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School Bus Driver Fired for Stem Cell Talk
Associated Press ^ | 12/2/04

Posted on 12/02/2004 3:56:16 PM PST by reportgirl73

GRAND ISLAND, N.Y. (AP) - An elementary school bus driver was fired after sharing a statistic she had read about embryonic stem cell research with students, then encouraging them to tell their parents about it.

(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: busdriver; constitutionlist; education; firstamendment; freeper; freerepublic; freespeech; frinthenews; govwatch; pajamapeople; schoolbus; schools; shootthemessenger; stemcell; students; tolerence; zero; zerotolerence
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To: TOUGH STOUGH; Dianna
In response to another comment you made, general_re, the article doesn't say the children brought up the topic, but that they were RECEPTIVE to it.

That's precisely the problem. They are young children, who will be receptive to just about anything that is presented to them by just about anyone resembling an authority figure. Including the substitute bus driver, which is why it's not appropriate for such figures to usurp parental authority and decide for others how, when, where, and what their children will learn about stem cells. Especially on a topic as controversial as stem cells. It's not the damn bus driver's job to share every little thing that dribbles into her head with her charges - her job is to drive the bus.

If this was a leftist hippy bus driver encouraging her riders to go home and tell their parents how wonderful it was that women can choose to have abortions, or how unfair it is that pot's illegal, we'd be getting out the hounds and torches and getting ready to hang her. And rightly so. But instead, because she's got the "correct" opinion, half the posters on this thread are prepared to give her a pat on the back and buy her an ice cream to reward her.

Well, I don't think so. The difference between right and left is that we ourselves abide by the same rules we expect others to abide by. We do not set one standard for everyone else, and then give ourselves tacit permission to live by some other standard. You and I and the bus driver - we are not better parents to those children than their real parents are, and we are not justified in behaving as though we are. The ends cannot be used to justify the means, and if promoting the "right" set of values means that we have to spit on the integrity of someone else's family - well, that's not worth the price, not to me. Not if we have to become no different than the left we claim to oppose. Period.

341 posted on 12/03/2004 9:03:25 PM PST by general_re ("What's plausible to you is unimportant." - D'man)
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Comment #342 Removed by Moderator

To: Kitty Mittens
Mr. Mayor, because she stood for Truth and Righteousness, against an Avalanche of Indoctrination!

I will send your comment to the Muslim School Bus Drivers Association and tell them that you approve of bus drivers indoctrinating other people's children.

343 posted on 12/03/2004 9:17:02 PM PST by pete anderson
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To: pete anderson

She wasn't indoctrinating the children; she was attempting to undo the indoctrination they had already been subjected to.


344 posted on 12/03/2004 9:20:29 PM PST by Kitty Mittens
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To: O.C. - Old Cracker
As long as Mrs. Mayor voices ideas consistent with the Word of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, she should not be harassed in any way whatsoever.

But she will. She will be persecuted for her faith, along with many others. Sounds like Mrs. Mayor can take it. And I'm sure she appreciates your support.

...anyone promoting such demonic ideas to children would be removed from such a position of responsibility and encouraged to find another community to call home.

Good luck trying that.
You get your free speech and they get theirs.

But we're getting off my main point. Don't use my child to convey your opinions to me. No matter the good intentions. It irritates me (so I will immediately disregard your message) and gives them the opening to do the same.

345 posted on 12/03/2004 9:41:08 PM PST by ItsForTheChildren
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To: OwnershipSociety

Rats, you caught me. I'm actually a 70 year old 300 lbs chinese woman.

Mrs. Mayor has more cahones than you'll ever have, and none of the attitude.

To quote The Nuge:

ANYWAY

People quite often are unreasonable, illogical and self centered. Love them anyway!

If you do good, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Do good anyway!

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway!

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway!

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway!

The biggest people with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest people with the smallest minds. Think big anyway!

People favor underdogs, but follow only top dogs. Fight for some underdogs anyway!

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway!

People really need help, but may attack you if you help them. Help them anyway!

Give the world the best you have and you might get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you’ve got anyway!

