Presidential Pictures
Pepe_Muffassa
Join Date: 2003-01-17 Member: 12401Members
Join Date: 2003-01-17 Member: 12401Members
in Discussions
<div class="IPBDescription">too much pc?</div> <!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Middle School Teacher In Trouble Over Presidential Photo?
By Ken Rosato
(Monmouth Junction-WABC, October 3, 2004) — You might say it is a symbol of the Great American Divide, a teacher putting up a picture of President Bush in the classroom. Some say it is partisanship while others say it is patriotism.
Rita Bianco, Parent: "Children should know their president and their first lady!"
Parents expressing outrage after a teacher is kicked out of her public school for hanging a picture of President Bush next to pictures of other presidents in her classroom.
Shiba Pillai-Diaz, Teacher: "It happened on a small bulletin board near the American flag and also with a poster of the Declaration of Independence."
This is Crossroads South Middle School in Monmouth Junction, New Jersey. On Thursday, there was a back-to-school night for parents of students. Veteran English teacher Shiba Pillai-Diaz says she was shocked when three parents confronted her. The three, insisting the teacher either add John Kerry's photo to the montage of presidents or remove the Bush photo. When Pillai-Diaz refused, she says the school's vice-principal threatened her job which is an act that has parents here fuming.
Paula Sjolund, Parent: "She didn't do anything wrong, and I think that it should have stayed up there."
Pillai-Diaz ultimately removed the entire bulletin board and says School Principal Jim Warfel told her she disrupted the school with her "inflammatory politics". She says he then ordered her out of the building. While she says she is a Bush supporter in her personal life, Pillai-Diaz says she keeps politics out of the classroom.
Shiba Pillai-Diaz, Teacher: "There was no political intent, nor was there any political content in that photograph nor on the bulletin board."
School officials would not talk on camera but insist nobody here has been fired. To that, Ms. Pillai-Diaz asks what does it mean then when your boss asks you to hand over the keys and kicks you out of the building? She also says she is not sure if she'll be returning to school tomorrow. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
This article made me want to hurl - such a sad state when parents can't distinguish between a president and a candidate. I hope she leaves that school for greener pastures...regardless of your opinion of the current administration, Bush still deserves credit for leading for 4 years.
Any other opinions on the matter?
By Ken Rosato
(Monmouth Junction-WABC, October 3, 2004) — You might say it is a symbol of the Great American Divide, a teacher putting up a picture of President Bush in the classroom. Some say it is partisanship while others say it is patriotism.
Rita Bianco, Parent: "Children should know their president and their first lady!"
Parents expressing outrage after a teacher is kicked out of her public school for hanging a picture of President Bush next to pictures of other presidents in her classroom.
Shiba Pillai-Diaz, Teacher: "It happened on a small bulletin board near the American flag and also with a poster of the Declaration of Independence."
This is Crossroads South Middle School in Monmouth Junction, New Jersey. On Thursday, there was a back-to-school night for parents of students. Veteran English teacher Shiba Pillai-Diaz says she was shocked when three parents confronted her. The three, insisting the teacher either add John Kerry's photo to the montage of presidents or remove the Bush photo. When Pillai-Diaz refused, she says the school's vice-principal threatened her job which is an act that has parents here fuming.
Paula Sjolund, Parent: "She didn't do anything wrong, and I think that it should have stayed up there."
Pillai-Diaz ultimately removed the entire bulletin board and says School Principal Jim Warfel told her she disrupted the school with her "inflammatory politics". She says he then ordered her out of the building. While she says she is a Bush supporter in her personal life, Pillai-Diaz says she keeps politics out of the classroom.
Shiba Pillai-Diaz, Teacher: "There was no political intent, nor was there any political content in that photograph nor on the bulletin board."
School officials would not talk on camera but insist nobody here has been fired. To that, Ms. Pillai-Diaz asks what does it mean then when your boss asks you to hand over the keys and kicks you out of the building? She also says she is not sure if she'll be returning to school tomorrow. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
This article made me want to hurl - such a sad state when parents can't distinguish between a president and a candidate. I hope she leaves that school for greener pastures...regardless of your opinion of the current administration, Bush still deserves credit for leading for 4 years.
Any other opinions on the matter?
Comments
This is just one more demonstration of the absurd personal hatred of Pres. Bush that makes the left look so wacky. Some people just act like Bush strangled their dog with his bare hands in their back yard one night, this irrational hatred is ridiculous, whether or not you like the man he is president and is to be given the respect that his office holds.
I don't like Kerry, but if he wins I can and do respect him.
Besides kids in America are dumb as a sack of hammers when it comes to politics, we need more teachers like this. I can't count how many times I have run into people who have no idea what the heck is going on with this country, who the VP is, what Bush looks like, who’s that guy...the black one...Sec. of something....?
