Paid Speech in our Classrooms

Townhall.com ^ | 3/9/2006 | Todd Manzi

[Born Conservative]

Jay Bennish is a teacher who collects paychecks for teaching Colorado high school students about geography. Here is a sample from one of Bennish’s classes:

“Do you see how this economic system [capitalism] is at odds with humanity? At odds with caring and compassion? It is at odds with human rights. Anytime you have a system that’s designed to procure profit, when profit is the bottom motive, money, that means money is going to become more important potentially than what? Safety, human lives, etcetera.”

According to Tustin Amole, Public Information Officer for the Cherry Creek School District, the above statement and the other Bennish statements captured on tape by one of his students are within the context of the geography class. The main issue the school district has with Bennish is that he didn’t provide balance by presenting an opposing point of view.

Apparently, it’s acceptable in the Cherry Creek School District for a geography teacher to use 20 minutes of class time for a left wing, fanatically whacko, socialist diatribe, providing he has made arrangements for Ann Coulter to tell the class what she thinks of communism. Isn’t public education great?

Here’s a better idea. Spend the forty minutes in geography class teaching kids about geography. Then set up an after-school debate to watch Coulter clean the teacher’s clock.

Bennish has hired David Lane as his attorney and takes the position that he should be able to say anything he wants in class. In an interview with the CBS affiliate in Denver, Lane said, “No action should be taken against someone who is exercising their rights under the First Amendment.”

According to Lane’s logic, when the receptionist of his law firm answers the phone, she should be able to express the opinion that all of the attorneys there are incompetent and then provide the caller with phone numbers of better counsel.

Sane people, on the other hand, would think that since Lane and his firm are paying the receptionist, she does not have free speech to answer the phones anyway she wants. Sane people realize the receptionist should be fired if she doesn’t answer the phones exactly as her boss directs. She is not free to speak, she is paid to speak.

The same is true for Bennish. He is paid by taxpayers to teach geography. He can do whatever he wants with his own time, but in the classroom, he should refrain from telling his students that Al-Qaeda didn’t think they were killing innocent people, but that they were attacking legitimate military targets. How on earth does he know what Al-Qaeda thinks? Even if the school district invites a terrorist to come into class and give balance--the correct interpretation of what they are thinking--the taxpayers might prefer class time be used to prepare students for geography tests.

Bennish’s First Amendment right prevents our government from prosecuting him when he compares Bush to Hitler. It does not protect him, or any other employee, from keeping their job when they say something their employer does not like.

Who determines what a teacher can and cannot say? Many teachers like Bennish think it should be the teacher. The school districts think it should be them. Lawyers and teachers unions think it is the teacher. How about the taxpayer? Isn’t there a reasonable expectation that the tax dollars funneled to government schools are not used for propaganda against the capitalist system that generated them?

The Constitution provides no authority for the Federal Government to subsidize education. I think the Department of Education is unconstitutional. How would the education establishment react if teachers started teaching their classes my opinion?

What Bennish said about capitalism and Al-Qaeda has been spiked by the national mainstream media. Sean Allen, the student who recorded Bennish, indicated he has received emails from others aware of teachers doing the same thing Bennish did. We will never hear about those teachers, because the mainstream media is not interested in this story.

On the Today Show, Bennish said, “My job as a teacher is to challenge students to think critically about issues that are affecting our world and our society.”

Many parents might think Bennish’s job is to teach their children geography.

After the Today Show appearance, the AP filed a dispatch that might as well have been a press release issued by Bennish and his attorney. Too bad the AP doesn’t think its job is to challenge taxpayers to think critically about the way their money is being spent by the public school system.

[Born Conservative]

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[freedomfiter2]

How on earth does he know what Al-Qaeda thinks?

That answer is rather obvious.

[wolfpat]

If I understand correctly, this wasn't even a geography class. It was a class to explore how the kids feel about geography.

[infidel29]

Bennish has hired David Lane as his attorney and takes the position that he should be able to say anything he wants in class. In an interview with the CBS affiliate in Denver, Lane said, “No action should be taken against someone who is exercising their rights under the First Amendment.”

Okay, who's going to be the first to use this defense for teaching Intelligent Design? Wouldn't hold water then would it?

[Jaysun]

Bennish has hired David Lane as his attorney and takes the position that he should be able to say anything he wants in class. In an interview with the CBS affiliate in Denver, Lane said, “No action should be taken against someone who is exercising their rights under the First Amendment.”

The Commie Swami forgot to mention the exceptions to this rule (anything to do with abstinence, God, morality, etc).

[NonValueAdded]

Nice bit about the lawyer's receptionist ... if that is used in court in the closing argument, Bennish is toast.

[grania]

The Commie Swami forgot to mention the exceptions to this rule (anything to do with abstinence, God, morality, etc).

(Personally, I really dislike the name-calling stuff. It often indicates that a person doesn't feel their argument can stand on its own merits.)

The things you mentioned should be discussed, in the context of a full spectrum of views, with the purpose of challenging students and getting them to think and discuss things. Those of you who are all over this guy for being provocative, contraversial, and probably amusing to listen to are taking another step down that slippery slope toward total control of speech.

