Student won't return to school, cause he's been called "snitch, coward

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

and spineless" online.

It's tough dealing with the consequences of an unprincipled and greedy grab for fame and glory.

Student says he fears for safety

The Aurora teen says he won't return to Overland High after getting threatened online.
By Karen Rouse
Denver Post Staff Writer
Aurora - The high school sophomore whose recording of a teacher's lecture set off a fiery national debate about classroom speech said Monday that he will not return to Overland High School because he fears for his safety.

"I feel I need to put the safety of myself and my family first," Sean Allen, 16, said. He has received anonymous threats on MySpace.com, a social networking website geared toward young people, he said.

Since making his recording of Overland teacher Jay Bennish public last week, Allen said he has been called a "snitch," a "coward" and "spineless" by others on the website.

But he said he stands by his decision to record the Feb. 1 lecture in which Bennish compared President Bush to Adolf Hitler and criticized U.S. foreign activities.

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_3575830

mods, different, but related, article to the one I posted in LBN.

MKJ

[in_cog_ni_to]

1. Sean InSannity, Rush Limpballs will tutor him, I'm sure.

Unless he was just their useful idiot and then he'll be blowing in the wind. Home schooling may be perfect for that little Fascist asshole.

[republicansarewhores]

19. You guys should see the coddling he's been getting in the thread I started

Posting an e-mail exchange I had with him:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=593504&mesg_id=593504

RAW

[in_cog_ni_to]

23. That's just ridiculous.

The little Nazi brought this on himself by showing his dumb ass on SEAN INSANNITY'S show. I liked your email to him...I hope it made him think.

[proud2BlibKansan]

49. Yes I saw that and meant to say good for you

This kid is a little religious bigot. We need to be talking about him and NOT about the teacher.

[mitchum]

59. The little punk is getting what he deserves. Fuck him.

[adigal]

60. I did NOT coddle him - he and Sean Hannity are a great pair

a talk show host asking for Hitler Youth to call in, and a Hitler Youth member to do so.

[TankLV]

69. Good for you for making him think.

He's a blossoming Nazi brownshirt.

Better he should go die in his holy war than some innocent poor kid.

It's only fair.

And it helps maintain the gene pool, too.

He's over 16, he's plenty old enough, he's certainly no "child", that's for sure.

[acmavm]

2. Little creep showed the world his 'true colors'. Time for the

little cretin to face the crowd.

[BOSSHOG]

3. Well he was a snitch

and his absence from school proves he's a spineless coward, so what's the problem? He's perfect material for Young Republican recruitment; cause he sure ain't the kind to join the Army and defend his country with his life.

[rucky]

9. Not really a snitch... more of a rat.

snitches snitch when someone's actually doing something wrong.

[gratuitous]

4. Isn't that the same excuse Gannon/Guckert used?

After being exposed as a White House call boy, Jeff Gannon/Jim Guckert quit his reporting gig at the White House, Talon News folded, and Gannon/Guckert claimed without producing any evidence that his family had been threatened because he was now known as a male prostitute.

Methinks the young Mr. Allen will never have to worry about where his next paycheck will be coming from as long as he's willing to "perform."

[kevinbgoode]

5. If he stands by his actions

then his little butt can make his way to school and respect the opinions others have about those actions. Why is he afraid for his "safety?" What a crock - this guy didn't give a rats ass about anyone else's "safety" did he? What kind of parent would allow a kid to mouth off this much and then pander to his desire to skip school now instead of facing those who oppose his actions?

And look at the words he describes as "threatening". . .snitch, coward, spineless...are those threatening? Hell, the gay students face much worse crap than that every damned day, and he would likely be the kind who would participate in attacking them, too.

This sounds more and more to me like a kid who wanted publicity.

