PHOTOS: High school teacher holds mock war crimes trial of Bush

[Bluebear]

Parsippany High School teacher Joseph Kyle joins students during a news conference to answer questions about the class' mock war crimes trial of President George W. Bush, Friday, March 3, 2006, in Parsippany, N.J. The mock war crimes trial continued Friday, despite criticism from people across the nation who heard about the classroom exercise from a prominent Web site and talk-radio programs.



http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newjersey/ny-bc-nj--school-bushtrial0303mar03,0,1146447.story?coll=ny-region-apnewjersey

[IndyOp]

1. Wow! Link please...?!?!

:patriot:

[Bluebear]

13. Updated OP, thanks

[mike_c]

2. WOW-- that is very cool....

Kudos to that teacher!

[LiberalinNC]

3. Guess I'm moving to Parsippany, N.J.

;)

[NJ Democrats]

4. Nice!

Go Parsippany!

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

5. 5 Minutes Down The Road From Me In Good Ole Parsippany!!!

I'm proud of them for this excercise.

Here's a link, though it isn't as positive any more as the article from the same paper earlier in the day.

http://www.dailyrecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060303/NEWS01/603030350/1150

[in_cog_ni_to]

6. I wish we could email him support! WTG JOE!

:thumbsup:

[gordontron]

40. I found his email for you

it is PHSDebs at aol.com I use at instead of @ because it prevents spam bots from dredging up the address. Anyways go ahead and send him a thank you note, he would probably appreciate it.

[immoderate]

41. I'm impressed and I sent him a note.

As a teacher, I am a firm advocate of academic freedom. I sent this:

Dear Mr. Kyle,

As a loyal (to the Constitution) American, I applaud and support your efforts to educate your students on international law. While there are those who would want to deny free speech and academic freedom, I am heartened by your students' explorations and research, and buoyed by the notion that real education still exists in the United States.

Congratulations and commendations are due you and your students!

--IMM

[immoderate]

45. ****Update: I got a reply from Joe Kyle!****

Like so:

Thank you. I appreciate your kind words.

Joe Kyle

I'm hoping it was short because he had many more to answer.

--IMM

[GreenPartyVoter]

49. Very cool!

[immoderate]

50. Obviously, he's a class act.

--IMM

[in_cog_ni_to]

42. I'm a little late to reply, but THANK YOU!

I'm off to email him now. :hi:

[madeline_con]

7. Fuckin' A!!!!

Is there a link? Also, can we contact this teacher to give support?

This is so sweeeeet!

[gordontron]

48. here is his email:

"it is PHSDebs at aol.com I use at instead of @ because it prevents spam bots from dredging up the address. Anyways go ahead and send him a thank you note, he would probably appreciate it." like I said earlier

[NightOwwl]

8. Beautiful...

I feel the tides have turned...no longer are we going to be silenced.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

9. I love it! Freedom of speech, truth in education, it all rocks! nt

[DemonGoddess]

10. Good for him!

[IsItJustMe]

11. Are they taking contribuations? LOL

[leftchick]

12. is there a link Bluebear?

what a great story!

[Bluebear]

14. OP updated

Thanks LC :toast:

[leftchick]

16. Woo Hoo! This is what Democracy looks like!

Thank you BB! Mr. Kyle and these kids are my heros! :)

<snip>

The course's instructor, Joseph Kyle, has taught in the district for eight years. Speaking at a news conference Friday afternoon, he said the tribunal was conceived as a learning exercise, not an opportunity to bash Bush.

"I'm incredibly proud of these students," Kyle said, adding that he did not mind being personally criticized but was angered by suggestions that his students were not capable of forming their own opinions.

"For anyone who thinks a teacher could propagandize and instill everything they said ... I'd have to be the most powerful man in the universe," Kyle said.

"Mentally, they're already beyond college," Kyle said of his advanced placement class.

<snip>

But students involved in the project, which began Monday after several weeks of research, said the decision to hold a trial over Bush's alleged "crimes against civilian populations" and "inhumane treatment of prisoners" was agreed upon by all 27 classmates.

[Nitrogenica]

15. Unfortunately for the Righties, it's a perfectly arguable case!

Lessee he lied to the people about wmd's to start a pre-emptive war thats cost countless lives. They lied about the amount of money it would cost (a half a Trillion dollars so far) They covered up evidence of bad intelligence.

WHAT MORE DO WE NEED! I would imagine many people want to have this debate, because as human beings we instictively seek JUSTICE!

What does * have to shoot somebody in the head before the people wake up?

Geebuzz, it's like living in the bizarro world on FOX news. "Lets fool people with our talking points (giggle).

We, the American people, are not stupid. I know I wasn't born yesterday. Something stinks with W, reeks! There's something seriously wrong going on with our Leader.

[nonconformist]

17. This is so awesome!

Go Parsippany High School and Mr. Kyle! :patriot:

[0007]

18. I'll second that....Go Parsippany High School Go!

[Generic Other]

19. This shows that there is still somewhere where free expression

reigns in America--the public school system. Good for that teacher. He deserves a golden apple award!!

