little boy told her she was going to Hell because she wasn't a Christian. She told him the Devil belonged to Christians so he'd be the one worrying about going to hell not her. He didn't have a answer for that bit of logic. She's exploring Buddism this year.

We're at the beginning of her teen years, so I'll get back to you when we're out the other side. So far the eyeroll is the most she's hit me with. The messy room is no biggie. I just shut the door. Fortunately, she's pretty level headed. She went to Europe last summer as a Student Ambassador, recommended by her principal and teachers. This year she's in the Jr Honor Society, & founded the Anime Club in her school. She also formed the Wallflower Protection League for the picked on kids in her class. No one gets away with picking on another kid for their size, grades, gender, race, or sexual orientation around her group. Some of the offenders even joined her group after they realized the kids they were picking on were more like them than different.

She's also been receiving MIT mailings since she was 8, but I don't know where she'll ultimately decide to go. After college she wants to live in Japan. She may have revamped her whole plan by then. Although she and one of her friends began teaching themselves Japanese one word at a time back in 5th grade. He's Chinese and takes lessons in that each Saturday as well. They're like Uber-Kanji-Geeks when they're together. :D

[greenbriar]

17. you know, I bet NONE of my kids that I teach know my politics

I don't believe that the classroom is the place

[xmas74]

26. thank you.

My best friend is the same way and she teaches social science. (She has two history, one geography and one government class that she teaches on the high school level.)

She has never once discussed her views in her classroom, even when she had her students do election coverage. Only one of her students knew her views. The student had just turned 18 and volunteered at the local headquarters on phone banks on the same day as her.

Otherwise, she has stated that students have no business knowing their teacher's political affiliation unless they accidentally meet outside of the classroom.

[northofdenali]

20. Raising her right, DKRC - what a cool kid -

mine was much like that in her school years (she's now 25 and a grad student). She spent all her time in Alabama schools, and got in-school suspension a lot - but only once got punished at home for her actions. The once was for pushing another kid (my daughter is a 3rd degree black belt, and was a brown belt at the time, I wanted her to be aware of the problems violence can cause).

Poor dude teacher will probably be SOOOOOOOOOO glad when he retires.....

:applause: for DKRC's kid!

[Initech]

21. Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice!!

:toast:

[rurallib]

22. Is your daughter married? Engaged? I am in love

small matter of age and Mrs. Lib, but that can be fixed.
Better edit to say this is a joke not an attempt at child molestation. Oh boy my sense of humor may be the death of me yet.
Tell her we are all proud of her out here in real people's America.

[DKRC]

30. Get in line! She's been engaged since she was 4

the little boy's Mom referred to her as her future daughter-in-law. Joseph was a goner as soon as they began plotting their space mission and Barbies never once showed up on the manifest.
:D

She's 13 and always has smart boy friends. This year everyone is hyperfocused on which way you "swing". When asked she told them her "swing" rusted off it's chains and she's too busy playing in the woodchips under it to worry about her "swing".
:evilgrin:

I'll tell her.

[lildreamer316]

31. That's friggin' hilarious.

You got a great one there.

[patrice]

34. Hey, I love her too and I'm a woman!

So don't worry about it; folks understand.

[zbdent]

29. She should ask how he got his science teaching job

if he doesn't believe in evolution or science ...

:silly:

and also about how his union will come to bat for him if he's so anti-union (even if he didn't join ... the union will still protect him, they just might not be too enthusistic) ...

[diddlysquat]

35. You said just enough about this teacher

to make me 99% sure I know who he is. All I had to do was check where you are located and bingo! I used to work with him. There were a few times I told him off myself. Bravo for your daughter!!

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

38. Shame On Him And Kudos To Your Daughter!

She sounds very strong and very smart. You should be proud! But that teacher acted wayyyyyy inappropriately. That's regardless of which side of the aisle he's on. Bringing politics into a 7th grade classroom in that partisan of a fashion is just quite simply wrong.

[Spiffarino]

39. Good on him for not being small enough to mess with grades

...but he's still a dick. Just not, you know, a complete dick.

