What do you think of this Alabama teacher/candidate?

[Syrinx]

I've got somewhat mixed feelings about this. I totally agree with the sentiments expressed in the video he showed his class. And I don't really have a problem with the fact that the video repeatedly uses the word "asshole." But if it had been a pro-Bush presentation, I'd probably be furious.

(The video in question is the one at http://filmstripinternational.com .)

SALEM — An eighth-grade science teacher, who is a Democratic candidate for state office, won't face suspension for showing students a derogatory, profanity-filled Internet film about the president.

Limestone County Superintendent Barry Carroll said Thursday that he talked with West Limestone High School teacher Steve White about showing the film.

"It's a personnel matter, and it's been handled," Carroll said. "Both I and Principal Stan Davis discussed the matter with him. He's not on suspension or anything like that."

Carroll would not specify how he handled it.

White has qualified to run for District 4 state representative, which includes portions of Limestone and Morgan counties.

*snip*

http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/news/060407/teacher.shtml

[wildhorses]

1. what did the film have to do with science?

way off topic...if he was a civics, history, social studies, economics teacher I could see it otherwise, if I had been a student in that class I would have been pissed...I hate it when teachers get off subject.

[Syrinx]

2. yeah, I know

I don't know anymore about the circumstances that what's in the article. Maybe it was in study hall. :shrug:

I'd vote for the guy though, if I lived in his district.

I'd bet you money this ends up on Hannity & Colmes, if it hasn't already.

[sandnsea]

3. Absolutely wrong

Even in a civics class, no reason to bring profanity into a class of 8th graders. And for a science class, no reason to bring it in at all. I really don't know what people think they're helping when they do things like this, it's the reason they vote against Democrats in the first place.

[Syrinx]

5. see. we're against this (or at least conflicted about it, in my case)

If the video were against Kerry or some other Democrat, the freepers would be claiming the guy's freedom of speech was being violated. And there wouldn't be a peep about it on H&C. But I guarantee this will be featured on that show (if it hasn't already), as an example of liberal propaganda forced on a captive audience of impressionable kids.

[sandnsea]

7. I've had the opposite

My son's 8th grade teacher taught them that Roman infanticide was equal to abortion. His 12th grade teacher was as big a Bush lover as it gets, he went on a war rant almost every day. He even bashed Teresa.

They both taught my son that right wingers were lunatics. :rofl:

[Syrinx]

8. I guess that's a good thing

They taught your son well, even though that wasn't their intention. :)

[sandnsea]

9. Cracked my ass up

I couldn't have possibly explained to him how nutty some Republicans are as well as those two teachers exhibited it. The more he listens to some of these hicks around here, the more he decides they're all bonkers. He is a really quiet kid, not terribly political, very very practical. We used to call him our little Republican because he was so methodical and reasoned. So now, when he gets animated about some of these goofs, it's especially funny. Like when he said if they build a wall, he wants to be on the other side. :rofl:

[Syrinx]

10. If they build a northern wall...

I think I'd like to be behind it too.

Why would you call a methodical and reasoned person a Republican though? Maybe I'm missing the joke.

[sandnsea]

11. Let me see

Okay, imagine a little 6 year old, standing on his chair, beating the pants off everybody in Monopoly and lovin' the hell out of every second. Differentiates between friends and playmates at 5 years old. Argues with you about global trade at 13, and that no sane country lets another powerful country take resources they need. Is able to make financial decisions better than you are, because he never kids himself or plays utopian self-bullshitting games. Says everybody hates their job, nobody's ever going to be rich, so just go to college and learn to do what will make you the most money. Very Republican thinking, at least for our family! So to see the change in him as he's watched real Republican loons has been a real trip, quite funny at times.

He also has a great heart and a streak of fairness that is equally rare. His teachers have even commented on it, when he was little even. Quiet as a mouse, unless somebody wasn't being treated right. And you could ALWAYS count on him to tell the exact truth. So in that sense, not a Republican at all!

