Teacher Compares Student’s Romney Shirt to KKK Robe

[justashooter 430]

http://radio.foxnews.com/toddstarnes/top-stories/teacher-compares-students-romney-shirt-to-kkk-ro.html

By Todd Starnes

A Philadelphia high school teacher is under investigation after she reportedly ordered a student to take off a t-shirt supporting Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign and compared the shirt to a Ku Klux Klan sheet.

The incident occurred at Charles Carroll High School in Port Richmond. When the student refused the order, she tried to throw the girl out of class.

The teacher reportedly told the 16-year-old student that the high school was a “Democratic school” and then threatened to use a marker to cross out Romney’s name.

Philadelphia School District spokesman Fernando Gallard confirmed to Philly.com that, “a teacher made some comments to a student wearing a Romney t-shirt in their classroom.”

“The comments were of a political nature, and also of a personal nature,” he told the newspaper. “We are looking into the comments, and the conduct of the teacher.”

Gallard said the student was well within her rights to wear the t-shirt and was not in violation of any school dress codes.

In the meantime, the teacher was switched out of the class “to allow the student to feel comfortable to come to the class.”

Gallard said the student was within her rights.

“She was expressing her freedom of speech, and was not in violation of any school or district policy,” he told the newspaper.

The incident became public when the child’s father called radio station IQ 106.9 FM.

Richard Pawlucy told radio host Larry Mendte that the incident happened on a day when students were allowed to “dress down.”

He recounted what his daughter’s Geometry teacher told the girl.

“Are you seriously wearing a Romney shirt — and then she told her to get out,” Pawlucy told the radio station. “My daughter took it as a joke. But the teacher left the room and called other teachers and students into her classroom.”

She said the teacher pointed at his daughter and said, “Look at this girl — wearing a Romney shirt.”

“My daughter refused to leave the classroom or acknowledge this bullying,” he said.

That’s when the teacher compared the Romney shirt to a KKK garb and told her, “This is a Democratic school.”

“I never knew a school had a party affiliation,” he said.

When his daughter went back to class she hid in the bathroom until the teacher left. He said other students were taunting her.

“Her classmates were telling her –‘how can you do this to our teacher?’” he recounted. “Why don’t you like Obama? We all like Obama – why don’t you like Obama?”

Mendte was astounded by the incident — especially since it happened in the city where they signed the U.S. Constitution.

“A child shouldn’t be bullied going into a classroom just because she’s politically aware — just because she has an opinion and just because she happens to support a candidate that you do not support,” Mendte said.

[MyLittlePony 340]

I like Obama.

[Anh map 2,098]

Surprised that it wasn't a school in MA.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

I was going to a university in California, and wearing a "Mess with the best - Die like the rest" Army T-shirt one day to my Combinatorics class. The instructor, who spend his off time in El Salvador, protesting against Duarte, started calling me "Doctor Death". He ended up being my department head. Lucky me.

[justashooter 430]

yeah, i took a pharmacology class one time. thought it was gonna be about crazy animals.

[Pinocchio Liberal 268]

Aww the lovely division our beloved President spreads. Isnt it AWSOME?

[Penny Lane 8,159]

Aww the lovely division our beloved President spreads. Isnt it AWSOME?

How is Obama at fault for this woman's stupidity and overreaction?

[JohnR! 5,495]

The teacher reportedly told the 16-year-old student that the high school was a "Democratic school" and then threatened to use a marker to cross out Romney's name.

I am sure Mittens is very happy to learn that his divisive and inflammatory remark about 'The 47%' is already paying dividends and generating social unrest.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

I'd guess this teacher is a part of a union too.

There was a better article about this last night how the teacher apologized to the parents and said that she was only "joking."

Why this teacher still has a job is beyond me. They placed her in another classroom in the same school... Yeah, because that changes things...

[decocker 7,198]

this is freaking hilarious.

“The comments were of a political nature, and also of a personal nature,” he told the newspaper. “We are looking into the comments, and the conduct of the teacher.”

The shirt the girl is wearing is of a political nature..so I would expect to receive a response of a political nature if i wear a political shirt.

If I were her dad, I'd tell her she isn't mature enough to wear a political tshirt to school. She doesn't have the backbone to represent her views without getting offended when others disagree.

[JohnR! 5,495]

There was a better article about this last night how the teacher apologized to the parents and said that she was only "joking."

Oh brother... She committed the cardinal sin of presuming the fifth columnists to possess a sense of humor....

[Obama 2012 1,714]

this is freaking hilarious.

“The comments were of a political nature, and also of a personal nature,” he told the newspaper. “We are looking into the comments, and the conduct of the teacher.”

The shirt the girl is wearing is of a political nature..so I would expect to receive a response of a political nature if i wear a political shirt.

If I were her dad, I'd tell her she isn't mature enough to wear a political tshirt to school. She doesn't have the backbone to represent her views without getting offended when others disagree.

I think you miss the point. This was a teacher who did this to a student. It's not like another student was saying this to her.

A teacher doesn't question a child about her parents political views and then proceed to tell her that she's wearing KKK robes and that she needs to take her shirt off because this was a "Democratic school" trying to speak to everyone else in there. She's not a random stranger, she's someone who's supposed to be neutral in the classroom when it comes to her students.

[decocker 7,198]

she's not in elementary school, she's in high school. she chose to publicly state her political affiliation with a tshirt. she got a sh*tty response. seems like the real world to me. i'm not a fan of parents coddling their almost adult children.

Edited October 5, 2012 by val erie

[Obama 2012 1,714]

she's not in elementary school, she's in high school. she chose to publicly state her political affiliation with a tshirt. she got a sh*tty response. seems like the real world to me. i'm not a fan of parents coddling their almost adult children.

When you're in a position of authority as an educator it's a different story than some stranger on the street doing it.

I agree 100% that parents shouldn't coddle their children, but as I said, a Teacher has no business acting that way towards a student. You cannot show any bias with your students and clearly this teacher has issues if she's going to compare a T-shirt (a pink one mind you) to KKK robes.

While the teacher's reaction might be 'real world' of plenty of nutbars out there, it still doesn't changer her position in relation to the girl.

[Penny Lane 8,159]

she's not in elementary school, she's in high school. she chose to publicly state her political affiliation with a tshirt. she got a sh*tty response. seems like the real world to me. i'm not a fan of parents coddling their almost adult children.

I'd agree with this response if another student had said something stupid. A teacher, however, shouldn't be making comments like this to their students. They're in a position of authority. Comparing a t-shirt to a KKK robe is ridiculous no matter whose mouth it's coming out of, but the fact that it came out of a teacher's is more offensive and inappropriate.