[DKRC]

45. As long as he doesn't pull rank on her

by tampering with her grades she's able to handle him. Believe me if he was a dick with teeth I'd defang him in a heartbeat.

[Gold Metal Flake]

41. I wonder...

I wonder if, despite his warped political views, if he does not admire her persnal strength. I wonder if he is not just sparring, testing her. As she meets his remarks one for one, she grows stronger emotionally. If he is not trying to supress her impulses to refute his BS, then maybe he is providing practice. perhaps even allowing her to be an example of independent thought for others. He may be more teacher than freeper. A true freeper would try to fail her or someother hurtful thing, no?

Hey, I'm not there. So I may be off base here.

[DKRC]

46. I don't know about his motivations

but if he hasn't learned by now not go down this road with her then he's own his own. She's going to bump up against alot of people in her life she won't agree with for one reason or another. She's learning how to make her points without resorting to being disrespectful, or lying about an issue as he does. How he comes away from this exchange doesn't concern me. She's learning so much from confronting his ignorance that he's helping teach her life-skills he may not even be aware of fostering.
Same thing with all of her Repug grandparents. I don't protect her from their attitudes & bigotries because she learns how NOT to act just by being around them.
Life is a learning experience.

*Edited for spelling.

[Gold Metal Flake]

52. Well, she's doing it right. Good for her.

Good for mom, too! :toast:

[Ghost in the Machine]

47. Your name fits you well... I was wondering the same thing myself. It sounds

as if he might just be giving her a mental exercise, and the whole class is benefitting from it. The fact that he grades her honestly and speaks praises on her report card says a lot, too. I don't think he has any malice intended towards her. This little exercise at the beginning of clas may also help get the other students' attention focused on the class instead of daydreaming about other stuff. They think one of their peers is sticking it to the teacher (establishment/authorities). They may pay attention better once class starts. Sounds to me like everyone wins in this little game.

[Buck Laser]

42. The republicans have politicized science all by themselves...

By casting such ideas as evolution, global climate change, energy conservation, sexual orientation as political or religious issues. I admire your daughter for speaking out, but the real job would be to get the teacher back on the topic. If he brings politicized "scientific" views into the classroom, his ass should be grass.

[DemBones DemBones]

43. Sounds like she's doing a great job because you did a great job

raising her! Montessori school really helps but parents are always the first teachers.

As long as he's not penalizing her by reducing her grades or bogus disciplinary referrals, I agree with you: let her continue to handle it herself. School will soon be out and he'll be out of the classroom for good.

Since your daughter doesn't take shit off teachers, and since not all teachers are fair in their grading when it comes to students who dare to disagree with them, you may need to intervene at some point in the future.

If that happens, not having complained about this teacher will be in your favor then. The fewer times a parent complains, the more likely administrators are to take their complaints seriously. Unfair but that's how it goes.

[Swamp Rat]

48. I think she's just fab!

Give her a big hug from DU! :grouphug:

[yurbud]

49. a republican who teaches science? Isn't that like a vampire who sells garlic?

[Ghost in the Machine]

50. LOL! Sounds like a great job you're doing there!

My 13 y/o son is starting to get involved some. He always refers to shrub as "chimpy". He got a little bit of an education last year when I had a talk with one of his teachers about telling the class that "we had to fight them over there, so we didn't have to fight them over here". That didn't go over well with me.

My 14 y/o daughter? Eh, she's into her friends, boys and her cell phone...

[jwdeviant]

51. You need to be aware of how dangerous this game is.

This guy might not take it out on her grades, but that doesn't mean the next one won't. Then he can spew some vague bullshit about how she's 'disruptive' in class. If word has gotten around about her being a firebrand the principal might be willing to believe that and label you a troublemaker parent. Just watch out for her, and be warned that teachers talk to each other about students who annoy them.

Still, what she's doing is pretty cool and I can't help grinning.

[coffeenap]

53. Oh, my 7th grade daughter would LOVE to have her as a

classmate--they could be best friends forever!!