Teens seek debate vs. Limbaugh

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

[uncitizen]

Rush may be thinking about when we were in school. I don't recall learning anything at all about WWII back in the 70's. However, my own daughter spent around a month in history class this year learning about it. Granted she attends private school. They were also assigned to watch a WWII movie for homework. She loved Band of Brothers. Shocked the heck outta me. She really enjoys this topic.

I have a theory that at the time the Rush (and I) went to school, our country wasn't quite ready to talk about WWII. It was just too fresh. Just as now, some Vietnam era people still cannot talk openly about that episode in history. It's still too painful.

[tx_eggman]

I love it when freepers stutter

[Sgt_Schultze]

...or Michael Medved

[Non-Sequitur]

Skulls full of mush.

Indeed, if they think that they're going to open Rush's mind on this.

[mbraynard]

The class sounds like fluff to me. Perhaps if they had to submit a 50 page report with full MLA documentation formating exploring a question related to the history of a culture, then I would think the course worthwhile. Unfortunately I doubt the teacher is qualified to review such a paper nor would the text books they use be a worthwhile source - they are typically filled with similar fluff and geared towards memorization and summarization.

History classes should not have text books - instead the teachers should use selected readings from a wide variety of sources.

I wonder when these kids graduate, go to college, and get a degree and wind up working in a floral shop, will they blame out sourcing? Or will they recognize that poor math and science curricula sabatoged them and allowed foreigners to eat.. their... lunch.

Good article though - will definitly go into my "reasons to home school children."

[righttackle44]

I'd like to see this.

Rush would kick their fannies. Add Michael Medved to the debate and the kiddies would carry their heads home in their hands.

[fish hawk]

Too funny. If Rush takes on these Public School Educated kids, he would have to tie both halves of his brain behind his back just to be fair.

[Tungenchek]

He's really just another junkie entertainer to me...if you want to know my honest opinion. :o)

[RushCrush]

Ok

[KC_Conspirator]

You are ignorant. Totallly ignorant of what goes on in schools today and about what kids think they are learning.

I have family in the area of where this takes place and I am from Chicago.

Furthermore, 16, 17, and 18 years are not little children.

[SaveTheChief]

"I think [a debate] would be great because then we'd prove him wrong and open up his opinion a little bit,"

Translation -- "He's just a big meanie who needs to listen to us, high school kids, who know more than he does.

[clyde asbury]

..16, 17, and 18 years are not little children.

Those under eighteen are minors. As I said, they are children.

You are ignorant. Totally ignorant of what goes on in schools today and about what kids think they are learning. I have family in the area of where this takes place and I am from Chicago.

And? I have taught high school in the past two years as well as taken a Foundations of Education university course, complete with a liberal text. The textbook would have left me furious if I hadn't also found it hilarious. I would quote from it as comic relief but there are other posts on FR for that.

Students should be taught how to think rather than what to think. They can't "think they are learning" anything because many or most of them don't know how to truly think yet; it is a skill that can be learned only with years of effort. That is what schools used to teach as priority number one: the three Rs.

Many if not most public school systems and university teacher training programs disagree and prefer to teach PC BS. The situation at practically any public high school in the US would be the same.

This is a valid case of for the children. The students can hardly be blamed for defending their views if they haven't been taught how to think yet. They are reacting reflexively and emotionally against Rush's claim, and the quickest way to disabuse them of their liberal notions is to put them to the test.

The students themselves will be put to the test soon enough after they graduate. A debate with Rush would be not only entertaining, but it would also possibly teach many adults a thing or two.

[Political Junkie Too]

I'm not seeing the "up" side here for Rush.

I know what you mean. The problem for Limbaugh is his signature catch-phrases. He'll be called out as a fraud if he doesn't think his "talent on loan from God" is enough for him to win "with half his brain tied behind his back."

However, the school would have to have some allowances for his deafness, such as a monitor with a stenographer to translate what's said into text for him. I'd expect Limbaugh to bring his crew with him for that.

-PJ

[etown23]

Please do not judge my school without actually knowing it. There are some rich snobs at our school, but the schools you are describing are farther up on the North Shore. Evanston is ethnically and economically diverse. Everyone here seems to be attacking these foolhardy students because they challenged the "immortal" Rush Limbaugh. We did not asked to be singled out. Limbaugh has NO facts to back up his claims. I am taking Advanced Placement United States History this year, and I feel it was a rewarding class. I feel it is important to learn about our countries history, but at the same time ETHS believes that we need to be educated on the rest of the world. I hope that Limbaugh backs down from this challenge simply because our school doesn't need this controversy. Thank You

[longtermmemmory]

How about we set those kids up agains some homeschoolers?

[justkillingtime]

exactly...debate what?? facts are facts....

[HitmanLV]

This debate challenge is misplaced, as it is not about what a set of high schoolers know vs what Rush knows. A fair challenge would be for Rush to pick a school whose curriculum is more traditional (one he supports and advocates), and have them challenge students from this school.

That's a fairer challenge. In any event, each school would pick its AP History students and then it becomes a contest of who memorizes better.

So to even it up, and to make the challenge even more meaningful, each school selects random teams from their student body - say a lottery where 3 sophomores, 3 juniors, and 3 seniors are selected randomly. This way it doesn't become the smartest students at each school squaring off, but the typical students squaring off.

In any event, each team would have considerable lead-time for prep. So the school representatives should be picked the night before the challenge. No alternates, no holds barred, and may the best (average) student win.

As for the questions, Rush should write them since it is about what he thinks in important for students to know (and not what their history teachers think it is important to know).

Somebody get my guidelines to Rush - this is a fair challenge and one where no school would have a guarantee victory by stacking the deck in their favor. :-)

[Republican Wildcat]

"Maybe he might be a little intimidated because I don't know his basis for saying we don't know anything," Sarah said. "But I think he might be interested if he wants to live up to his reputation and back up his ideas so he doesn't look stupid."

Why don't you call in and talk to him, dear?

[cookcounty]

ETHS is a megaschool with 6,000 students. So they want to send up their best. Why not let a 3rd party choose 4 students at random, and send them up?

[MinuteGal]

My remarks concerned the trainors, not the trainess.

I went to Oak Park High, by the way.

Leni