Posted on 06/09/2010 8:18:01 AM PDT by denydenydeny
Elizabeth Collins has blogged for more than two years about her personal life and experiences as a teacher. One Saturday in February, she posted her thoughts about a student's presentation in her English class at the Academy of Notre Dame de Namur, an all-girls private school in Villanova. She criticized its tone and political outlook.
The student's parents took quick exception to that post, telling the school that even though the blog did not identify their daughter by name, it was aimed at her and was an "attack on a child."
The exchange triggered a chain of events that ended with the academy's dismissing Collins in late April.
Collins said she merely used the incident to make a point about teaching methods, but ended up being singled out for her political views.
"I did nothing wrong at any time," she wrote...
*snip*
The next day, Collins received an e-mail from the student's parents, James J. White IV and Megan White. Saying there "may be some mix-up with the tone of your blog and the actual class that you are teaching," they requested a conference and asked, "If this had been an overly liberal paper, would our daughter have been the subject of your blog?"
Their e-mail also questioned two previous, unrelated incidents in Collins' class. "Earlier in the year, we did let the comment go about marriage and the taking of your husband's last name," though it was an "unnecessary comment to make to the girls and had little or nothing to do with English," it said. "Later, we were all exposed to your very strong feelings about the health-care proposal. . . . Another platform that neither of us felt was necessary for the classroom."
(Excerpt) Read more at philly.com ...
“attack on a child.”
Would those quotation marks have been in the article had the political positions been reversed, with a conservative teacher and liberal student?
We all know the answer, the question was merely rhetorical.
“If the essay had been entitled “Bush Lies,”
Well the article did mention that the teacher provided a model paper indicating the tone she wanted used, oh and yes, her model was essentially Bush bashing:)
I don’t think they are idiots, but there is something I find unseemly about the need to constantly shout out “ME! ME! ME!”
A lot of my friends use this stuff, and they insinuate that I am some kind of luddite because I don’t feel the need to tell people everything from where I go on vacation to the color, timing and frequency of my bowel movements.
I know, not everyone uses it that way...:) I just don’t need to be connected like that. Now, if I lost FR...
AGGHHHHHHHHHH! MAN HANDS! MAN HANDS!
delicious tears...
Why can’t they just leave politics alone? I’m a private music instructor, and I simply do not discuss politics. I know, why would I? It’s music. But why would you in a writing class? Leave your politics at the door. It’s good business. Why pick fights?
Caveat: I have never found Gov. Palin’s Facebook postings to be boring.
Wow, I didn't know Helen Thomas taught your boy.
Ok so she points out and criticizes a student for their political view basically bullying them for it nd then has the gull to say she is the victim and fired for her view? What planet do thiese left wingers live on? Hypocrisy is thy name...
I dealt with a good number of professors from the local college when I was selling hardware, I wasn't impressed.
My favorite was a professor who came in on a Sunday. He needed a water heater element. We boiled it down to the type with a pipe thread, then I asked him "is it 110 volts or 220 volts". He said "yes".
Very egocentric. Who the h*ll cares if soembody went to the grocery store or they bought a new outfit.
In private schools in particular, free expression can also clash with a school’s desire to protect its image and to respond to the concerns of the parents who pay the tuition.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Gee! Imagine that!...A school that responds to the concerns of the parents! Isn’t the free market great?
Also her email is sheepandstars@yahoo.com
I tend to agree. I find the same thing in my church. Lots of well-meaning people who buy into the notion that liberals are the "nice people" and conservatives and Republicans are hateful, backward, racist, and generally intolerant warmongers.
Loved your post!
Gee! What uppity parents! The nerve! ( /s) :-)
Only a horrible disgusting human being uses impressionable children for political indoctrination.
I NEVER force my conservative views on my students. It stops at discussion of history and the constitution.
It *is* a huge issue. I’m proud of your son also.
My son thinks along the same lines. He’s also not shy about expressing his opinion (wonder who he gets that from?).
“On the one hand, it sounded like the student ignored the purpose of the assignment.”
This may be ture, so give the student the grade they deserve and don’t blog about it. The parent’s were complaining about the blogging, not the grade (from what I read).
Agreed. My daughter was ridiculed by her English teacher, and by his blessing, by others in the class for her beliefs on abortion. Additionally, his Obama-adoring diatribes occurred almost daily in his classroom whenever the subject allowed. Captive audiences (ie public school students) should never be forced to listen to a teacher in a position of authority over them spout their personal political leanings. Kids can’t walk out. It’s a crime that teachers get away with this.
Even when she was in kindergarten, the school allowed a Muslim parent come in and give a “What is Ramadan?” lesson to the children (without parental notification or consent, by the way) in which she told children that Ramadan was just like Christmas, in that it was about gifts and parties. And asked the five year olds “What’s the best part about Christmas?” “Presents.” Thank you, but don’t define my religious holidays for my five year olds.
I’ve probably got a file in the administrative offices with my name on it, I’ve threatened them with lawsuits so many times...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.