[ProfessorGAC]

8. Because This Little Twit Hates America, That's Why!

He hates what this country stands for. Like the terrorist in waiting that he is, he hates america for our freedoms.
The Professor

[kevinbgoode]

18. Aren't these the same Republican kids who rail that they

have the right to wear tee shirts to school quoting bible verses condemning gays? And that they should be allowed to say things like "all gays should be executed" right in front of their gay classmates?

And now this kid can't handle being called a "coward?"

This is a magnificent example of the GOP viewpoint about freedom of expression.

[ProfessorGAC]

29. Hence My Use Of The Word "Twit"

Not the sharpest tack in the box, i would guess.
The Professor

[Rocknrule]

61. They think freedom of speech should only apply to them

[maxrandb]

32. Hmmmm. I wonder what this kids grades were like

C'mon kid, release your transcripts. Let's see if your afraid for your safety, or afraid of failing.

[WilliamPitt]

6. Someone should strap this kid's father to a large bull

and then tweak the bull in the balls.

Dollars to donuts says Pop is behind this crap.

[wicket]

7. That's what I was thinking

A father trying to live out his Hannity wet-dream through his son.

[kskiska]

11. His mother was on last night defending him, too

She's supposedly a Democrat. She said she believes children should be able to tape their teachers at any time.

[Maddy McCall]

20. Nope. I own the copyright to my lectures...

It's my intellectual property, and it cannot be taped without my express permission. Students may write down what I say, but they are not allowed to record my voice.

[ProfessorGAC]

39. That's Correct

One needs express permission, although it doesn't have to be written, to tape a lecture. (Well, sometimes guest lectures are set up to allow taping, and the lecturer knows it in advance.) But, in that guest the permission is implied, because if you or i didn't like it, we would turn down the lecture. But, it's wrong to just sneak a recorder into a lecture. IP laws do, indeed, apply.
The Professor

[stepnw1f]

15. That Was My Thought as Well

The parent should be ashamed...

[gatorboy]

10. He's made fun of on the web and quits school?

Where's the connection? Sounds to me more like an excuse to cry about how the "Mean Ole' Left" is trying to "destroy" his life. :eyes:

[Solly Mack]

12. He doesn't stand behind his actions

he would return to school if he did.

I don't want any student threatening him with bodily harm - nor is the young man deserving of bodily harm - however, if he really stood for what he did, he would face the other students and not cower from their opinions of his actions. Yeah, kids can be hard on their peers - often times for no good reason....but the young men in question is hiding - running away from what he did. He's being a coward and that's not standing up for what you believe is right. If he thought he was right, he'd go to school...no matter how hard it would be.

[wicket]

14. EXACTLY!!!!

n/t

[Bridget Burke]

22. Hey, the other kids might not sit with him at lunch....

There might be snickers behind him as he walks down the hall. No wonder he wants to avoid such hardship.

[Solly Mack]

25. LOL Honestly though, those things are a big deal to a kid

Even still, such a small price to pay for someone who claims to stand behind his decision.

I somehow get the feeling he sat alone a lot anyway.

[maxrandb]

38. Since he seems to support the "pretzeldent"

I wonder if he ever thinks about how "blanking" terrified that 18 year old Marine walking point in Iraq is?

If this is the type of kids that Repukes are raising, our military supremacy and reputation for bravery under fire IS IN SERIOUS TROUBLE.

Maybe he plans to be like every other pudgy, soft in the middle, Repuke. Maybe he plans to have others fight his battles for him. It's the Republican Way!

[TankLV]

71. Yeah - tell it to the gay kids - I'm SURE they'll "understand" his

"hardships" - NOT!

[libhill]

76. Or even worse -

maybe they made fun of his Bush Action Figure, or his Ohffical Bush "Mission Accomplished" lunch pail -?

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

13. Memo to Sean Allen:

[Maddy McCall]

21. Cry Mia River.

:rofl: :spray:

[Norquist Nemesis]

16. "I feel I need to put the safety of myself and my family first," ????

Since when does a 16 year old minor make the decision to go to school, or not? Why is it the kid who's speaking and not the parents?

