Maine teachers and National Guard (Calais: homes, private school, universities)

[sailordave]

I have a question about something that happened several years ago. At around the start of the war in Iraq, some Maine reservist were being called up to active duty. At that time there were reports of teachers harassing students whose parents were in the military. What I never found out was if anything was done to these teachers. Were they fired? Were the seriously reprimanded? Or did nothing happen as far as you know?

[flycessna]

I never heard this?? can you site any sources?

I am not doubting it could happen, but I think we would be more likely to see this sort of thing in our very libral universities.

[mollysmiles]

Never heard of it--in my neck of the woods we have teachers who ARE reservists.... not saying it would never happen but.... oh, wait, ayuh, I'll go out on that limb--that would never happen in my neck of the woods.

[7th generation]

Sadly, I remember these incidents.
FOXNews.com - Military Kids Allegedly Harassed at School -- by Teachers - U.S. & World
http://www.e-thepeople.org/article/14857/view?viewtype=best&skip=20 (broken link)

[mollysmiles]

Ok, I stand corrected--Calais unfortunately is on there. I don't remember it happening at all. Hard to imagine!!

[flycessna]

THANK YOU 7TH FOR FINDING THAT!


It is a disgusting shame how something like this could "EVER" happen let alone be swept under the rug.

For fear of persecution I won't elaborate on my true feelings of our public education system and the teachers that run it.....My wife’s family is a family of educators so I know little bit about the good, bad, and ugly of this profession....


but giving the choice....I would send my kids to private school.

[Elcarim]

That is sad. I agree that teachers should not have the right/priviledge of imposing their personal beliefs and convictions on our children. It is especially difficult for younger children who are just beginning to develop their own sense of self to have beliefs that go against the beliefs of their own family inflicted upon them.

My 7 year old came home Friday and asked me why Daddy is doing drugs! WTH?????? I told her that her daddy would NEVER do drugs! He takes people to the hospital on the ambulance all the time who have taken drugs and nearly killed themselves. He's not that stupid! She went on to tell me that in their "Say NO to Drugs" campaign last week, beer was on the list of drugs. She recognized the bottles that daddy has in the fridge sometimes. She was genuinely concerned. So, I had to spend time trying to de-program her and help her understand the meaning of "over-indulgence". Try explaining THAT to a 7 year old who's been eating candy all weekend!!

I didn't even address the liquor cabinet in the top of my pantry!!!

So, believing that the war in Iraq is wrong is a personal choice. It gives NO-ONE the right to diminish the significance of the men and women who are sacrificing their lives for the cause.

[Submariner]

When you send your children to an institution, for the institution to raise for you; then that institution will raise your children.

The people within that institution spend so many hours each day, day after day, with the children, that they will have a lasting effect on those children. Selecting curriculum, selecting assignments, selecting group activities; all good things that need to be done in a classroom. And yet these things can all be things selected in a manner to teach 'morals'. Whatever morals that teacher wishes to impress into those children.

We argued with one school board, and finally decided to remove that child to homeschool him.

Then at the next duty station, we got drug into yet another head-to-head confrontation with that school. Over how they were 'teaching', after 2 years in that school system we finally decided to homeschool that child as well.

And we had foster-children, each being public schooled, and we got into a few battles there.

Then two duty stations later, we got into it again with more foster-children and that school system. In that situation, among other things, the children were being taken out of school, to march in a political parade to support something. I think now what the cause was, B will remember, I think it might have been 'safe sex' practices.

'no child left behind', 'Dont bully', 'DARE', 'racial sensitivity', 'equal rights', safe sex practices; all sound like good ideas. However behind them are political agendas. Schools use public funding to indoctrinate children, to convince them into supporting an agenda.

[elston]

It is very unfortunate when teachers can't act the professionals they are supposed to be. I remember way back in the Happy Days of the 1950's when I was ridiculed by my civics teacher because I expressed the progressive liberal opinions that I had heard at home....I was flat out told I was wrong....and that my positions were Communist. That was a very painful experience at the time. I have "toughened up" in the intervening decades.

[Elcarim]

I was failed in Science in the 9th grade (the only time I ever made less than a B in any subject!) simply because I refused to agree with the subject matter he was teaching on evolution, and I used the answers I BELIEVED at the time were correct. So, basically, I was penalized for having personal beliefs and for expressing them. I'm sure it didn't help when I called him out and expressed my disagreement in front of the class.

I wasn't as tactful then as I am now!

Yes, I know what you're all thinking..........