Oh well another disgusting episode in the never ending crusade against the "evil" Bush.
<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Not IMO he doesn't. He pretty much bungled everything he did....
Anyways, that whole thing was complete ****. If she had never had pictures of presidents on the wall and suddenly put one of Bush up there, then I could almost understand. But it was a picture of our current president, next to pictures of past presidents for christ's sake.
Seriosuly, what the hell is wrong with these people?
Kids in America need things to conform to, (exception to every rule of course. . .)
Kids conform to Bush hating, kids conform to hate conformists, and ect.
One day, these kids may decide something in your life.
That day, a part of me will most likely die.
/Rant ends.
What is scarier? Enough of such parents that the teacher would have to LOSE HER JOB over such idiocy.
I'm seriously comparing the intelligence of some people to a brick wall here. I mean while a brick wall may not have a brain, they aren't as wrong as such people. Hmmm... Tough choices.
Yeah, this is rediculous.
Yeah, this is rediculous. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yeah, I'm no Bush fan, but the fact of the matter is <b><i>he is the United States President at this point in time, like it or not</i></b>. If you have a collection of photos of all US presidents, it is in no way unreasonable to place his photo alongside.
I swear, half the reason the educational system sucks right now in this country is not because of schools, or teachers, or students, but idiot overprotective parents. There was a movement in my old high school to ban "To Kill a Mockingbird." Don't think it went through (I very much hope not), but it's just ridiculous what people try to get away with.
Edit: jesus, I just re-read that first sentence. Partisanship? ****. Patriotism? ****. It's current freaking events. It's history. It's fact. freaking idiots.
(pretend those *'s are in all caps. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> )
Edit2: Pepe, do you have a URL link you can give for that? I'd like to pass this to a few other people I think would be very interested in it.
But yeah that sucks and all.
To be fair, ithe article never said that the bulletin board contained pictures of ALL the presidents. If a picture of Bush was put up with pictures of George Washington, Abe Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, and the like, then some parents might construe that as a political message. Even if she declared that she had no political intentions -
i still think the parents (and the principal) need a punchin'
I hate people.
Oh, wait-- on second thought, these people are <i>nuts</i>.
maybe people aren't completely nuts after all. *edit* credit for finding this article goes to my friend and former roommate, who took the liberty of editing my previous post to sound "reasonable."
To aforementioned friend: stop, you're ruining my reputation!
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->The problem was never the picture, according to McCartney, ". . . but rather a zealous misuse of seventh- and eighth-grade student instructional time."<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
So, now we have to pull politics out of the classroom? I fail to see how having ignorant students is beneficial, or how teaching can be labeled a "misuse of ... instructional time".
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Friday, she said, Warfel called into her office, telling her, "You've caused more disruption, hatred and anger than anyone I've known."<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
How to be a principal 101 - tell your teachers that they are the cause of disruption, hatred, and anger - because their political views differ from the political views of parents who can't control their tempers.
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->"We are in the education business, not the political business," said Long.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
When all else fails, get the president of the Board of Education to draw an arbitrary line in the sand as to where education ends and politics begins.
Don't forget, folks, that the dispute happened on a "back to school" night when 3 parents got into a heated political discussion - demanding that senator Kerry's picture be placed up along side President Bush's. As far as I am concerned, that is an unfair demand... and since they (the parents) knew that, they decided to talk to the principle and have him threaten her job.
The claim is phrazed to try to point out that she is teaching "partizan politics" in the classroom. I attend classes 3 nights a week. I am in the IT field, yet I still take every opportunity to talk politics with my teachers. Just because that isn't what I am paying them to teach, doesn't mean I don't want to hear what they have to say - even if they disagree politically with me most of the time.
That is what I wager is happening in these 7th and 8th grade classes... the kids are interested in politics, and she talks about it. Then the kids go home and tell their parents all the "propaganda" they have been getting in school, the parents go to the back to school meeting, and demand that she put up Kerry's picture. Both sides get heated, and the parents go to the principle. He tosses the teacher out, and she goes to the media.
After the confrontation with the principal she left the building. She returned to retrieve her belongings, accompanied by a police escort, which she requested for her own safety. She was joined by union representative Sylvia Lee, and they discussed the incident for two hours with McCartney and Warfel.
McCartney described her leaving the building as "abandoning her post of duty and her classroom responsibilities. At no time was she told she was suspended or fired."<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
SOMEBODY isn't telling the truth. I don't know whether it is the teacher or the principal. But if she is telling the truth, then god help us all.