Good luck and God bless you!


346 posted on 12/03/2004 9:46:49 PM PST by Manic_Episode (OUT OF ORDER)
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To: Kitty Mittens
And if Mom and Dad hoped to indoctrinate their kids that Stem-Cell research may one day cure their diabetes of MD would that be okay with you?

But, I would imagine the good bus driver was talking specifically about fetal stem cell research.

Now, when you explain Fetal Stem Cells you would have to mention things like sex and conception.

How, Lovely, A School Bus Driver Conducting A Sex Education Seminar on the way home from class.

Would it be okay if you left it up to my wife and I to teach our kids about sex?

347 posted on 12/03/2004 9:48:37 PM PST by pete anderson
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To: Amelia
I think you and a few other folks must not have read the article, as some very important facts are being ignored.
I quote:
"Julianne Thompson, 42, told students in November that actor Mel Gibson had said in an article that embryonic stem cell research had not produced a single human cure in 23 years.

Superintendant Thomas Ramming said employees are generally told that political and religious discussions should be confined to a classroom setting where different viewpoints can be presented.

But Thompson said there is nothing in her contract that prohibits her from expressing facts or opinions. She is considering legal action, saying officials have yet to explain why her comments were inappropriate."


Now, if you'll notice, the superindendant says only political and religious discussions need be confined to the classroom. Now, this is ostensibly so "different viewpoints" can be presented. The viewpoints are irrelevant if one is stating a fact. And why only political and religious discussions? Does that mean one is free to talk about sex, or crime, or what have you? Additionally, he says employees are "generally told". What does that mean? Did they ever say 'don't talk religion or politics, or you'll be fired'?
Irrespective of whether one would want the bus driver dispensing factiods to kids, what she did what certainly not grounds for being fired IMHO. From another article:
She said she only stated facts she considered age-appropriate and didn't share her opinions
348 posted on 12/03/2004 9:59:20 PM PST by visualops (It's easier to build a child than repair an adult.)
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To: pete anderson
Well, we're never going to come to an agreement on this subject, because I think we are coming at it from different World Views. We'll never change each other's minds, so let's just agree to disagree.
349 posted on 12/03/2004 10:09:06 PM PST by Kitty Mittens
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To: general_re
"The notion that elementary-age children approached her to ask about stem cells is, frankly, not especially plausible"(general_re)

"In response to another comment you made, general_re, the article doesn't say the children brought up the topic, but that they were RECEPTIVE to it."(Tough Stough)

I originally responded to you to correct your reply above.

As I said, I believe the topic is too complex for children of that age group. But until Liberals are also held accountable for the indoctrination of children in the classroom, I am not going to become upset by conservatives who choose to introduce topics from a conservative point of view.

"If this was a leftist hippy bus driver encouraging her riders to go home and tell their parents how wonderful it was that women can choose to have abortions, or how unfair it is that pot's illegal, we'd be getting out the hounds and torches and getting ready to hang her. And rightly so."

That's right because children are already too exposed to that kind of thinking not only from their Liberal teachers in the classroom but also in the popular culture. Until those teachers are told to shut up, these children NEED a balance.

"Well, I don't think so. The difference between right and left is that we ourselves abide by the same rules we expect others to abide by. We do not set one standard for everyone else, and then give ourselves tacit permission to live by some other standard."

We are not discussing, sleeping around, or homosexuality or pro-abortion all immoral, sinful behaviors which in varying degrees liberals promote at every opportunity even and sometimes especially in the classroom. Mrs. Mayor broached and promoted the moral and scientific side of a question which some parents may have objected to. Hardly sinful and hardly indoctrination since she asked them to discuss it with their parents. She violated to some, a standard and a standard by which Liberals are almost NEVER required to live by. Big Whoop. Now if she had lied about the issue, like the Liberals do about almost EVERY issue including stem cell research, than I would agree with your opinion as well as your self righteous tone.

Thus, until such time as the Liberals are required to shut up, Mrs. Mayor will receive no criticism from me.

