Ostriig on 8/11/2008 at 17:16
Quote Posted by Kolya
They're not there to talk about Pokemon though. They're discussing current politics.
Which I find rather dubious in the first place. I see no reason why children that young need to be exposed to the cesspool that is the political scene. At that age, it would most likely only result in a false and potentially misleading sense of awareness, rather than an even basic actual understanding of politics. But that's just my opinion.
Regardless, to echo others in this thread, if she chose to engage her students in this sort of discussion, I think she had an ethical obligation to remain on neutral ground. The way she pulled it off, her actions seem propagandistic, rather than educational.
heywood on 8/11/2008 at 18:41
Quote Posted by Kolya
Don't get me wrong, I think she pulled it off in a bad way, she shouldn't have exposed the kid like this. But Kathy still learned an important lesson: If you are holding an isolated view, you should be ready to defend it. C'est la vie.
I don't think we want to be teaching kids that alternative views are bad and should be suppressed. We should be teaching kids to listen to and consider alternative views, and to openly debate them. We don't want to be raising a generation of closed minded, intolerant conformists. At least, not in my country.
june gloom on 8/11/2008 at 20:37
Wow, that's fucked up. Ironic that the South used to be a Democratic stronghold dating back to the days before slavery but now it's dangerous to be one.
a flower in hell on 8/11/2008 at 21:13
Once upon a time the Democratic Party was the champion of Christianity, so when the parties swapped on that, it was only natural for the Bible Belt to swap parties.
TBE on 8/11/2008 at 21:38
Quote Posted by Kolya
So telling the kid the truth is inappropriate behaviour? How is wanting to pull out of Iraq not "valuing the sacrifices" of the military there?
The teacher told the girl that "her candidate" would keep her daddy in Iraq for the next 100 years. How is this the truth? :confused:
I don't think for one moment any person in the US wants our military there anymore. We're sick of it. But we do have to have a good plan for withdraw and reduction of the US and allied presence over there so a civil war won't erupt taking the whole country to shit.
Kaleid on 8/11/2008 at 21:41
Bullocks. Its a permanent occupation. Some number of soldiers will remain there for decades, in those large military bases and guarding that superlarge embassy.
And McCain did once say: "Maybe a hundred. Maybe thousand [years]" when asked from an audience member how long USA should remain in Iraq.
jtr7 on 8/11/2008 at 21:53
It's more of how she said things, not the words themselves.
Hey! Teacher! Leave those kids alone!
Turtle on 9/11/2008 at 01:35
Quote Posted by Kaleid
And McCain did once say: "Maybe a hundred. Maybe thousand [years]" when asked from an audience member how long USA should remain in Iraq.
Yeah, it sure sucks that we elected him, doesn't it?
Oh, wait...
fett on 9/11/2008 at 04:16
Quote Posted by Kolya
So telling the kid the truth is inappropriate behaviour? How is wanting to pull out of Iraq not "valuing the sacrifices" of the military there?
Don't get me wrong, I think she pulled it off in a bad way, she shouldn't have exposed the kid like this. But Kathy still learned an important lesson: If you are holding an isolated view, you should be ready to defend it. C'est la vie.
Are you retarded? Have you ever had a conversation with a 5th grader? Obviously not or you would automatically understand why this teacher's behavior was not only inappropriate, but possibly even damaging in terms of the learning environment and this kid's development in the classroom. She essentially told the child that McCain was going to do something bad to her daddy, and that it was the girl's FAULT because she was rooting for McCain. It doesn't take a child psychologist to assess what that does to the kid.
So no, little Kathy DID NOT learn a valuable lesson about holding isolated view (and I'll send you $1000 if you can find a single 5th grader who even knows what the fuck that means, even after you explain it to them). She DID in all probability come away from the experience wondering why mommy was voting for someone who wanted to keep daddy in Iraq for 100 years (because kids that age are literal to a fault).
What the hell does a politician's position on anything have to do with learning in 5th grade? If they're studying civics or social studies, the teacher should be teaching them about the process of government, using the upcoming election as an example, and in that (appropriate) scenario, it doesn't matter who the fuck is running or what their views on Iraq are.