[bottomofthehill]

17. Snitches get Stitches

I don't know about his school but where I come from we had an old saying that still holds true today in my old neighborhood "Snitches get Stitches" If this was a popular teacher, and it seem he was than it may be for the best not to go back to school. Of course, there was another old saying we would use, "PUSSY"

[johnnie]

24. Ah yes..He'll make a fine repuke

Destroy a man's career because he doesn't like him to have free speech, then cowers away when he is asked to stand up for what he believes in. Typical republican.

Didn't this little shit also say he was going to join the Marines when he is an adult? He won't make it through one week of basic. Yup, he will make a fine republican.

[rodeodance]

26. His mother was on Hannity last night--She sticks by her son (she is a Dem

and has been one all her life)--she does not believe teacher should be fired but should be mentored---proper content in the classroom.

[rodeodance]

27. He is rather 'big' physically build teen. Seems he could take care

of himself.

[Rose Siding]

30. If that's true, why did she shop the tape rather than call the principal?

from FLDem5's thread-

"they basically shopped it around to conservative media outlets" Lauer on parents. They didn't complain to the school.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x594442

[DinahMoeHum]

33. That family was looking for $$$ and publicity. And they got it. . .

more than they bargained for.

:evilgrin:

[DanCa]

28. Nows the time for him to enlist.

And prove that he supports the troops.

[republicansarewhores]

34. Sigh...

That's what I wrote him and everyone thinks I was picking on a poor 16 year old kid "goading" him into the meat grinder.

RAW

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

37. Not everyone. Just the ones that make wavy lines come out of

Peter Parker's head.

[republicansarewhores]

42. LOL

I was thinking that too. Yeah, good idea. Defend a scorpion, then complain later when you are stung by him even when you knew he was a scorpion to begin with...

Either they are moles or batshit.

:toast:

[in_cog_ni_to]

41. HERE! Send him This enlistment form!

http://usmilitary.about.com/library/pdf/enlistment.pdf

Make him put his life where his big fat fascist mouth is.

[adigal]

63. He also had a joke about Jehovahs on his site

on MySpace or MyPlace or whatever the hell that warped site is called.

Something about beating a Jehovah to death with a Bible.

Nice little republican.

[libhill]

74. Well, you know -

no elections on the horizon until November. No need to sweat the Religious Right at this time. All one need do is spout "Jaysus / Gawd / Guns" right before the election, and all will be well. And you know, those people really are so.... working class -

[libhill]

73. Not I -

as I told your detractor, I'm sure there's nothing to fear for this little turd. Despite his posturing, when the time comes to put his money where his mouth is, I don't doubt he'll "have other priorities". Chalk him up as a garden variety Repuke blowhard, and forget about him.

[maxrandb]

31. Shocking!!

Another Republican Pussy!!!

Dems would be wise to campaign on the fact that the Republicans are nothing but a bunch of nutless cowards and bullies. Everytime you stand up to them, they whine and cry.

Hate radio, Faux News, the KKK, the CCC, the Fundies, etc...(in other words, the entire Repuke base) is nothing but a "Cult of Victim Hood"

If something's wrong in their lives, they find a "boogey-man" to blame. Someone they need the "all-powerful" federal "gubmint" to protect them from.

Kids doing poorly in school? - It's the damn liberal teachers fault
Can't find a job? - It's the damn immigrants fault
Can't keep a job? - It's the damn regulators fault
Have to work 3 jobs to pay for health insurance? - It's the damn unions fault
Teen daughter pregnant? - It's Hollywoods fault
Marriage crumbling? - It's the homosexuals fault
Lack spirituality in your life? - It's the damn secualrist fault

and on, and on, and on!

What a bunch of "pantywaists". The Repubs have turned the people of this once great country into a bunch of snivelling cowards. They've created this image of Bush as some "tough hombre", when you know, deep in your heart, he would be the kind of guy that "turned-tail and ran" in a bar fight.

