Teens seek debate vs. Limbaugh

Chicago Sun-Times ^ | May 13, 2005 | KATE N. GROSSMAN Education Reporter

[longtermmemmory]

I wonder if this mega school has schools within the schools.

Often the AP and/or magnet programs are literally overlayed seperate schools which have no real conection with the school at large.

Essentially they help the scores for the school by having "ringers" to compensate for the low scoring students.

[evanstonwildkits]

This is incredibly ridiculous, what all of you are saying. I am currently a freshman at Evanston Township, and besides the countless amount of U.S. history, and World War II history I have received throughout elementary and middle school, I am currently taking the requirement for freshman year at ETHS: world history. Guess what unit I am in? War. It is immature for you to accuse us of knowing nothing. Someone posted questions that we should have to answer to prove we know about World War II.

(previous post)
Some very simple questions to ask students about WW II.

Name the major powers involved and which side they were on. (Germany, Italy, Japan, USSR, USA, Great Britain, France)

In fact name the two sides. (Axis powers, Allied Forces)

Name the major powers leaders for most of the war. (Hitler, Mussolini, Tojo, Stalin, FDR, Churchill, De Gaulle for the Free French after France fell).

Now a slightly tougher question....which side did the following countries fight on or were neutral? Brazil (allies), Spain (neutral), Ireland (neutral), Switzerland (neutral), Canada (allies), Australia (allies), India (allies), China (allies)?

How many recent high school students could answer these simple questions?

This is what I am learning about RIGHT NOW in the very school you are criticizing, and if it validates my point any more, I have known the answer to most of those questions for the majority of my life. ETHS' history curriculum takes one year, sophomore to be exact, to teach its students about different cultures. Freshman year focuses on European History, but covers some U.S., and junior year is completely devoted to American History. Senior year gives other options. The sad fact about your arguments is that first you have a problem that we don't know enough about World War II (which we do), then you claim that we need to know more about our own country, and how it started, which is a completely different topic. I feel that the problem is really started because of the current war and tension with Iraq, in the Middle East, which is what this particular class is studying. We are not teaching our students to be terrorists; we are simply educating them about the world, then going back to our own country's history. This is exactly the problem with America; we believe we are the only ones in the world who matter. ETHS, by teaching its students about more foreign cultures, is a step ahead every other school out there. As for the comments some of you have made about Evanston, about how we are all rich brats, this is in fact not true. Sure, Evanston has its share of upper class spoiled children, but it has just as much middle-class, and just as much lower-class minority students than you might think. Maybe you all should do your research before you try to criticize a great school that is doing absolutely nothing wrong.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Thank you for your post.

I've been off line for a few days but I'm glad I checked to see your post.

I think you know posters are upset with how schools lean over backwards to portray the global community as victimized by the United States. There has been a revision of history to paint us in a bad light.

You can't tell me most of the teachers in your school lean left and their personal politics come through in their teaching.

I hope you are learning how to think. Education is more than what you assimilate in school. Read. Read. Read. And read other points of view. Deeply understanding history will broaden your understanding and open your mind to the goodness and greatness of the United States of America.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

.......You can't tell me most of the teachers in your school lean left and their personal politics come through in their teaching.

.........You can't tell me most of the teachers in your school don't lean left..........

[etown23]

ETHS is a school of about 3300 students, not 6000. I know that it is not one of the most important facts, but it concerns me where this info is coming from. Limbaugh pulled his info out of thin air, and it appears you did the same.

[norge]

When? You didn't take Spanish from Jess Wagus, did you...or Algebra from Jack Rossiter (my homeroom teacher).

[Steve Van Doorn]

If I were Rush, I wouldn't debate them I would just let them tell us what they know.

I get a kick out of listening them talk with a foot in their mouth.

[Steve Van Doorn]

Those wouldn’t be the questions Rush would ask. Couple of examples of questions would be:
What country or countries started WWII?
Why did Japan attack pearl harbor?