Getting into a heated political debate in a parent teacher discussion DOES NOT WARRANT having her fired for hanging a picture of the president of the united states in her office! She might be a republican, but I don't think she's stepped over any bounds. I hope she sues the school and all she asks for is an apology and an unconditional return to her job (meaning she can hang up president bush again). And THEN I hope she rejects the job offer. Ultimate revenge. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
hmm, never mind. I have no point.
<!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
If she said things like:
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->According to his version of events, she once told pupils she was "glad they were not old enough to vote." She has also been accused of telling a student, "You should be ashamed to be a Democrat."<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
She isn't disucssing politics, she's <i>proselytizing</i>. Pushing your agenda, whether it be Republican of Democrat, is <i>inappropriate</i>, especially in a middle school.
I rescind my previous comment about the parents being nuts and wait for this to be sorted out before I pass judgement.
...
...
...
No wait, sorry folks. I can't think of an argument. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Seriously though, they were trying to ban from teaching evolution in classes because it is only a theory. Um, okay... since when do we not teach students theories? The only reason people would not allow evolution is if they are christians and they think that is against the bible. Disregarding the fact that there is SUPPOSED to be a separation between church and state.
In this case, I think there are offended democrats out there that, regardless of the education of the children, would like to brainwash them to think certain things about this country. Maybe they would rather have their children believe that kerry was in office in 2000 and in 2004 and that Bush never existed? Otherwise, I can't understand why they would act like that.
First, they're coming from the principal in question who is obviously using them from hearsay. Second, there's no context to those phrases.
For example: Student A says, "I like Bush because he has a dog and wears red ties!". Then, student B says, "I like Kerry because he's tall and points his finger alot!". I would also be glad that they weren't old enough to vote. We have enough ingnorant boobs with the capability to elect the most powerful position.
Similarly, if both students identified themselves as Democrats and then proceeded to label homosexuals as "dirty heathens who spread icky diseases" and were convinced that "poor people are lazy and should be ignored whenever possible", then I would also tell them they should be ashamed to call themselves Democrats.
Before everyone gets their panties in a bunch, I'd like to hear what these parents have to say. My guess is they phoned the principal and mentioned 2 things: Media and Lawyers.
Meanwhile, I've wrapped myself in duct-tape to keep from unleashing my critique of political indoctrination in public schools. Better use some staples too.
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->McCartney described her leaving the building as "abandoning her post of duty and her classroom responsibilities. At no time was she told she was suspended or fired."<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Ah, I got it. So she was told to leave because of the political issue, and now her job is threatened because she left. Makes perfect sense.
...
Wait, what?
I'd like to reinstate your previous comment about the parents being nuts and append an amendment including the administration, the teacher, and just for the heck of it, "The O'Reilly Factor" and "Good Morning America." <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/confused-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
I'd like to reinstate your previous comment about the parents being nuts and append an amendment including the administration, the teacher, and just for the heck of it, "The O'Reilly Factor" and "Good Morning America." <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/confused-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
That's actually a much better solution, provided I can get an asterisk on the O'Reilly factor which says, "<i>Really</i> frigging nuts"
<!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> A teacher at the Monmouth Junction School has displayed a portrait of President Bush for four years, without incident, said McCartney.
McCartney said it was Pillai-Diaz who removed the picture and pictures of the president's dog, the Oval Office and the Declaration of Independence. She said she also had a picture of Air Force One, and a poster with a signature of all the presidents.
Pillai-Diaz' display, accompanied by her rhetoric, he said, "took it out of the realm of education and made the presentation appear partisan to many of our students and parents."
Earlier in the school year she had on top of her cabinet a stuffed elephant, symbol of the Republican Party, for which Pillai-Diaz served as a volunteer at its national convention in New York.
Pillai-Diaz joined the district this year as a language-arts teacher. She had previously taught in Brooklyn and Tenafly. She is a Cornell University graduate and has five years' teaching experience.
Prior to the beginning of classes this year, she missed a teachers' meeting in August while volunteering at the Republican National Convention.
McCartney said parents had e-mailed Principal Jim Warfel, concerned about the nature of Pillai-Diaz' passion for politics in the classroom.
The controversy was elevated Thursday on back-to-school night, when three parents got into a heated political discussion with Pillai-Diaz. "It was just three (parents), out of all the classes," she said.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
OH NO! She works for the RNC, let’s fire here for being politically active instead of being a whiney stay at home mom who most likely knows nothing about politics other then "OH MY GOSH! Bush = teh Evil!!!"
"I saw this commercial one time when my husband was at work. I was sitting on the couch doing nothing, because all I do in life is take the kids to soccer practice, and it said.....and it was on TV so it must be true....uh huh...."
As Snidely coughs *idiotscough*. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
(and you would be right)