[bpilgrim]

20. this is ZACTLY what the right needs, regular people standing up to them

and it is going to be CONTAGIOUS :bounce:

we are LEGION!

thanks for sharing this, i am going to recommended it to my kids school, incredible learning opportunity :toast:

peace

[highnooner]

21. What was the verdict?

He is presumed innocent before proven guilty, right?

[bpilgrim]

22. it doesn't matter, really

what matters is that this kind of questioning of our fearless leader goes on.

of course if it is an honest debate, he's TOAST.

woof

peace

[Danascot]

23. What incredible courage this teacher has shown

We have the top ten conservative idiots of the week. We need a real American hero of the week... I nominate Joseph Kyle!

[Bluebear]

26. Teacher of the year for sure! nt

[Infomaniac]

24. If it was a trial about impeaching Clinton for a blowjob...

than the conservatives would be all for it. Kudos to the school, the teacher and the students for participating in this exercise.

[magellan]

25. Local area Repugs slam the project - ain't this rich?

Jamie Barberio, defeated in the Republican primary for mayor last year, joined former county Sheriff John Fox of Parsippany and Freeholder Jack Schrier of Mendham Township in slamming the project.

"We're presuming that President Bush is an indictable war criminal, when he's not," Barberio said. "How about teaching that he's not a war criminal."

How about the Repugs in Congress allowing a proper investigation to decide that?

Go Parsippany HS!

[Amonester]

39. It must be TRUE, then...

We're presuming that President Bush is an indictable war criminal, when he's not," Barberio said.

... because, Barbarian-oh says it. :sarcasm:

Yeah... sure.

[tom_paine]

27. The spirit of Old America still lives!

I only one day hope it can be restored, so these kids can live some of their adult lives in the Free World, as we all did until the Old USA was discontinued on 12-12-2000.

[ClayZ]

28. Yay, their IS hope! Whooo Hooo!

:applause:


:kick:

[Bozita]

29. He's making them think, do research, and prepare arguments -- Fire him!

NOW!

Think of what would happen if this kind of teaching spreads.

[StaggerLee]

30. An exercise in accountability?

I think so!

:patriot:

[NMMNG]

31. Oh crap, how soon will he be fired?

Seems just about any teacher who denounces the current regime or the Iraq war in the slightest way gets severely censured or fired post haste.

[happydreams]

32. "The focus was on the process not the outcome".

said Superintendent Dwyer. :evilgrin:

[Swamp Rat]

33. This is GREAT!!!

It gives me hope! :)

[Democrat 4 Ever]

35. This teacher and his students are exactly the reason why freepers,

neocons and other generally stupid people are against education - any education. And since school is mandated by all states, they must, MUST home-school to "protect" the children. They are absolutely terrified of any type of free thinking.

Of course, this teacher's job is going to be threatened. Of course the fundies are going to weigh in on the sinful students and, of course, Bill O'Lielly will have to declare a fatwa on the town. How on earth do the whack jobs keep straight everyone they are pissed at in any given moment?

*Note - I'm not saying all parents who home-school are this narrow minded so spare me the brickbats. I'm just addressing the neocons who want to ensure that no possible opportunity for objective thinking ever arises in their little darlings' minds. They are even having to start their own "universities" to make sure these kids can glide through life without one single independent thought so the next generation can continue to procreate their own generation of stilted thinkers.

[kittenpants]

43. great post!

[file83]

34. I sense a TV MOVIE idea.....What a cool story this would be for a movie!

[Lochloosa]

36. I cannot support this.

all that time away from preparing for the FCAT!

:sarcasm:

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

37. There was a segment on MSNBC this morning that asked for the opinion

of Pat Buchanan and some inept Democrat on this and also about the teacher in Colorado that compared the Shrub to Hitler. Pat Buchanan ran roughshod over the Dem stooge and called these heros in my opinion, leftwing whackos and extremists. I think he was actually mirroring what he himsself is. A righwing whacko and extremist.

[understandinglife]

38. Outstanding.

Peace.

[rpgamerd00d]

44. BUSH FOUND GUILTY !!

No, I dont have a link.

Would I lie? Trust me.

Repukes don't need facts anyway.

[Rocknrule]

46. How long before Hannity starts bitching about this?

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

47. What a great exercise! And brave! nt.

[earth mom]

51. DUers must contact the district in support!

This is what the story said: "listeners contacting the district were 10-1 against allowing the mock hearing." The freepers are on this one guys-we can't let them twist and spin it! Because the fact that a school is holding a trial that examines "Bush's alleged "crimes against civilian populations" and "inhumane treatment of prisoners" is something the rethugs need shoved in their faces not swept under the carpet!

Contact info for Troy Hills School District Interim Superintendent Dwyers:

http://www.pthsd.k12.nj.us/main/District.html