I also responded to you because I agreed that it was not a topic that was appropriate to the age group she chose to discuss it with, which is an entirely different issue.

I do look forward to the day when teachers TEACH and NONE of these topics are discussed in the classroom except in classrooms where the subject matter is appropriate (history, political science, and philosophy classes for instance) and two or more sides of the argument are presented and throughly discussed in much the same manner as we do on this forum.

350 posted on 12/03/2004 10:19:42 PM PST by TOUGH STOUGH
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To: Kitty Mittens
So therefore you support Muslims school bus drivers converting kids to their religion and other bus drivers teaching kids about sex.

If one school bus driver can tell kids their beliefs then ALL Bus Drivers should able to spout their nonsense.

Or I guess we could establish another Federal Agency that would give approval of what can be spoken about on a school bus. Would that make you happy?

Another Federal Agency for the Nanny State?

351 posted on 12/03/2004 10:20:38 PM PST by pete anderson
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To: general_re

One more thing; it is ridiculous she was FIRED for this.


352 posted on 12/03/2004 10:23:58 PM PST by TOUGH STOUGH
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To: Dianna
"You are so filled with fury over the liberals spouting their nonsense that you've decided that it's fine and dandy if Conservatives do it too."

Liberals spout nonsense. We don't. That's the difference.

353 posted on 12/03/2004 10:31:31 PM PST by TOUGH STOUGH
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To: TOUGH STOUGH
Liberals spout nonsense

Who should decide what is nonsense and what is not?

The bottom line here is the Bus Driver provided a sex education lesson to Elementary School children without the consent of their parents.

354 posted on 12/03/2004 10:34:42 PM PST by pete anderson
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To: TOUGH STOUGH
Remember when your mom said "two wrongs don't make a right"? She was really on to something, you know....

Anyway, it doesn't count as martyrdom when you nail yourself to a cross. She danced her jig, and now she can pay the piper - and unlike some here, I will have the virtue of consistent principles when the next thread is posted about some leftist idiot injecting politics into elementary schools.

355 posted on 12/03/2004 10:35:15 PM PST by general_re ("What's plausible to you is unimportant." - D'man)
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To: general_re
will have the virtue of consistent principles when the next thread is posted about some leftist idiot injecting politics into elementary schools.

Good Point. The funny thing here is that if this school bus driver goes to court and wins a Gay Bus Driver can cite her case as precedence for and then explain his moral values to the kids on the bus.

356 posted on 12/03/2004 10:39:05 PM PST by pete anderson
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To: TOUGH STOUGH
I do look forward to the day when teachers TEACH and NONE of these topics are discussed in the classroom except in classrooms where the subject matter is appropriate (history, political science, and philosophy classes for instance) and two or more sides of the argument are presented and throughly discussed in much the same manner as we do on this forum.

This will never happen. Do you know why? Because you are terribly busy undermining your own stated goal.

357 posted on 12/03/2004 10:45:34 PM PST by Dianna
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To: general_re
The ends cannot be used to justify the means, and if promoting the "right" set of values means that we have to spit on the integrity of someone else's family - well, that's not worth the price, not to me.

Amen!

358 posted on 12/03/2004 10:49:04 PM PST by Dianna
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To: general_re
I believe the topic shouldn't have been introduced because of the very young age of the children.

Otherwise, she wasn't wrong. Sorry. The adage doesn't apply here.

359 posted on 12/03/2004 10:50:10 PM PST by TOUGH STOUGH
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To: Dianna
"I do look forward to the day when teachers TEACH and NONE of these topics are discussed in the classroom except in classrooms where the subject matter is appropriate (history, political science, and philosophy classes for instance) and two or more sides of the argument are presented and throughly discussed in much the same manner as we do on this forum."(Tough Stough)

"This will never happen. Do you know why? Because you are terribly busy undermining your own stated goal." (Dianna)

WOW, I'm a heap more powerful than I thought, Pilgrim. Thanks for the compliment.

360 posted on 12/03/2004 10:55:23 PM PST by TOUGH STOUGH
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