[RandallFlagg]

Welcome to FR.

[WestVirginiaRebel]

Rush would eat the punks for breakfast.

[Lazamataz]

I really wish he would debate them (unedited) on national television. I guess it's too much to ask for, though.

And your only other topic you posted on, you posted something vaguely denigrating about Rush

Quickly now, in your last deployment to Iraq, what were your dates, your unit, and your MOS?

[Lazamataz]

I believe we have a trolling imposter.

[jrawk]

I think it speaks volumes that the forum these children have chosen to establish credible knowledge of history is debate. I would think that a quiz, or bea or any number of quantitative competition formats would be much more valid. Clearly what these children have learned is history is fluid and the history and outcome of WWII is somehow debateable.

-- lates
-- jrawk

[Sloth]

Apparently, these kids are too dumb to even know the rules of debate.

[Jasper]

"Hell, I would bet nearly any Freeper knew more than they."

As would I.

Perhaps some of Evanston's finest would like to come over here and hone their swords of "debate" on the rock of the FreeRepublic.

/jasper

[mojowo11]

Hi, senior student from Evanston here.

You guys are getting caught up in the media aspect of this. You must realize that the majority of students at ETHS, while angered by Rush's comments, did not even approach the stupidity of our classmates. We read this article in our Logic class last week and everyone was enraged -- as stupid as Rush tried to make us look to the public, these idiotic students only made it worse. Of course the media isn't going to cover the majority opinion, which is: "What a dick. But then again, he has no idea what he's talking about, so why do we care what he thinks?"

Here's the reality of the situation, people. Rush bashed on Aaron Becker, a teacher at our school, because he teaches Middle-Eastern Studies. What Rush doesn't comment on is that Mr. Becker is a white middle-class male. What's even sillier is that the very teacher Rush has picked on is certified to teach United States AP history, a year-long, intense, difficult study on the history of our country. Believe me, I took it last year. I also took Russian Studies and Asian Studies as my "evil" Global Studies classes, and was taught both by white, middle-class educators. I don't know how Rush gets away with making comments like this up.

To sum up, there are two things you need to realize about this: a) Rush's accusations were unfair, as he has no real understanding of what occurs at our school. We have an exemplary history program, and US AP History is the single most popular AP class at our school. b) The majority of students are not idiots like these kids. The press covered their "demands" for a debate because it's outrageous. They don't cover 99% of us, who are angry but dismissive of Rush's short-sighted, naive comments about our school. What kind of news would that be?

[mojowo11]

In addition, it seems there's a lot of B.S. flying around this thread about our school. If you'd like real answers about anything regarding our school size, graduation requirements, classes/curriculum, etc., I'll happily answer them to the best of my ability.

Thanks.

[Steve Van Doorn]

Students in a Middle Eastern studies class at Evanston (Ill.) Township High School don headgear from the region to make presentations. Evanston has made a conscious effort to offer its students global education - a field where some say US students lag behind.

This is the article Rush talked about, I didn’t hear Rush say anything about this school.

I would like you to get a fair chance at defending your teacher.

Could you start a new thread in defense of your teacher?
Understand though there are a lot of people that come on here claiming to be someone they are not.

To be perfectly honest with you whatever you say will be difficult to accept after I read this statement at the Christian Science Monitor:
"It pushes them to think outside themselves," says Becker, whose classroom is decorated with Middle Eastern pillows, rugs, and art. Most students sit on the floor during class; girls will sometimes borrow a head scarf to wear for a few days.”

As you know it is one thing to borrow a headscarf and wear it for a while it is quite another to be forced to wear it. The girl in that pic could be beaten for showing to much skin. Those pants and shirt could find herself in prison depending on which country she supposed to be in.

[chapin2500]

"What Rush doesn't comment on is that Mr. Becker is a white middle-class male."


Rush didn't comment on his race because race is irrelevant. Why is race so important to you?

Welcome to FR.