FeedPolitical opinions should be expressed in the classroom, but fairly
March 2, 2006 in Statehouse & Capitol Tags: adademic freedom.Overland High School, Bush is Hitler, Jay Bennish
Thanks to a long comment made to this post, I’ve been getting a lot of hits from Google and Yahoo News searches for “Jay Bennish.”
According to this brief mention on Fox News, this is why:
A recording obtained by conservative economics professor Walter Williams reveals Overland High School’s Jay Bennish is teaching more than just geography, saying, “Bush is threatening the whole planet,” and that the United States is the “most violent nation on the planet.”
He also told his 10th grade class, “Capitalism is at odds with humanity, at odds with caring and compassion, and at odds with human rights.” Overland’s principal says she’s investigating the allegations and will take appropriate disciplinary action if warranted.
As a former sunstitute teacher, I know a little bit about what’s it’s like to hold unorthsadox political views while trying to teach history and government. I’ve read testbooks that were incorrect, misleading and biased. I’m sure teachers with an opposite viewpoint experiences the same thing from different books.
Folks, it’s impossible to teach kids without your unique perspective coming through. A good teacher is self aware enough to keep it under control and fair enough to present as many sides to the subject as possible, and to label opinion as opinon. A good teacher doesn’t present his or her biases and conclusions as established fact.
Despite what I think about the guy NOW, I would never, ever have gone in front of a group of students and likened the President of the United States to Hitler. It’s an insult to the memory of the millions of people who died in the Holocaust and World War II.
I don’t believe in political loyalty oaths for teachers, nor do I believe teachers should be made to be silent about current events and politics. There is no such thing as a right to insist that your child never hears objectional political views. Anyone who insists their child be raised in a vacuum should home school.
I don’t know in what context these comments were made, but I don’t think it’s inappropriate for the principal to have a talk with Mr. Bennish about his methodology and his lesson plans.
March 2nd, 2006 at 4:41 pm
When I was in high school, I had former Tazewell County Auditor K(im) Russell Crawford for my teacher of history. I was subjected to his views about “Democrat wars,” their penchant fro fiscal irresponsibility, the Kennedys’ immorality, etc. I survived. I survived the late Professor Fred Soady’s wife preaching about morality and the decline of Rome. I even got sent to the principal’s office for begining my book review on THE TWELVE CAESARS by noting how eleven of the twelve had a penchant for boys and yet Rome was ascendent. I had a professor at the University of Illinois who held that IKE was a commie. It’s not fair to hold a political movement responsible for the alledged actions and statements of a few. I think it is just another attempt at the “culture war” attacks the GOP has perfected over the years.
March 2nd, 2006 at 5:31 pm
Teaching history is intrinsically political. There is no way to completely avoid it. A good history teacher should be open to all viewpoints and evaluate a student on the merits of the structure for their argument and the research (facts) they present to support it.
A good history teacher forces students to think and to question. If by presenting an outlandish position they achieve that, then they have succeeded.
March 2nd, 2006 at 10:01 pm
Mahkno, I agree, and I’d add that the same goes for a good Pastor. My confirmation Pastor forced us to think and question, and never denied us the opportunity to disagree with the teachings of the church. It made for intelligent, thoughtful discussion.
March 8th, 2006 at 8:38 am
I noted how Bennish suddenly decide to lose his hippie locks just before going on national tv with Matt the Facilitator.
And BriBri, GOP culture war?? You crack me up.