Posted on 05/14/2004 9:31:26 PM PDT by wagglebee
SAN DIEGO -- Two teachers are suspected of showing students video of American Nick Berg being decapitated, 10News reported.
A social studies teacher from Grossmont High School in El Cajon allegedly showed students Wednesday a portion of the video, pictures and audio of the beheading, Grossmont Unified School District Superintendent Terry Ryan told 10News.
Ryan said the teacher, Michael Smith, (pictured, far right), has been removed from the classroom pending a full investigation.
Smith, an El Cajon native, graduated from Grossmont High School in 1983.
Many of his students wore shirts Friday that read "Free Mr. Smith." Others, who also support Smith, said he is a very popular teacher, but they question his judgement.
An art teacher from El Capitan High School in Lakeside Thursday allegedly noticed a student watching the video and invited other students to come to the computer terminal and watch.
Ryan said the art teacher, Gina Grossini, (pictured, above, right), told the students, "That's what we get for being in a war we shouldn't be in."
Kenneth Blackington, a senior at El Capitan High School, said, "A couple of kids almost fainted during it, and another kid had to go to the bathroom and almost puked."
Grossini was also removed from the classroom.
An investigation has been launched and district officials met with the teachers Friday along with attorneys.
Counseling services have been made available for students.
"We have set aside counseling and we are making a provision at the school that any student who saw the video can have counseling. That is our first and foremost concern," Ryan told 10News.
Parents and school administrators have expressed deep concern, according to 10News.
The San Diego City School District sent a letter to all principals Friday morning advising them not to allow their students to see the video.
It read:
"We believe that the content of the video is not age-appropriate for students in grades K-12. We suggest other means for students in the upper grades to discuss this world event in age-appropriate formats."
The letter also told principals to make sure their school counselors can provide support for students who have seen the video, or who are disturbed by reports of the incident."
The video, posted earlier this week on an Islamic militant Web site, showed five men wearing headscarves and black ski masks, standing over Berg, a U.S. contractor whose body was found on a highway overpass in Baghdad on Saturday.
"My name is Nick Berg, my father's name is Michael, my mother's name is Susan," the man said on the video. "I have a brother and sister, David and Sarah. I live in ... Philadelphia."
After reading a statement, the men were seen pulling the man to his side and putting a large knife to his neck. A scream sounded as the men cut his head off, shouting "Allahu Akbar!" - "God is great." They then held the head out before the camera.
I requested the numbers for our local school system employment a few months ago - number of teachers, total number of employees.
I was a bit shocked to see how many administration, janitorial and maintenance people there were - and a lot of the work is contracted out so does not show up.
I read where 75 million people are involved some way in public education today -- school counsellors, pyschologists, social workers, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, janitorial staff, teachers, assistant principals, principals, test preparers, text book publishers, school police, etc., etc.
The San Diego City School District sent a letter to all principals Friday morning advising them not to allow their students to see the video.
It read:
"We believe that the content of the video is not age-appropriate for students in grades K-12. We suggest other means for students in the upper grades to discuss this world event in age-appropriate formats."
Since we all know that as soon as the kids find out that the "grownups" do not want them to see it, it then becomes most interesting to find.
About your wanting to know why an art student would be surfing the Internet in Art class. I have many students come to my lab from the Art\Animation class we have at the high school.
Mostly to look up pictures of a cartoon character or sports emblem that they want to draw and replicate for projects. A student last year produced an excellent 3 ft. x 2 ft. painting of a small picture of Minnie Mouse that she had printed off from my room.
Then we should have the cleanest, best maintained schools and the best educated kids in the world.
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