Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
Add Reply
how dumb teachers can be; Politics At Its Best!
Topic Started: May 20 2012, 01:39 PM (2,363 Views)
abb
Member Avatar

http://www.salisburypost.com/Opinion/052212-edit-nrhs-teacher-incident-qcd
Editorial: Teacher flunks free-speech test

http://www.salisburypost.com/Opinion/052212-letters-tues-qcd
Letters - Tuesday 5-22-2012
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
cks
Member Avatar

abb
May 22 2012, 04:13 AM
http://www.salisburypost.com/News/052212-North-Rowan-folo-qcd

Published Monday, May 21, 2012 11:00 PM

By Sarah Campbell

scampbell@salisburypost.com

SPENCER — The Rowan-Salisbury School System was propelled into the national spotlight over the weekend after a video featuring a heated political exchange between a North Rowan High School teacher and student went viral.

The student, Hunter Rogers, said Monday that he was surprised by how much attention the video has received. And at their regularly scheduled meeting Monday night, school board members said the system is taking action.

Views of the nearly 10-minute video skyrocketed from about 1,000 Friday to more than 330,000 Monday evening.

A number of conservative news outlets on TV and online have picked up the story, which originally appeared in the Post on Saturday.

Neither of the key players from the video is currently at North Rowan.

Teacher Tanya Dixon-Neely was placed on paid suspension Monday as the district investigates the incident.

Senior Hunter Rogers has been pulled out of the school by his parents and plans to obtain his high school equivalency certificate from Rowan-Cabarrus Community College.

The video captures Dixon-Neely telling Rogers that it’s criminal to slander a president.

It begins with a classroom conversation about a recent news story detailing Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney bullying a classmate in prep school. It turns into a heated, sometimes confrontational debate. After Rogers asks “Didn’t (President Barack) Obama bully someone, though?” Dixon-Neely fires back “Not to my knowledge.”

Dixon-Neely tells Rogers he will not disrespect the president in her classroom and goes on to say that people were arrested for saying derogatory things about former President George W. Bush.

Rogers said he’s surprised about the amount of attention the video has gotten.

“I didn’t think that it was going to be like this, but honestly I’m excited,” he said. “I want people to see this, let this be an example.”

Berated and yelled at

Rogers told a Post reporter he asked his friend, Steven Sanchez, to use a cell phone to take the video that was uploaded last Monday.

“I videoed this because there are millions of kids going home every day telling their parents there is a teacher doing this, and a lot of parents think because teachers are role models they can’t be doing anything that bad,” Rogers said.

Rogers said incidents like the one depicted in the video occur in Dixon-Neely’s sociology and psychology class at least once a week.

“She always wants to start these discussions where she wants to hear only what she believes, and if anybody else in the class has different beliefs we get berated and yelled at and attacked,” he said.

Tim Rogers said his son came home on a regular basis after getting “beat up just because him and two other kids in the class had different political views.”

“I tell my boys all the time that you have to respect that everyone has their own view,” he said. “You can’t shove it down people’s throats and that’s when it became a problem.”

Hunter Rogers said at times he opted not to participate in political discussions, but Dixon-Neely threatened to give him a poor participation grade.

“I didn’t want to particate if my opinions weren’t being heard,” he said.

Hunter Rogers said he felt like Dixon-Neely was “lying to my face” when she said that people have been arrested for speaking ill of the president.

“Either she was lying to me or she didn’t know any better,” he said. “But I know way better, I know that nobody can take away your freedom of speech unless you threaten the president.”

Tim Rogers said perhaps Dixon-Neely hasn’t done enough “studying on politics.”

“Unless you’re making a threat, you can say what you want to say,” he said. “That’s politics 101.”

The decision to pull Hunter out of North was made jointly between his mother and father. He did not return to school after the video was posted on YouTube.

“Just because of the explosion of this video we thought it’d be better just to let him finish his education at RCCC,” Tim Rogers said.

Elephant in the room

The leader of the Rowan-Salisbury Board of Education kicked off Monday’s monthly meeting by responding to the incident.

“I can not begin this meeting without acknowledging the elephant in the room … A teacher at North Rowan High School and the Youtube video that went viral,” Chairman Dr. Jim Emerson said. “Let me assure you that action has been taken at the school level and at the administrative level and the investigation continues.”

School board member Mike Caskey, a Republican candidate for county commissioner, apologized for the negative attention the incident has brought Rowan County.

“I viewed the video in question several times and was appalled and embarrassed by what I observed,” he said. “I think it is evident that several of the Rowan-Salisbury school policies may have been violated including, but not limited to, intimation, bullying, freedom of idea exchange, freedom of speech and profane language use.”

Caskey said the incident “borders on political indoctrination.”