[Syrinx]

12. Sounds more like a blue-collar Democrat to me!

But anyway, best of wishes to you and your child! :hi:

[sandnsea]

13. Thanks!

We didn't know which way he was going to go there for a while, moderate Repub or Dem. Bush and his right wing loons fixed that, forever. :)

[Syrinx]

14. silver lining that I hope is magnified exponentially nationwide!

fingers crossed.

[sandnsea]

16. Fixed my daughter too

Although there was never alot of doubt with her. She worked in an assisted living center when they started in with medicaid cuts. It was a real scramble trying to figure out how to deal with married couples when one was qualified to stay and the other wasn't. She was horrified, cried about her little old couples having to think about being separated. And now with the SD abortion law, no question in her mind. So yeah, a bit of a silver lining I suppose.

:hi:

[rucky]

4. "it's a personal matter, and it's been handled."

what more do we need to know?

I've shown "objectionable" films in class before ("Walkabout" has Aborigine butts and a boobie scene, "Supersize Me" has bad words, etc) - you just need to give parents a fair chance to object (and fair warning to the principal).

I know everybody wants a say in what should go on in the classroom, but I really think it should be kept between the teacher, parents and the school - as long as everybody stays in the loop.

[sandnsea]

6. Is it pertinent to your subject?

That's the primary issue here, this was a science class.

Really though, if you're showing something with foul language to 8th graders are below, I think you're making a bad call. Not enough to complain about if I were a parent, but I wouldn't be saying nice things about you to the principal either. Aborigine butts and boobies is entirely different, that's just reality, like National Geographic.

[TheBaldyMan]

15. I think that would be a valuable civics lesson for everybody not just

eighth-grade students.

Well, I would say that because I'm an unsaved hellbound European leftie.

on edit:
I don't know how old 8th graders are, I'm guessing 12 years old, I'd still be fine with it.

[sandnsea]

17. It was science class

Not social studies. So there was no reason for anything political to be in the class.

8th grade is 13, the year before high school. High school, fine. Middle school, no. The subject matter is fine, for civics class. It can be taught without foul language. And I'm not a language nazi, I swear like a trooper. I do think schools are supposed to set an example though, even if parents don't.

[TheBaldyMan]

18. I don't think acivics class would have shown that clip

as far as language goes, I agree that that sort of language shouldn't be encouraged but under certain circumstances it's understandable.

I wonder about the age limit thing, I suppose standards must be different in the UK where I am. I've heard much younger kids than 13 use far worse.

[sandnsea]

19. It was a political clip

I don't know where else it would be shown but civics class, social studies. The McDonald's one might be okay in science, if physiology were the subject or something. But there's other ways to make the point, and that movie wasn't that good anyway.

It isn't about the language kids use, it's about the standards adults set. It would have to be something very purposeful, to justify the language. I just don't see it as a routine necessity.

But like I said above, it likely wouldn't be anything I'd complain about either. My daughter's 8th grade science teacher proudly told them he was going to have bite me tattooed on his ass and walk naked on the beach when he retired. We have a nice mix of extremes at our school I guess. :)

[rpannier]

20. I'm opposed to him showing it on a lot of levels.

If he showed it to my daughters I'd object because it was not related to the subject.
The language is inappropriate for eighth graders
If he didn't inform the school or the parents (because, as a parent, I'd want to know he was showing it) he was completely wrong.

[Alamom]

21. There's got to be more to this....(is what I think)

It's hard to believe this is all that will be said or done in this particular area.

"It's a personnel matter, and it's been handled," Carroll said. "Both I and Principal Stan Davis discussed the matter with him. He's not on suspension or anything like that."


?

[awoke_in_2003]

22. Sounds like that teacher

has the same affliction I do, Bush-Tourrettes Syndrome. Just hearing his name, his voice, or his ugly fucking mug makes me start screaming profanities. This is why I stay away from 8th grade kids :)