Law would prevent teachers from taking political stands

[one...two...tree 2,762]

agree.. mhh but what if it's a foreing language class, u can't have flags of the country you're teaching the language from?

Sure, that's part of the subject being taught. If a teacher was teaching the civil war, maybe he or she could put up the Confederate flag along side the Union flag as well. But the Confederate flag during math class? Takes on a whole other meaning entirely. I have no interest in the teachers personal views or preferences. Only in the subject being taught.

You make some good points, and you even point out the context makes the difference.

What about a teacher wearing small rainbow colored triangle? Wearing a small medal cross on a necklace? where do you draw the line?

[Jenn! 918]

I taught high school Math and had absolutely no problem keeping my political views out of the classroom. But I also taught a course where part of the curriculum was to discuss current events. I can't understand how one could feasibly teach a subject like that with absolutely no bias.

Throughout my own studies, it was not hard to decipher the political leanings of the instructors of many of my humanities courses. But isn't that students come to form their own opinions? Isn't that kind of the point?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

On the other hand - I wonder if anyone else finds this offensive?

A female teacher at a church high school is being investigated over complaints that she operates erotic vampire websites.

English and drama teacher Samantha Goldstone has agreed to stay away from St Christopher's Church of England High School in Accrington, Lancashire, after parents alerted her bosses.

Investigations centre on the part-time gothic fiction writer's personal websites and others that promote her book and poems.

One section of the 41-year-old's book, called Gabriele Caccini and written under the pen name Paigan Stone, refers to a female student drugging a vampire male student before they have sex. Her personal MySpace website, which has been shut down, included provocative images and videos.

The site also contained references to her gothic writing which she boasts contains "adult content with vampire eroticism, violence and blood lust".

St Christopher's headmaster Alasdair Coates said: "These concerns have to be investigated appropriately and while we do this the member of staff has agreed to stay away from school. This is not an indication of guilt."

Mrs Goldstone, who lives in Manchester, has been at the school for three years.

Lesley Ham, a spokesman for teaching union NASUWT, said: "I welcome this investigation as it is no doubt causing worry to parents and their children.

"In writing lurid material as a teacher you would struggle to maintain professionalism and standing amongst the impressionable young people you are charged with teaching."

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I taught high school Math and had absolutely no problem keeping my political views out of the classroom. But I also taught a course where part of the curriculum was to discuss current events. I can't understand how one could feasibly teach a subject like that with absolutely no bias.

Throughout my own studies, it was not hard to decipher the political leanings of the instructors of many of my humanities courses. But isn't that students come to form their own opinions? Isn't that kind of the point?

Exactly. That's the whole point of education - it is a 'liberal' endeavor - to present students with ideas and viewpoints so they open their minds to all possibilities. It's not just about 'training' them to regurgitate facts and figures. They should learn to think critically.

[Heracles 417]

I taught high school Math and had absolutely no problem keeping my political views out of the classroom. But I also taught a course where part of the curriculum was to discuss current events. I can't understand how one could feasibly teach a subject like that with absolutely no bias.

Throughout my own studies, it was not hard to decipher the political leanings of the instructors of many of my humanities courses. But isn't that students come to form their own opinions? Isn't that kind of the point?

Exactly. That's the whole point of education - it is a 'liberal' endeavor - to present students with ideas and viewpoints so they open their minds to all possibilities. It's not just about 'training' them to regurgitate facts and figures. They should learn to think critically.

So what do you call it when liberal colleges ram their beliefs and ideology's down students throats. Or the colleges which punish anyone who does not have a burn the flag liberal mentality.. Colleges should teach students to be inquisitive and question both sides of the fence.

Understanding and "accepting" other people's views is how the country grows.

Edited February 16, 2007 by Infidel

[Fandango 1,439]

I wonder how many people would be so open arms about political views if the teacher were a racist? or a xenophobe? or a homophobe?

[Killer_Clown_2009 0]

Too many educators calling Bush an idiot. That's my take on it.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I taught high school Math and had absolutely no problem keeping my political views out of the classroom. But I also taught a course where part of the curriculum was to discuss current events. I can't understand how one could feasibly teach a subject like that with absolutely no bias.

Throughout my own studies, it was not hard to decipher the political leanings of the instructors of many of my humanities courses. But isn't that students come to form their own opinions? Isn't that kind of the point?

