When did teachers become the enemy?

[peachgirl]

They have a blatant conflict of interest.

No they don't. They are a teacher's union and they support the issues they believe will benefits teachers and students.

The two are not mutually exclusive.

 

[frozone]

My dh is a union member and you are right about the unions- they have outlived their usefulness.....

Schools and teachers need to teach children the reading and writing etc. and leave the teaching moral values to their parents.

Isn't patriotism a moral value? How is a teacher suppose to teach students how to be an American citizen by avoiding political issues?

 

[WDWHound]

Be very afraid people...you send a fine, upstanding conservative Repub to college and you may get a flaming liberal who wants to feed the world with your tax dollars in return!!!!

If the letters were sealed (the post saying so was not on the thread when I first read it), that would improve this particular situation in my my mind. However, in many cases, profs don't act that fairly and tend to actively punish opposing views. I don't mind people pushing their aggenda in terms of a discussion and learning about alternate viewpoints, but when my grades suffered because my conservative views of certain aspects of history were "wrong" (and yes, the prof did call my opinions wrong on 2 different exams), that is not acceptable. Its not that conservatives fear being brainwashed, its that we don't paying money to be educated only to have that money be used to pay someone whop tries to force their aggenda down your through by giving you a lower grade if you dont agree.

Since you are a liberal, I am sure you never experienced this problem. I did and its wrong. Worse, its very common. Worse still, there is little that can be done about it by a student since the liberal administrations ignores the issue. I took my case to the ombudsman regrading this one prof. I was told that nothing could or would be done and to just play along the next time it happened. Gee, thanks. I guess free speach only applies to liberals who agree with their college profs. The rest of us should just shut up and stop whining .

 

[frozone]

The blogosophere is inundated with anecdotal evidence of liberal bias by professors and college administrators. That forum simply wasn't available to the public even 10 years ago.

And I could give you tons of "anecdotal evidence" of all of good teaching that my mother has accomplished in her life as a social studies teacher. But I'm pretty sure that a strong argument would be build with stronger evidence.

 

[Mermaid02]

Isn't patriotism a moral value? How is a teacher suppose to teach students how to be an American citizen by avoiding political issues?

If they can touch on political issues without spouting their own beliefs and belittling (sp?) students who have a different opinion, then that is fine. I speak from my dd's middle school experience. Only my dd and one other student would "admit" to conservative views.... and were picked on by not only other students during class, but by the teacher too.

 

[bsnyder]

No they don't. They are a teacher's union and they support the issues they believe will benefits teachers and students.

The two are not mutually exclusive.

There are many areas where the needs of the two different groups are in conflict.

The students (and their families) are the "consumers". What other union purports to represent BOTH the worker AND the consumer of the product they produce?

 

[WDWHound]

There are many areas where the needs of the two different groups are in conflict.

The students (and their families) are the "consumers". What other union purports to represent BOTH the worker AND the consumer of the product they produce?

Yup, the NEA tend to manipulate the student's interests to support their own interest and political aggenda. Education in America would be much better off without the damage they do. Oh, and try being a teacher and not joining the NEA. That is career suicide in these parts. They only promote from within.

 

[peachgirl]

Since you are a liberal, I am sure you never experienced this problem.

Actually, I did but found the opposite problem. A vast majority of the teachers and professors in this part of the country are way far out on the right.

I've listened to many more blowhard right wingers in college classes than I ever listened to from the left.

What other union purports to represent BOTH the worker AND the consumer of the product they produce?

Just shows what a great job they do!

 

[peachgirl]

Oh, and try being a teacher and not joining the NEA. That is career suicide in these parts. They only promote from within.

Not true either. A great number of teachers here do not belong to the NEA and do not suffer in any way.

More hysteria...

 

[Mermaid02]

"I've listened to many more blowhard right wingers in college classes than I ever listened to from the left."

WHERE did you go to college??? I'm asking because I'd like to send my dd there.

 

[peachgirl]

Oklahoma....Pick any of them, you'll be quite pleased if what you're after is to protect your child from being exposed to different views.

 

[WDWHound]

Actually, I did but found the opposite problem. A vast majority of the teachers and professors in this part of the country are way far out on the right.

I've listened to many more blowhard right wingers in college classes than I ever listened to from the left.

Thats interesting, At UT the only conservative instructors I had were in the school of business. Literally every other instructor I had who esspoused political views was a liberal. Now, to be fair, many of them would not dream of using the tactics of my history prof, but the problem was common enough that I saw it more than once. I just took my ombudsman's advice and played along for the sake of my GPA.

 

[jgmklmhem]

We are hearing more reports because there's more information? Or because it's fitting into the conservative agenda? Which reports are you referring to?

The professor you're describing sounds great- but how do you know he isn't the norm instead of the exception? What about all those great teachers that we don't hear about? Where are the reports on them, or perhaps good teaching just isn't that newsworthy.

We hear about it more in more because there is more access to information available and I do believe good teachers/professors are the norm...but since when did stereotypes evolve based on the norm (not commenting either way on this just that it does happen). You rarely hear about the good people...ie all teenagers are hooligans etc....all conservatives are dumb.... all black people do this or that etc. Like I said I had this great professor then I also had a female writing professor who docked you if you didn't agree with her point of view in your writings. I also have been in college or working at a university for the past 10 years and have seen a definate left leaning agenda pushed from professors and administrators. I honestly do not care as long as opposing view points are respected and not punished.

 

[peachgirl]

I jusrt took my ombudsman's advice and played alomng for the safe of my GPA.

It was probably a good lesson. I find IRL it works that way quite often.

 

[rcyannacci]

When did teachers become the "lefty" enemy?

Teachers became the enemy as soon as this administration launched "No Child Left Behind" and started on their path to convince the American people that they knew what and how to teach better than professional teachers. They became the enemy when they dared suggest that standardized testing was not an effective teaching tool.

I wondered how many people noticed that arts in education programming was again struck from Bush's budget. It takes Congress continually reinstitute it because many of them actually listen to teachers AND the NEA when they say that the arts engage students exponentially more than standardized testing.

 

[CRB#33]

Not true either. A great number of teachers here do not belong to the NEA and do not suffer in any way.

More hysteria...

Come to Pennsylvania. You are put in the union or you do not teach. End of story. The money for the dues comes out of your paycheck. Oh and don't tell them you're a republican. It's the kiss of death.

No hysteria. Fact.

 

[septbride2002]

First off, I thought the professor was teaching high school, but thanks for the attitiude .

And yes, the students should have heard of Guantanamo, but why rig the assignment to generate political activism that supports the professors views? Why should the professor be pushing their views at all. When I went to school at the University of Texas, I had one instructor who pull stuffed like this. He was a history prof who took a very liberal view of the past 50 years of US history. I disagreed and my grades suffered for it. I didn't complain to "Mommy or Daddy" (where did that come from). I was simply torked that my own money (I paid my own way through school) was being paid to someone to agressively push their political aggenda at me.

Profs should leave their political agendas out of the classroom. Many do, but those that don't should be called on it.

But you said it yourself - no one is going to write about how wonderful the treatment of the detainees have been. So I really don't agree that it is pushing a political agenda but perhaps just educating students on what is going on in the outside world.

What class is this by the way?

~Amanda

 

[Mermaid02]

Too far away from home- she'd never go for it. Believe me- we don't shelter her from "other views". We live in Maine- our "view" here isn't the "popular" one.

 

[CRB#33]

Oh and I'm a republican teacher.

But don't tell anybody.

 

[Mermaid02]

Oh and I'm a republican teacher.

But don't tell anybody.

So in other words, You KNOW what you're talking about.