“From my observation, I believe that the teacher in question has a personal affection for the president and could not separate her personal feelings from her professional teaching duties,” he said. “I’m also troubled by the statement the teacher made that one can be arrested for criticizing the president; to my knowledge this has never happened and is the very opposite of what our freedom of speech affords us as citizens.”

Speaking in general terms, the district’s attorney, Ken Soo, warned school board members against speaking out about incidents regarding employee conduct.

“If an employee has concerns about what administration has recommended or what administration has done, they may have an opportunity to appeal to you,” he said. “That’s the reason that it’s important for members not to take or to express a particular position about an employment matter before it comes to you in the hearing process or before it’s otherwise resolved.”

Soo said it’s an issue of due process and fairness.

“Anybody who comes to the board of education is entitled to meet with a fair panel, and if board members have said we have this view or that view out in public beforehand, that could result in litigation.”

The timeframe of an investigation into misconduct depends on the complexity of the matter, Soo said, again noting that he was speaking in general terms.

Administration mum

Caskey said he’ll wait to voice his opinion about what he believes should happen to the teacher until after the investigation is complete. He also called for the findings to be made public to the extent allowed by law.

“Although I believe the evidence that has been brought forth so far is overwhelmingly against the action of the teacher, I have learned during my time in law enforcement that there are always two sides to every story and we should never base our decision on one piece of evidence,” he said. “I believe we should do our due diligence, especially when someone’s job is hanging in the balance.”

Emerson assured community members that the situation will be handed appropriately.

“We will not turn a blind eye to questionable events or fail to deal with them,” Emerson said. “We ask that you do not let one incident overshadow the hundreds of good things occurring in our system every day by hundreds of dedicated staff members and students.”

Emerson pointed out that a number of students and staff were on hand during Monday’s meeting to be recognized for outstanding achievements.

“What does it say about our society when a less than 10-minute YouTube video gets more attention than our athletes and professionals who have spent not minutes, but months and years to reach their goals and help make this a better school system?” he said. “I wish I had a Youtube of the North track team winning their recent state track meet or Salisbury High’s golf team or the national recognition for our achievements in technology.”

School administration has remained mum about the situation, except for a statement released Friday.

However, Superintendent Dr. Judy Grissom has responded to some emails sent to her in response to the video. Several readers forwarded those emails to a Post reporter.

“We have an excellent school system, excellent schools, and teachers,” Grissom wrote. “We do not support or condone this type of behavior and actions have taken place.”

Contact reporter Sarah Campbell at 704-797-7683.

Twitter: twitter.com/posteducation
It says something when athletes and athletics are touted as examples of what a fine district it is.....isn't it the duty of the schools to provide an education in reading, writing, and arithmetic as well as inculcate in them a knowledge of he history of this country so that they can be informed voters?
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Duke parent 2004
Member Avatar

cks
May 22 2012, 07:00 AM
It says something when athletes and athletics are touted as examples of what a fine district it is.....isn't it the duty of the schools to provide an education in reading, writing, and arithmetic as well as inculcate in them a knowledge of he history of this country so that they can be informed voters?
Athletics might well be the last refuge of unfettered meritocracy.. It's much more difficult to feign excellence (or disguise failure) in sports than in social studies.. So especially where student-athletes shine, expect administrators, often better politicians than pedagogues, to trot out the "innocent by association" gambit when taxpayers ask whether their too-expensive schools amount to little more than incubators of mediocrity.

I elaborate on the special place of athletics in our democracy in "The Best of the Best" (in the pinned "Musings" thread).
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
cks
Member Avatar

DP - point well taken - the clock doesn't lie nor can one be given credit for a homerun when one strikes out!
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
MikeZPU

Quote:
 
“I videoed this because there are millions of kids going home every day telling their parents there is a teacher doing this, and a lot of parents think because teachers are role models they can’t be doing anything that bad,” Rogers said.


http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/05/22/student-defends-criticism-obama/

Exactly! What this teacher did goes on all across America, in grade schools,
high schools, and colleges.

And, if you don't go along with the teacher in a political discourse like this, they
belittle and berate you. I've heard a number of stories from friends and family members.

And they play things like Michael Moore's movies during class time.
It's all about indoctrination.

How much do you want to bet that Hunter Rogers get some death threats?
Edited by MikeZPU, May 22 2012, 09:24 AM.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Deleted User
Deleted User



“I videoed this because there are millions of kids going home every day telling their parents there is a teacher doing this, and a lot of parents think because teachers are role models they can’t be doing anything that bad,” Rogers said.

Rogers sounds like an intuitive kid despite probably being in a crappy school. He speaks a very sad truth here. In the video, the teacher sounds like she better qualified to be taking in laundry.
Quote Post Goto Top
 
I'mstillaRebel

Where have any blog hooligans seen this story in the news?