Exactly. That's the whole point of education - it is a 'liberal' endeavor - to present students with ideas and viewpoints so they open their minds to all possibilities. It's not just about 'training' them to regurgitate facts and figures. They should learn to think critically.

So what do you call it when liberal colleges ram their beliefs and ideology's down students throats. Or the colleges which punish anyone who does not have a burn the flag liberal mentality.. Colleges should teach students to be inquisitive and question both sides of the fence.

Understanding and "accepting" other people's views is how the country grows.

Can you give an example of a liberal college ramming 'their' beliefs and ideology's down students throats?

Maybe I went to the wrong schools because all my teachers thought independently from the school and each other - there was no indoctrination of ideology by the school or teachers. I remember my Free Enterprise teacher back in HS was a big fan of Milton Friedman and he'd show videos of him. Was that indoctrination of free market capitalism? I suppose if someone wanted to get technical, then yes. However, I'm glad that I was exposed to my teacher's ideology and felt confident enough to form my own views on such things.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I taught high school Math and had absolutely no problem keeping my political views out of the classroom. But I also taught a course where part of the curriculum was to discuss current events. I can't understand how one could feasibly teach a subject like that with absolutely no bias.

Throughout my own studies, it was not hard to decipher the political leanings of the instructors of many of my humanities courses. But isn't that students come to form their own opinions? Isn't that kind of the point?

Exactly. That's the whole point of education - it is a 'liberal' endeavor - to present students with ideas and viewpoints so they open their minds to all possibilities. It's not just about 'training' them to regurgitate facts and figures. They should learn to think critically.

So what do you call it when liberal colleges ram their beliefs and ideology's down students throats. Or the colleges which punish anyone who does not have a burn the flag liberal mentality.. Colleges should teach students to be inquisitive and question both sides of the fence.

Understanding and "accepting" other people's views is how the country grows.

Can you give an example of a liberal college ramming 'their' beliefs and ideology's down students throats?

Maybe I went to the wrong schools because all my teachers thought independently from the school and each other - there was no indoctrination of ideology by the school or teachers. I remember my Free Enterprise teacher back in HS was a big fan of Milton Friedman and he'd show videos of him. Was that indoctrination of free market capitalism? I suppose if someone wanted to get technical, then yes. However, I'm glad that I was exposed to my teacher's ideology and felt confident enough to form my own views on such things.

There seems to be a bizarre assumption that students are completely impressionable and at the mercy of the teacher's personal ideology. From my own experience at a UK university that was never the case, regardless of the teacher's views on a subject people would walk out of the lecture theatre saying "yeah, that's interesting but I don't agree with him because...". If the teacher's done his job right, that sort of debate and critical thinking is surely the desired outcome.

For all the bitching about the evils of political correctness - this ####### about "liberal professors" seems about as PC as it comes...

[pedroh 21]

I taught high school Math and had absolutely no problem keeping my political views out of the classroom. But I also taught a course where part of the curriculum was to discuss current events. I can't understand how one could feasibly teach a subject like that with absolutely no bias.

Throughout my own studies, it was not hard to decipher the political leanings of the instructors of many of my humanities courses. But isn't that students come to form their own opinions? Isn't that kind of the point?

Exactly. That's the whole point of education - it is a 'liberal' endeavor - to present students with ideas and viewpoints so they open their minds to all possibilities. It's not just about 'training' them to regurgitate facts and figures. They should learn to think critically.

So what do you call it when liberal colleges ram their beliefs and ideology's down students throats. Or the colleges which punish anyone who does not have a burn the flag liberal mentality.. Colleges should teach students to be inquisitive and question both sides of the fence.

Understanding and "accepting" other people's views is how the country grows.

but does this law applies to only public education or private institutions as well?

[Saddle Bronc 124]

I agree that teachers/professors SHOULD use their own commonsense (if they have any--unfortunately, I've seen this to be lacking in a high percentage of academics) as to whether their classroom is appropriate venue to dispense politics (in many course types: examples include mathematics, English, IT, some arts--it actually goes way off from the course's supposed point).

Unfortunately, having a law about this will not change this situation one iota (as it will only be the fear of being caught, not scruples or "better judgement" that will cause any academics to obey it).