They are the ones playing the victim card...NOT THE DEMS!

[Ilsa]

35. Those aren't threats. It's simply honesty. He is a snitch. If he

hasn't signed up for Bush's* war, he is a coward. And he chose to tape and snitch rather than debate the teacher, another sign of spinelessness.

[Bucky]

36. If he's had ACTUAL threats of assault, he should contact FBI, not AP

Pampered brat is eating up the attention. Teenagers love to play the martyr (I've got one daughter and 170 students who show me this daily). Why can't he just get into cars, girls, and drugs like other boys his age?

[Kansas Wyatt]

40. Translation: Please wealthy Republicans

I have sacrificed myself for the good of the Party and our Glorious Leader, can someone now give me a secure comfortable position for the rest of my life?

P.S. My family needs a comfortable position also, so we can look down on all those who resent us.

[Name removed]

43. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

44. Careful, your anti liberal bias is showing with your name calling.

My liberal teenager has dealt with a HS teacher ridiculing "liberals", during the Gulf War build up, and she has learned to state her ideas and beliefs clearly and unequivocally as a result.

I didn't report him, and that's because he challenged her, even though I vehemently disagreed with his opinions and approach. And, my daughter learned to stand up for her beliefs.

This kid shopped his "victimization" to the highest bidder. Lousy family values? You bet! MKJ

[Donald Ian Rankin]

45. What you call "anti liberal bias" is absence of prevalent bias.

Depressingly many DUers appear to believe in applying double standards:almost no-one seems to see Mr Bennish's actions as wrong, but there are regular "how dare they" threads on vaguely-conservative bias from teachers (although to be fair I haven't bothered to dig some of each sort up and compare names, so it may be two different sets of people). I believe strongly in applying exactly the same standards of conduct and "fair play" in political debate to people I agree with as to ones I disagree with, and one of the strictest of those standards is "officially-neutral state employees, especially those in the education system, should not use their positions for political proselytisation".

Not even for political positions I agree with.

If you didn't challenge your daughter's teacher for using his position for political proselytising, that's your decision, but that doesn't mean that doing so would have been wrong. The only time I've been in a similar situation I was on the receiving end of a strongly anti-abortion and somewhat pro-Christian teacher, and kicked up a little fuss about it, although I didn't go further than arguing with him in class because I didn't think it was worth it because he wasn't going all that far over the line. Mr Bennish, on the other hand was.

I don't think going to the media was the best response, but I think it was a perfectly legitimate one. If I'd been in his class I wouldn't have gone directly to the media, but I'd certainly have confronted him after the lecture and asked him to stop and reported him to his superiors if that failed, and if I'd had the will for the fight I might well have gone to the media if that hadn't stopped him either.

I agree with what he said. However, he should not be allowed to say it when and where he did.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

52. Thanks for your measured and well thought out response.

I, and many here, are angered at the fact the kid went directly to local RW hate mongering radio here and never confronted the teacher or followed the chain of command in filing a formal complaint.

And, yeah, there are a lot of his peers unhappy with him for doing this. It's underhanded and smacks of self gratification rather than genuine concern.

He shopped his story around and finally got the fame and recognition he seemed to seek. And, he hasn't hesitated to access, and has, in fact, embraced the resulting publicity.

So his peers, fellow HS students, think his actions are dishonorable. They are allowed their opinions, which are just as valid as his.

I also listened to the entire tape and it is evident he is responding to questions from the kids, and clarifying frequently that this is one way of looking at the current state of international affairs and encouraging discussion and argument. He offers several disclaimers and even says that it is not his own opinion.

If this kid was in so much mental anguish about what the teacher was saying, there were many other ways to pursue his concerns.

