The Colorado Kid
Have you yet heard the recordings of Mr. Bennish the geography teacher who teaches about the evils of the US or A? (quick re-cap: a kid in the class taped a lecture for studying later. His dad was appalled and they went to the media, now we're all appalled.) The Belmont Club has some links to follow around and there are recordings to hear that you can find on Michelle Malkin. The story is all over so I don't want to repeat it, but here's my beef.
I went to school, not all that long ago and in all of my history, geography, and social science classes all the teachers/professors liked to get discussions going. You didn't get an F for disagreeing with the teacher. You got an engaging talk. The object of the game was to have backing, or evidence, or research. Listen to the tape. No one disputes this guy as he rants. No one asks the question during the rant about capitalism being uncaring about "what would a better system be?". Communism? Or, "Isn't taking fromt he rich to give to the poor a little uncaring to the high achievers and go getters?" Or "What about failed welfare systems?"
On the rant about invading other countries with WMD besides Iraq, and why don't we invade them. Shouldn't someone have raised their hand and mentioned either the spoken threats by Sadaam, or the UN security council's multiple resolutions? Or even that this govt. exists because of the people, so you have to please the people and who among us want to send our military to dicatatorgenericland who is no threat to us?
What is with these kids? Do they seriously take what their teacher says as fact? This is an advanced geography course. I've always thought the rhetoric about our school system was just that, rhetoric, because I've been hearing about it my whole life. The same song, over and over. I don't have kids though, so what do I know. But the kids I know seem as smart as we ever were. Maybe the school systems do suck. This school with Mr. Bennish is in a very rich part of Denver, but based on the tape it really sounds like the kids are not "questioning authority" which was the basic motto in my day!
UPDATE: The point being - I've had clearly liberal ranting teachers, and clearly conservative ranting teachers and they all relished a good discussion. As long as you could back up your points - that's what it was all about in liberal arts. This nut should be suspended, but not for his views. He should be suspended because based on that tape - he's got a completely cowed class of supposedly advanced students. Even the guy who did the taping, Sean, said that students regurgitate in order to get the good grade. Mr. Bennish must be grading on agreement, vs scholorship.
I went to school, not all that long ago and in all of my history, geography, and social science classes all the teachers/professors liked to get discussions going. You didn't get an F for disagreeing with the teacher. You got an engaging talk. The object of the game was to have backing, or evidence, or research. Listen to the tape. No one disputes this guy as he rants. No one asks the question during the rant about capitalism being uncaring about "what would a better system be?". Communism? Or, "Isn't taking fromt he rich to give to the poor a little uncaring to the high achievers and go getters?" Or "What about failed welfare systems?"
On the rant about invading other countries with WMD besides Iraq, and why don't we invade them. Shouldn't someone have raised their hand and mentioned either the spoken threats by Sadaam, or the UN security council's multiple resolutions? Or even that this govt. exists because of the people, so you have to please the people and who among us want to send our military to dicatatorgenericland who is no threat to us?
What is with these kids? Do they seriously take what their teacher says as fact? This is an advanced geography course. I've always thought the rhetoric about our school system was just that, rhetoric, because I've been hearing about it my whole life. The same song, over and over. I don't have kids though, so what do I know. But the kids I know seem as smart as we ever were. Maybe the school systems do suck. This school with Mr. Bennish is in a very rich part of Denver, but based on the tape it really sounds like the kids are not "questioning authority" which was the basic motto in my day!
UPDATE: The point being - I've had clearly liberal ranting teachers, and clearly conservative ranting teachers and they all relished a good discussion. As long as you could back up your points - that's what it was all about in liberal arts. This nut should be suspended, but not for his views. He should be suspended because based on that tape - he's got a completely cowed class of supposedly advanced students. Even the guy who did the taping, Sean, said that students regurgitate in order to get the good grade. Mr. Bennish must be grading on agreement, vs scholorship.
posted by Terri at
5:48 AM
