Classroom Brainwashing (Sowell)

Townhall.com ^ | 3/14/06 | Thomas Sowell

[beyond the sea]

"While the public occasionally hears about weird rantings by some teacher or professor, what seldom gets any media attention is the far more pervasive classroom brainwashing by people whose views may not be so extreme, but are no less irrelevant to what they are being paid to teach. Some say teachers should give "both sides" -- but they should give neither side if it is off the subject."

Right on ............. ping.

[Ninian Dryhope]

Sowell cuts through the nonsense and sets the record straight. Too bad Bush didn't do the same thing when he was asked the question about the teacher's free speech rights during his press conference.

[beyond the sea]

Yes, Sowell is great and concise.

"Inbred ideological narrowness shows up, not only in hiring and teaching, but also in restrictive campus speech codes for students, created by the very academics who complain loudly when their own "free speech" is challenged." ---

Check this out if you wish:

http://www.boundless.org/1999/features/a0000104.html

When Speech Codes Silence

[liliesgrandpa]

Well said, a video camera should be placed in his classroom, and all lessons taped and reviewed by parents at random.

[beyond the sea]

schools ................ ping

[beyond the sea]

Well said, a video camera should be placed in his classroom, and all lessons taped and reviewed by parents at random.

Yes, sir.

"Only among "educators" is there such confusion that merely exposing what they are doing behind the backs of parents and taxpayers is regarded as a violation of their rights."

This has to end.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Some say teachers should give "both sides" -- but they should give neither side if it is off the subject.

A good example of this I have come across lately is the book, "Where there is no doctor". It sounds like a health book for people who don't have quick access to medical attention and it sort of is. But the two main mantas in the book is the promotion of communism and abortion.

He couldn't shut up about it. It was in every chapter. It ruined what could have been a very useful book by making it mostly unreadable.

[beyond the sea]

I hear you.

The left sticks it's messages everywhere where they don't belong. Check out childrens' shows (cartoons and otherwise) on weekend mornings. Unreal socialist/enviroweenie/one-worlder propaganda.

[gakrak]

Ping.

[Born Conservative]

If you have asked to be added to this list, and haven’t been receiving the pings, please let me know. I’ve had a problem with my file synchronization between my home and work computer, and apparently have lost some names on the list. I think I have the problem fixed, and will gladly re-add your name.

[P.O.E.]

If it wasn't for weird rantings, FR would take up half the space. :)

[beyond the sea]

"The lopsided imbalance among college professors in their political parties is a symptom of the problem, rather than the fundamental problem itself."

"If physicists taught physics and economists taught economics, what they did on their own time politically would be no more relevant than whether they go swimming or sky diving on their days off."

Yes.

[beyond the sea]

If it wasn't for weird rantings, FR would take up half the space. :)

If it weren't for weird rantings .........

[DustyMoment]

Sowell is usually spot on, and this column is no different. Too many people got wrapped up in the whole political rant that Bennish made and lost track of the fact that his entire rant was inappropriate because he was supposed to be teaching geography. Geography is the study of where places are on the globe - NOT politics.

While I'm at it, I'll also toss this in - I predicted that nothing would happen to Bennish, the incompetent socialist - and I was proven right. He is bacxk in the same classroom spewing the same political garbage that landed him on the front page.

More "much ado about nothing" since nothing of any benefit came from it. This is more reason that our system of public education MUST be completely overhauled, starting with the elimination of the teacher's union.

[NonValueAdded]

Good for Governor Owens too!

[MortMan]

If it wasn't for weird rantings, FR would take up half the space. :)

If it weren't for weird rantings .........

Not to mention the grammar/spelling police! ;-P

Morning, y'all.

[7thson]

When I attend college, I found those instructors teaching hard courses - computer programming, geology, math, etc. - did not use their classroom as a political soapbox. They taught the subject matter and there was no veering off of it. However, in the soft courses - English, History, etc. - they veered all over the place, usually leading portside.

[beyond the sea]

Not to mention the grammar/spelling police! ;-P

LOL ...... it is an "education" thread after all.

;-)

[beyond the sea]

I don't know if you heard Rush last week. He explained this "new geography" they are "teaching" kids today that combines social gripes against countries and actual places ......... mostly the gripes though. It's disgusting.