Need help with letter to a big-mouthed teacher. (Vanity)

[OldBlondBabe]

Please help. I need to write a letter to my child's Global Studies teacher who last week told the class that Abu-Ghraib (scandals) "was all Runsfeld's fault". I asked my child if she (the teacher) had offered any documentation or fact to support this and she said "I don't think so". One of the other students opined that he should be "impeached" to which the teacher replied that only presidents could be impeached. The student then said we "should impeach Bush", to which the teacher responded with a laugh. I might also add, that this teacher also told the students a few months ago that "picnic" was derived from "pick a n*gger".

I have a million remarks running through my mind; but I want my letter to sound informed, firm and to the point...something I admire of many of those who post and remark on FR.

Thanking you all ("Y'allbonics") in advance...OBB

[Bikers4Bush]

Don't bother dealing with the teacher. Call the superintendants office and schedule a meeting to voice your concerns.

You won't get any action unless you go over the teachers head.

[Izzy Dunne]

Get your kid out.
ASAP.

[Blzbba]

"this teacher also told the students a few months ago that "picnic" was derived from "pick a n*gger". "


Forget the Bush bashing. Just mention this little gem to the principal and how hurt your child's "feelings" are and how this has really given your child "self-esteem" issues and 'Voila'! Teacher will be fired ASAP.

[Maceman]

Main Entry: pic·nic
Pronunciation: 'pik-(")nik
Function: noun
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: G or French; German Picknick, from French pique-nique
1 : an excursion or outing with food usually provided by members of the group and eaten in the open; also : the food provided for a picnic
2 a : a pleasant or amusingly carefree experience (I don't expect being married to be a picnic -- Josephine Pinckney) b : an easy task or feat
3 : a shoulder of pork with much of the butt removed


I'll leave it to you write your own letter, but with respect to the word "picnic" as you can see from the derivation here (Merriam-Webster), the word has nothing to do with "pick a n*gger." If I were writing the letter, I would suggest that she is being niggardly with the truth, and that you don't appreciate her indoctrinating your kid with blatant falsehoods merely because she wants to perpetuate the cycle of racism for another generation.

[newgeezer]

my child's Global Studies teacher

Probably an example of the old adage, "you get what you pay for."

[End Times Sentinel]

The I agree with Bikers4Bush and IzzyDunne. 

A letter isn't going to do anything.  If the meeting doesn't produce change, then yank your daughter out of that school.

Owl_Eagle
" WAR IS PEACE
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
DIVERSITY IS STRENGTH"

[anonymous_user]

I'm still laughing too hard over "picnic" to help you. Bump for later. :)

[Stagerite]

Better yet, establish facts in writing.

After that, you will be in position to get something done.

[Gefreiter]

If the teaching point was that leaders need to be accountable for the actions of their underlings, this teacher has a point.

But "It's all Rumsfeld's fault" is not the way to get to that teaching point; it's intellectually lazy and not the result of careful thought.

I don't have children, so I don't know how I would react to this situation. I guess a fantasy would be to call the teacher on it. Make her look like an utter incompetent ass.

[The Great RJ]

Ditto on contacting the Superintendent. I would also complain to the School Board. First calls "impeaching" Rumsfeld shows total ignorance of US government. Rumsfeld is a Cabinet officer who serves at the pleasure of the President after confirmation by the Senate--he thus can't be impeached. The teacher better further read the US Constitution about the historic context of what constitutes the "high crimes and misdemeanors" needed to seek impeachment of the President. If Bush had not acted to fix the problems at the Iraqi prison or worse yet had covered things up that might meet the test. Clinton was impeached because of his perjury before a grand jury--a crime.

[Phantom Lord]

Well, the teacher is clearly wrong on many things. The President is not the only person eligible for impeachment. And that Picnic crap was laid to rest a few years ago when some illinformed, touchy feely college students protested the word.

[isatoi]

Actually, you will have to follow the chain of command (as I have had to find out the hard way) But what I would do is schedule a meeting with the Principle and Vice Principle therefore killing 2 birds with one stone. Have your child and any others that parents will allow, to write down any specifics that they remember about both days. Take this to your meetings and if you do not get the response that you are expecting, THEN take it to the superintendent. I would also write a letter to the editor of your local paper stating what comments are being made in your public school, DO NOT give names, but bring light to the subject.

Good Luck

[jtminton]

ABEKA

[WinOne4TheGipper]

The teacher is indeed stupid because, IIRC, all Cabinet members and definitely SC Justices can be impeached.

[Phantom Lord]

What grade is this?

[goodnesswins]

Write a letter to the Superintendent AND the School BOARD....every member. Threaten to call in the PRESS (local newspaper) .....

Explain that you THOUGHT your child was in school to learn things like reading, writing, math and HISTORY, not for political indoctrination from ignoramuses like this teacher.

[syriacus]

The global studies teacher needs to learn more about her own country.

Not only presidents are impeached. Other officials can be impeached, too.

Impeachments of Federal Officials

William Blount, senator from Tennessee; charges dismissed for want of jurisdiction, Jan. 14, 1799.

John Pickering, judge of the U.S. District Court for New Hampshire; removed from office March 12, 1804.

Samuel Chase, associate justice of the Supreme Court; acquitted March 1, 1805.

James H. Peck, judge of the U.S. District Court for Missouri; acquitted Jan. 31, 1831.

West H. Humphreys, judge of the U.S. District Court for the middle, eastern, and western districts of Tennessee; removed from office June 26, 1862.

Andrew Johnson, president of the United States; acquitted May 26, 1868.

William W. Belknap, secretary of war; acquitted Aug. 1, 1876.

Charles Swayne, judge of the U.S. District Court for the northern district of Florida; acquitted Feb. 27, 1905.

Robert W. Archbald, associate judge, U.S. Commerce Court; removed Jan. 13, 1913.

George W. English, judge of the U.S. District Court for eastern district of Illinois; resigned Nov. 4, 1926; proceedings dismissed.

Harold Louderback, judge of the U.S. District Court for the northern district of California; acquitted May 24, 1933.

Halsted L. Ritter, judge of the U.S. District Court for the southern district of Florida; removed from office April 17, 1936.

Harry E. Claiborne, judge of the U.S. District Court for the district of Nevada; removed from office Oct. 9, 1986.

Alcee L. Hastings, judge of the U.S. District Court for the southern district of Florida; removed from office Oct. 20, 1988.

Walter L. Nixon, judge of the U.S. District Court for Mississippi; removed from office Nov. 3, 1989.

William J. Clinton, president of the United States; acquitted Feb. 12, 1999.

U.S. Government

[Unknown Freeper]

The picnic reference is an urban legend.

From Snopes at : http://www.snopes.com

-snip-

Origins: Specious etymologies seem to be all the rage of late, and this wild claim about 'picnic' fits that trend. You'll be heartened to know 'picnic' has nothing to do with lynching Blacks (or anyone else, for that matter). The e-mailed "little known fact" quoted above is a hoax. And a mean-spirited one at that, one that makes all who repeat it look incredibly foolish.

-snip-

'Picnic' began life as a 17th-century French word — it wasn't even close to being an American invention. A 1692 edition of Origines de la Langue Françoise de Ménage mentions 'piquenique' as being of recent origin marks the first appearance of the word in print. As for how the French came by this new term, it was likely invented by joining the common form of the verb 'piquer' (meaning "to pick" or "peck") and a nonsense rhyming syllable coined to fit the first half of this new palate-pleaser.

-snip-