[grania]

Okay, who's going to be the first to use this defense for teaching Intelligent Design? Wouldn't hold water then would it?

That's just the point. It probably would. "Intelligent Design" should be taught. It could be an exciting and interesting subject that covers the spectrum from Science Fiction to fundamental Christianity.

You guys are shooting yourselves in the foot. Defend this guy, and then say the arguments that liberals used to defend him apply to the intelligent design curriculum.

[wolfcreek]

Yes, Human Geography. WTH is that? Keep feelings out of the classroom!

[Jaysun]

(Personally, I really dislike the name-calling stuff. It often indicates that a person doesn't feel their argument can stand on its own merits.)

I think the name fits him nicely, and I even consider it mildly witty. I make no apologies for it.

The things you mentioned should be discussed, in the context of a full spectrum of views, with the purpose of challenging students and getting them to think and discuss things. Those of you who are all over this guy for being provocative, contraversial, and probably amusing to listen to are taking another step down that slippery slope toward total control of speech.

I was trying to point out the left's double standard, not advocate this or that.

[TalBlack]

"Those of you who are all over this guy for being provocative, contraversial, and probably amusing to listen to are taking another step down that slippery slope toward total control of speech."

I missed the 'amusing' part of his diatribe. I also missed the thought provoking parts as well

But you're right about the 'listen' part because you DO NOT tell this sort of ideologue anything--ever.

In fact HE himself was closer to Hitler-on-the-balcony in his speech to the class than the people he inveighed against aver were or will be.

[Jaysun]

You guys are shooting yourselves in the foot. Defend this guy, and then say the arguments that liberals used to defend him apply to the intelligent design curriculum.

That's a valid argument. But here's my point:

We wouldn't tolerate a teacher that spent half an hour giving a graphic and detailed lecture about his sexual fetishes. We wouldn't tolerate a teacher that referred to the students as "motherfu*kers" and used "goddamn" for emphasis. We wouldn't tolerate a teacher that praised the merits of nudism and invited them to all shed their clothes. We wouldn't tolerate these things because they're against our values. I would argue that advocating the exact opposite of what we stand for as a nation is also against our values and beliefs. It's not unreasonable to expect public teachers to uphold our values - we expect no less from everyone else.

[wintertime]

Bennish’s First Amendment right prevents our government from prosecuting him when he compares Bush to Hitler.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$44

What about FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION of the students???? This is a First Amendment right that is trashed by government schools every minute of every school day! Although Bennishs' course may be an elective, the students have no freedom to refuse to associate with all the students who march out of the school to defend Bennish. Students have no freedom to not associate with the idiots who are Bennish's bosses. There is not freedom not to associate with other teacher who are just as Marxist and Anti-American as Bennish.

These children are NOT in these government schools by free choice. They are compelled by government Law. That means if they don't show up, the government WILL and DOES use armed police, court, and foster care action against them and their parents.

Since government schools impose onerous taxes, and are a price-fixed monopoly, private schools are scarce and both parent work meaning privately or home educating a child is impossible.

Solution: Immediately begin the process of privatizing universal K-12 education .

By the way,,,,,,Infidel is completely correct. If you want Bennish's rants suppressed then you have a problem with those who don't want either evolution or intelligent design taught either.

Do you get it yet? Government schools are compulsory. Can not be all things to all people. Will establish the poltics, culture, and religion of some when actively undermining the most cherished beliefs of the less powerful

Government schools are the problem NOT especially Bennish, or evolution, or ID, or hundreds of others NON-neutral issues.

Government schools are an abomination. Abolish them. They are unconstitutional!

[Fintan]

Here’s a better idea. Spend the forty minutes in geography class teaching kids about geography. Then set up an after-school debate to watch Coulter clean the teacher’s clock.

 

I'd give a week's pay to be there for that.

[wolfpat]

You're right. Government schools are the problem. They are an abomination. They are unconstitutional.
BUT, we have a democRAT party that is in the pocket of the teacher's unions and will NEVER relenquish government control of the schools.
And we have a Republican party that has no spine and no idea how to wield power, and only wants to be friends with the democRATS.
How do you propose to change this situation?

[kitkat]

***According to Lane’s logic, when the receptionist of his law firm answers the phone, she should be able to express the opinion that all of the attorneys there are incompetent and then provide the caller with phone numbers of better counsel.***

My first laugh for the day.

[weegee]

How on earth does he know what Al-Qaeda thinks?

Maybe he gets their daily e-blast of talking points.

[Mercat]

I guess I'm afraid to find out how the liberal teachers now define geography. I know that it's more than just where to find Iran on the map. Geo-politics is, I believe, in the category of geography. Any geographers out there?

[weegee]

Another area of non-neutral education... sex. They teach abortion is a right of choice (not murder), homosexuality is genetic (not a choice), and that abstinence is unhealthy (that is the Sex Positive agenda talking).

You will even find schools conspiring to keep parents unaware of what their children are being told about sex and to shuttle their kids off to the abortionist.