I'm surprised it made the N&O. Any other sort of major MSM picked up on it?

Fox, of course. But crickets elswhere as far as I've seen.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Baldo
Member Avatar

Student Who Recorded Teacher Yelling at Him for Criticizing President Obama Speaks Out

by Fox and Friends Posted in: 2012 Election, Barack Obama, Education, George W. Bush, Hunter Rogers, Mitt Romney, North Carolina, Teacher

A teacher is now suspended with pay after audio was found of her yelling at a student for criticizing President Obama. It all began in the classroom when the topic of the day was a discussion regarding GOP contender Mitt Romney being a bully in high school. When the student challenged the teacher, the audio reveals she began yelling at him...snipped

http://foxnewsinsider.com/2012/05/22/student-who-taped-teacher-yelling-at-him-for-criticizing-president-obama-speaks-out/

Video at site
http://video.foxnews.com/v/1649697646001/report-teacher-suspended-for-silencing-obama-critic


You have to love a kid who stands up for what he believes in. Yesterday Michael Savage said they were trying to find out who this kid was so they could offer him a college scholarship.

Hunter is a winner.
Edited by Baldo, May 22 2012, 11:34 AM.
Online Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Kerri P.
Member Avatar

The WRAL has it on there site.

http://www.wral.com/news/news_briefs/story/11126440/
Rowan teacher suspended after Obama argument
Posted: 8:42 p.m. yesterday
Updated: 11:09 a.m. today

pencer, N.C. — A North Carolina high school teacher was suspended with pay from her job Monday following the release of a YouTube video in which she is heard yelling at a student in class and telling him it's wrong to criticize President Barack Obama.

The 10-minute video captured the sound of the dispute, but mostly showed what appeared to be the classroom ceiling at North Rowan High School. It had close to 450,000 views on YouTube as of Monday evening and was the focus of national media attention, including talk show host Rush Limbaugh.

Rowan-Salisbury School System spokeswoman Rita Foil said the teacher involved had been suspended with pay.

“The Rowan-Salisbury School System expects all students and employees to be respectful in the school environment and for all teachers to maintain their professionalism in the classroom. This incident should serve as an education for all teachers to stop and reflect on their interaction with students," Foil said in a statement.

Tanya Dixon-Neely, a social studies class was discussing Obama and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney when the conversation turned to accusations that Romney bullied someone as a teenager. An argument followed, with some students questioning whether Obama also bullied someone in high school.

When the student tells the teacher that Obama admitted to bullying a girl in school, referencing an incident in the president's autobiography, the teacher shouted the student down.

snip....
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Rusty Dog
Member Avatar

I'mstillaRebel
May 22 2012, 11:18 AM
Where have any blog hooligans seen this story in the news?

I'm surprised it made the N&O. Any other sort of major MSM picked up on it?

Fox, of course. But crickets elswhere as far as I've seen.

The boy appeared on Fox &Friends this morning.


I think it is getting out there.  Lots of local outlets covering it.


http://www.wcnc.com/news/local/Rowan-Co-teacher-to-students-in-video-Dont-criticize-the-president-152326155.html


http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/05/21/3257395/video-nc-teacher-suggests-student.html


But here it is at USA Today and the Huffington Post.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2012/05/teacher-suspended-over-obama-argument/1#.T7vIv_F5mK0


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/21/north-rowan-high-school-disrespecting-obama_n_1533728.html 


And here is an AP story in the N&O

http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/05/21/2080867/nc-teacher-suspended-after-yelling.html
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
kbp

Surely there's a higher paying job somewhere Barry can give his warior

...maybe even while she's on paid suspension!

Sherwood's assistant possibly?
Online Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
cks
Member Avatar

My guess is that she will see her suspension lifted....once the school year is over and people have forgotten what occurred. She will probably be warned regarding expressing political views in the classroom - might even be observed (though will be told when that will happen) by a friendly administrator. What will certainly happen is that the school will look at its cell phone policy and implement strict rules regarding student use in the classroom (particularly to record classroom happenings) - in order to prevent the district from its current state of embarassment.

Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Kerri P.
Member Avatar

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/05/22/student-defends-criticism-obama/?test=latestnews
Student defends criticism of Obama after being berated by teacher

Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
chatham
Member Avatar

This can be the case reasonably used to get rid of the Department of Education. Bring the learning back home with qualified teachers. Use the billions saved right here at home.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
kbp

chatham
May 22 2012, 02:43 PM
This can be the case reasonably used to get rid of the Department of Education. Bring the learning back home with qualified teachers. Use the billions saved right here at home.
You’d probably have better luck with vigilantes just blasting a few department chiefs!
Online Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous)
« Previous Topic · LIESTOPPERS UNDERGROUND · Next Topic »
Add Reply