Obama effigy hung at RI school with fired teachers

[cali]

Thu Mar 18, 6:52 pm ET

CENTRAL FALLS, R.I. – A teacher at a failing school where he and all his colleagues are being fired hung an effigy of President Barack Obama in his classroom, apparently in reaction to Obama's support of extreme measures to ensure accountability in schools.

The teachers union on Thursday condemned the effigy, discovered Monday in the teacher's third-floor classroom at Central Falls High School, saying it was wrong and cannot be condoned under any circumstances.

The effigy was found in the teacher's classroom by Superintendent Frances Gallo, Rhode Island Department of Education spokeswoman Nicole Shaffer told The Associated Press. Shaffer said the department would not have any further comment.

Gallo told the AP on Thursday evening that the foot-tall Obama doll that she saw Monday was hung from its feet from a white board and was holding a sign that said, "Fire Central Falls teachers."

<snip>

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100318/ap_on_re_us/us_entire_school_fired_5

[Vickers]

1. Sounds like there's a reason the school is failing...at least ONE of the teachers

is a total dumbass.

[depakid]

2. Crass- but hardly a surprising sentiment

given equally crass pandering to the US Chamber of Commerce.

Not exactly the most effective way to gain trust and support from a key constituency on the eve of the release your education plan.

[berni_mccoy]

5. So hanging the President in effigy is OK with you? Thanks I knew you hated him all along

this just verifies it.

[depakid]

7. Did I say that?

crass adjective,-er, -est.

1. without refinement, delicacy, or sensitivity; gross; obtuse; stupid:

2. Archaic. thick; coarse.

Of course the teachers are pissed off. What did the President expect when he held up the mass firings to the Chamber of Commerce as something he supported?

Thank you notes?

The guy's unlikely to get his job back after this- but in America these days, does anyone find it surprising that someone went over the top?

[Name removed]

3. Deleted message

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[Political Heretic]

4. unwise. counterproductive and polarizing - hinders unity around their (legitimate) cause.

Won't stop me from standing with teacher's against Obama's war on them, though.

[TheCowsCameHome]

6. This does nothing to advance anyone's cause.

If fact it takes headlines away from important things.

[Tailormyst]

8. I'd be pretty pissed at someone cheering my firing too

[LaydeeBug]

9. I was taught that hanging something in effigy is an acceptable form of political protest

I am not sure I would begrudge the teachers their RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH because what happened to them was bullshit.

I wouldn't hang him in effigy myself, but that's another thread, not related to this one.

[cali]

10. it's never ok to hang a black man in effigy. too much history. too muich "strange fruit"

[hayu_lol]

11. OK, then perhaps the teacher should have hung...

Arnie Duncan.

[Karmadillo]

14. It's never OK to hang a faithful servant of our Corporate Masters in effigy. It reeks of class

warfare and suggests the perpetrators don't know their rightful place in the divinely ordered hierarchy.

[cali]

16. try, just for a moment and just for a change, honey, to stretch beyond

the cliche ridden world that you so comfortably inhabit. This teacher did this in a class room full of minority students, dearie. The message that sends is unacceptable. duh.

[Karmadillo]

21. Wrong. The teacher did not hang an effigy of Arne Duncan in a classroom full of minority students.

Your habit of responding without reading (or thinking) does not serve you as well as you appear to think it does.

[cali]

15. I've never been much on the hanging people in effigy thing. I don't like the

implied violence, but yeah, Arne Duncan would have been a preferable target.

[Name removed]

13. Deleted message

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

[Tailormyst]

20. I understand what you are saying

But I will also point out it was not hung by the neck, as in a lynching, but by the foot. Was it over the top and probably not very smart? sure. Racist? no.

I can sympathize with the teacher. I would be furious with Obama also. If it were me I would probably have a 4x 8 sign mounted on my mini-van with something to the effect of "Go F yourself Mr. President."

[sufrommich]

12. In a classroom? Really? nt

[DevonRex]

25. So promoting racism and violence to kids is okay with you? That's fucking sick.

[Iggo]

17. Boy, that was stupid.

[TwilightGardener]

18. Jackass--just proved that he deserved the unemployment line.

And to be nowhere near kids.

[hayu_lol]

19. LOL Cali...

but no, this does not belong in a classroom. From the flagpole maybe 'he asked humbly?'

[tonysam]

22. Oh, fucking bullshit. Your HERO was the one who thought it was fine to fire the teachers.

You know, acting like a Republican. If it were YOUR fucking livelihood, you'd be pissed too that the president thinks it's okay to shit on teachers.

[DevonRex]

24. You don't deserve to be a Democrat if you think hanging a black man in effigy is cool.

[DevonRex]

23. I agree. He promoted violence and racism to school children, probably not hte first time

either.