[Ban Hammer 13,352]

Jessica Coomes

The Arizona Republic

Classrooms should not be forums for schoolteachers and college professors to espouse political opinions, a group of lawmakers concluded today.

A House committee approved a bill that would prohibit any public school or college instructor from advocating one side of a social, political or cultural issue that's part of a partisan debate. The measure would also ban teachers from openly supporting any political candidate.

Supporters said the proposed law would let students disagree with instructors without fearing retribution. But college students and other education advocates worry it would discourage instructors from leading discussions and debates on controversial topics.

Legislators disagreed and approved the bill in a House committee Thursday afternoon, saying students should not receive a biased education.

"In any class, any issue could be discussed as long as the instructor is neutral on the issue and not telling you what your conclusion should be," said Senate Majority Leader Thayer Verschoor, R-Gilbert, who wrote the bill.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/021...ons0215-ON.html

good

[mybackpages 0]

I taught high school Math and had absolutely no problem keeping my political views out of the classroom. But I also taught a course where part of the curriculum was to discuss current events. I can't understand how one could feasibly teach a subject like that with absolutely no bias.

Throughout my own studies, it was not hard to decipher the political leanings of the instructors of many of my humanities courses. But isn't that students come to form their own opinions? Isn't that kind of the point?

Howard Zinn talks about the fallacy of objectivity. He argues everything we approach carried bias. It's a mistake to think you can leave it aside. being upfront with your views in a classroom doe snot translate automactically into a classroom environment of hostility towards dissenting opinions.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I taught high school Math and had absolutely no problem keeping my political views out of the classroom. But I also taught a course where part of the curriculum was to discuss current events. I can't understand how one could feasibly teach a subject like that with absolutely no bias.

Throughout my own studies, it was not hard to decipher the political leanings of the instructors of many of my humanities courses. But isn't that students come to form their own opinions? Isn't that kind of the point?

Howard Zinn talks about the fallacy of objectivity. He argues everything we approach carried bias. It's a mistake to think you can leave it aside. being upfront with your views in a classroom doe snot translate automactically into a classroom environment of hostility towards dissenting opinions.

He's a great man, indeed.

[KarenCee 3]

But college students and other education advocates worry it would discourage instructors from leading discussions and debates on controversial topics.

Considering I haven't seen much lately in the academic world to anything close to debate/discussions but only the classroom used as personal soapbox... the education system needs to be cleaned back up and used for learning/discussion/growth. Unfortunately our gov'ment ain't helping to ahcieve that.

I agree. It leaves it up to interpretation. For example, if a teacher had in their mug full of pens, a small Peace Sign flag, is that forbidden? Just let teachers teach and let school administrators decide what teachers can discuss in their classrooms.

That would be utopia Steven. IF this were possible, I would definately enjoy my job a hell of a lot more. As it is, I am very careful not to submit my opinion on ANYTHING anymore, even though my kids are elementary age. Some of them could still go home and say "Mom (or Dad or whoever), the teacher was telling us what she thinks about....(you fill in the blank)" If the parent doesn't like it, well...you can pretty much figure out the rest of the scenario.

I thought this was already somehow against the rules? And already difficult to enforce?

The big thing against the rule is promoting one's religious beliefs. For example, a few years ago we received a memo. It stated that the "moment of silence" that is afforded to every student in the public schools should not be used to stand before your classroom in an attitude of prayer as that could indicate you are trying to promote your religious beliefs and encourage prayers in your class or among your students. That, in turn, could lead to a lawsuit if a student objected.

As an aside here: For those uptight conservatives who constantly preach that prayer has been removed from the schools... that's not technically correct. NO student is forbidden to pray...ever. I have students who say a blessing before they eat every day. Some pray during their moment of silence. No one has ever tried to stop them. I just wish these uptight ultra conservatives would get their facts straight before trying to corrupt everyone.

Now, back to the political stance. I have kids who ask political questions. It's hard sometimes not to interject my personal thoughts on the subject. However, I do. I answer them as best I can from things we find on the internet and what is generally discussed in the news and so forth. In my personal opinion, the day is coming where teachers will be monitored to make sure they are only teaching what the state allows and one tiny infraction will result in a written reprimand and quite possibly the termination of one's contract.

Let the teachers teach....that would be a novel idea. Imagine what our children and young adults would be able to learn!

Edited February 16, 2007 by KarenCee