The random political thoughts thread (Part Deux)

[scaeagles]

Didn't watch it, haven't read it.

I am not outraged over the President making a speech. Presidents do it all the time. Like I said after reading the speech that was to the captive audience, I said I had no problems with the content, but stood by my concern over the teachers and their biases leading the post speech discussion as was in the plans.

I have a feeling his health care speech was nothing new, and that all it was was an attempt to rescue the failing (in public opinion) plan. Clinton did the same thing with his attempt.

[BarTopDancer]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

I said I had no problems with the content, but stood by my concern over the teachers and their biases leading the post speech discussion as was in the plans.

Why must you assume that teachers are automatically going to be biased and push their political agenda on their students? For that matter, why must you assume teachers are going to have a political agenda or be unprofessional enough to do it.

Most importantly, were you worried about teachers pushing their bias when it was "your guy" in office?

Do you really remember your teachers pushing their political agenda on you?

I sure don't.

No wait. I take that back. I remember on 9/11/01 my math teacher talking to us about the importance of staying in school because if there was reinstatement of the draft you could be delayed because you were in school. (and he was an obvious aging hippy working for the establishment. It was awesome). Hell, I couldn't even tell the leanings of my political science teachers in high school or college.

Do you really think that kids are going to turn on their parents? And is that a bad thing?

I actually called my dad last night and thanked him for raising me to look at both sides, objectively. For always explaining to me why he was voting the way he did, why he agreed/disagreed with a particular candidate over the issues. For never blanketly saying "I just don't trust him" or "I have a bad feeling about her". For never bad-mouthing "the other guy". For showing me by example that just because he didn't agree with something they were still our elected officials and deserved respect.

I hated GWBush, but he was still the POTUS and that title deserves respect.

We're raising a generation of kids who are learning that they don't have to respect or listen to people they disagree with. Scary. Very, very scary.

[scaeagles]

Originally Posted by BarTopDancer

Why must you assume that teachers are automatically going to be biased and push their political agenda on their students? For that matter, why must you assume teachers are going to have a political agenda or be unprofessional enough to do it.

Most importantly, were you worried about teachers pushing their bias when it was "your guy" in office?

We're raising a generation of kids who are learning that they don't have to respect or listen to people they disagree with. Scary. Very, very scary.

Let's try this for the 100th time.

I said I had no problem with my HS age daughter to watch it or discuss it because she has the critical thinking skills necessary to deal with any form of bias. I said I'd watch the speech with my younger kids. My younger kids do not have the critical thinking skills necessary to disagree on abstract concepts with their teacher.

I do not think there was a situation for me to worry about with agendas being "pushed" in an organized fashion with lesson plans provided to teachers by the administration. So no, I wasn't concerned about it.

I didn't say they would necessarily push their bias. However, even the most objective have biases that come through, whether teachers, judges, journalists, whomever, and it comes through. As far as professionalism, there are literally dozens of stories here in AZ of teachers having sex (or doing something sexually inappropriate) with their junior high or HS students in the last couple years. Everyone in the profession is not professional.

I do recall both political bias (when we were reading 1984 in 1984, my junior year) and religious bias (My 8th grade algebra teacher was a Muslim and I can recall him saying many time "There is no God but Allah").

Did you read the earlier link I posted about bias? Anecdotal, certainly, but I also said you could find examples and i could find many more.

To think there is bias that comes through is not unreasonable.

[Motorboat Cruiser]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

My younger kids do not have the critical thinking skills necessary to disagree on abstract concepts with their teacher.

Assuming that you have shared your religious views with your children, did you wait until they were the age of being able to disagree with abstract concepts, or did you feel that they had the critical thinking skills necessary to absorb such a topic?Or, is it only things that you disagree with that you think they cannot handle? I smell a double-standard.

Besides, there were really no abstract concepts contained within this speech for anyone to disagree with. The President of the United States gave a motivational speech to all students, urging them to work hard and stay in school, to better their future and contribute to their community. And it amazes me that any Republican would find fault with any of that. Of course, I doubt that they really do. Rather, they need to keep demonizing him from every conceivable angle, because should he succeed at any of the stuff he is trying to accomplish, their chances in 2010 and 12 are shot. That's really what this all boils down to.

[scaeagles]

Originally Posted by Motorboat Cruiser

Assuming that you have shared your religious views with your children, did you wait until they were the age of being able to disagree with abstract concepts, or did you feel that they had the critical thinking skills necessary to absorb such a topic?Or, is it only things that you disagree with that you think they cannot handle? I smell a double-standard.

Besides, there were really no abstract concepts contained within this speech for anyone to disagree with. The President of the United States gave a motivational speech to all students, urging them to work hard and stay in school, to better their future and contribute to their community. And it amazes me that any Republican would find fault with any of that. Of course, I doubt that they really do. Rather, they need to keep demonizing him from every conceivable angle, because should he succeed at any of the stuff he is trying to accomplish, their chances in 2010 and 12 are shot. That's really what this all boils down to.

Are you seriously equating what I as a parent would choose to impart as far as values to my children at a young age and what the public school teacher might choose to impart? Wow. I am really floored by that. You think it a double standard that as I parent I want to pass along my religious thinking (as well as other things) to my children but don't want teachers to pass along their moral and religious thinking to them? Seriously....that is mind boggling.

And I'll try it again. You'll note that after I read the speech I said I had no objections to it in and of itself. My concern was the guided lesson about the President and his speech afterwards. So your second paragraph is way off base....at least if you were directing it toward me.

[BarTopDancer]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

I do not think there was a situation for me to worry about with agendas being "pushed" in an organized fashion with lesson plans provided to teachers by the administration. So no, I wasn't concerned about it.

But you just said you were. Unless you were referring to my question if you would have the same paranoia if it was "your guy" in office.

[scaeagles]

Originally Posted by BarTopDancer

But you just said you were. Unless you were referring to my question if you would have the same paranoia if it was "your guy" in office.

I was referring to the paranoia comment about "my guy". Sorry I wasn't clear.

[SacTown Chronic]

You can't shield the kids forever, scaeagles. All you can do is vaccinate, teach 'em to wash their hands after any contact with liberals, and hope for the best.