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March 02, 2006

Irresponsible Teaching - another case for vouchers

Michelle Malkin provides a partial transcript of 20 minutes worth of ranting by James Bennish, a 10th grade geography teacher in Colorado.

Bennish, possibly unhinged by President Bush's State of the Union address, can be heard comparing Bush with Hitler, sneering at capitalism because ...

"where does it say anything about capitalism is an economic system that will provide everyone in the world with the basic needs that they need? Is that a part of this system? Do you see how this economic system is at odds with humanity? At odds with caring and compassion? It's at odds with human rights."
... asks why shouldn't America be bombed by Iran or China, since we "kill millions and millions" of their citizens with tobacco.

Actually, Bennish is neither new nor original in using his position of authority in the classroom to attempt to browbeat 14 and 15 y/o's into his Leftist talking-point dogma. What is new is that students (as in this case) have the means to actually record the teacher.

30+ years ago I had at least a couple of teachers who were in the Bennish School of Indoctrination, but there was no way to "prove" what they said. My World History teacher was very pro-Soviet and loved to go off into tangents about how the USSR was very charitable to foreign countries while America only went into the third world to "exploit" it. During my US History class, one teacher went into a rant about how every "white" kid in the class was living on "stolen" land (this teacher later founded the school's La Raza club).

Challenging these teachers was apt to find them ridiculing the student who challenged 'em or punishing the student by lowering their grade.

I know. I challenged 'em both. Too bad I didn't have a means of taping them.

Posted by Darleen at March 2, 2006 12:57 PM

Comments

Isn't it unlawful to tape a conversation without the speaker's knowledge or consent?

Just wondering.

Posted by: Carl W. Goss at March 2, 2006 01:36 PM

Don't know if it is, Carl, but I think it oughta be unlawful---or at least considered in bad taste---for a teacher to try and browbeat his students into following his own political agenda. Also for a teacher hired by the government, working on the government dime, to waste time bullyragging his students about politics, instead of teaching.

Anyway, I've heard that a lot of kids these days do tape record their teacher's lectures, so they don't forget anything, and nobody's said anything about it's being illegal.

Posted by: TalkinKamel at March 2, 2006 05:26 PM

Carl

Classroom lectures, especially in a public classroom, are not considered "private" conversations. The teacher has no expectation of privacy.

Many college professors DO 'ban' recording devices from their lecture halls on copyright grounds.

Posted by: Darleen at March 2, 2006 05:45 PM

I guess you're right Kamel, but I do like that term "bullyragging".

You're probably right Mz Darleen.

Posted by: Carl W. Goss at March 3, 2006 07:28 AM

Here we go again, the Right Wing mob rushing to the rallying cry of another David Horowitz inspired campaign against teachers, this time high school. Let's educate our kids with Fox News...There's some fair and balanced perspective for ya.

Posted by: Brad at March 3, 2006 07:17 PM

Brad

So, did Horowitz pay this kid to tape his teacher, is that what you are seriously arguing?

Bennish is a friggin' geography teacher and his 20 minute rant of misinformation and political propaganda without challenge or balance is rightfully exposed. Any teacher worth their salt would be proud to have every classroom lecture reviewed by any interested person - student, peer, parent or administrator.

Posted by: Darleen at March 3, 2006 11:40 PM

Any teacher worth their salt would be proud to have every classroom lecture reviewed by any interested person

You really think any teacher would want to have their lesson plans under review by some McCarthy-ite individuals with the mindset of a new Right Wing political correctness?

Posted by: Brad at March 4, 2006 09:38 AM

Brad

Instead of spewing your own paranoia, please offer any empirical data that Sean Allen is a McCarthy-ite with a VRWC mindset.

Or, offer some sort of defense of Bennish's rant which was (among other things) factually incorrect.

Bennish is/was involved in educational malpractice.

Posted by: Darleen at March 4, 2006 10:37 AM