I'd like your take on the entire tape, if you've listened to it. BTW, since the students aren't on the tape, how do you know one of them didn't ask, "What about comparing gwb to Hitler?". MKJ

[adigal]

64. Same thing happened to my son, too

although it was numerous teachers AND students, in a Christian school - and they went so far as to say that since he was Catholic, he was definitively going to hell.

My son learned to research his facts and to be articulate and quick on his feet. He is now going to the nationals for Academic Quiz Bowl while this little dirt bag is going to hide in his house.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

70. Wow, that's a credit to you as a parent!

Congratulations!

I admire your son for his fortitude and convictions.

My daughter became the "token" liberal in the class I mentioned, and she prided herself on that.

One of my all time favorite retorts that she gave to the teacher was,"You know, it's a lot harder to be liberal than conservative, because liberals actually think about both sides of the argument before making their point. And, I'd rather work at being fair and understanding issues than just make four or five word statements over and over."

I still remember her telling me this, at the age of fifteen, with certainty and pride in presenting her point of view.

I can imagine how amazingly proud you must be of your son for parlaying his debating abilities into a talent with national recognition.


To both of you...:yourock: !!! MKJ

edited to add...your son will do so much more to better humankind than this Linda Tripp wannabe.

(so will my daughter :) )

[adigal]

77. Good for our kids!!

They are growing up in interesting times, no???

[elehhhhna]

46. He must enlist pronto. It'll rehab his reputation.

[countingbluecars]

47. Typical persecuted fundie stuff.

The kid had an agenda-tape teacher, contact media, cry poor me.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

48. If he hasn't been called a "drama queen" yet, I'll oblige him here.

With this performance, he's earned it!

[mac56]

50. DING DING DING WE HAVE A WINNER!!!!

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

51. "I'd like to thank the Academy and David Merrick for this award!"

"You REALLY LIKE ME!"

[FredScuttle]

53. Hey kid!

[tlsmith1963]

54. Actually...

the teacher should have compared Cheney to Hitler instead. Now, there's a better comparison! Bush is too stupid to be Hitler.:rofl:

Tammy

[Catherine Vincent]

55. Didn't he learn anything from Linda Tripp?

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

57. Great point! n/t

MKJ

:yourock:

[northofdenali]

56. A semi-friend who is a Republican (not the neocon kind)

grew up in the same neighborhood as this kid. My friend's reaction to the kid's whining? He says that the "liberal" kids in the neighborhood put up with threats, intimidation, sometimes physical violence - but they came to school and stood up for what they believed in.

My friend says this twit is NOT a Republican, he's merely a cowardly, spineless snitch.........

[Cha]

62. Good POint!

:thumbsup:

[mitchum]

58. He's also a snot-nosed punk ass little dipshit

So what?
I won't be upset if some other kid beats the hell out of him. I have better things to worry about.

[alcibiades_mystery]

65. AaaaaachooPUSSY...gezundheit

That is all.

[libhill]

66. So what if

his teacher compared Bush to Hitler? It's true. And even if it weren't, what happened to freedom of speech? I'm god damn sick and tired of hearing these two faced fascist Republican sob's propagandizing about how "our troops are fighting for freedom" while all they do at home is suppress freedom. This fucking little punk IS a snitch and a coward - I wonder if the little asshole would have recorded the speech if the teacher had been talking smack about Clinton?

[libhill]

67. Good riddance -

that's one less Bush sycophant fascist anus cavity in the classroom.

[RagingInMiami]

68. The civil war knows no age limits

[EvolveOrConvolve]

72. This is the last step in the Rove Master Plan

to have conservatives take control of every American institution of any import. They have the Presidency, the Senate, the House of Representatives, the Supreme Court, a majority of state legislatures, a majority of governorships, and the corporate and industrial powers. Education is the last institution that Republicans do not control, and I imagine that KKKarl is losing sleep over it.

The propoganda campaign is beginning, and they couldn't have picked a finer example of the Hitler Youth who will make Rove's dream come true.

[Swamp Rat]

75. Waaaaaahhhh!!!!!

:cry: