Sisters High School biology teacher fired [Nazi/Planned Parenthood Powerpoint Made Public]

http://www.bendweekly.com/ ^ | Mar 23,2007 | Alisha Wilson

[Diago]

Sisters High School biology teacher fired amid controversial curriculum

Mar 23,2007 00:00 by Alisha Wilson

Board member releases teacher’s powerpoint presentation; says it was a “calculated decision on his part to bend young minds”

Kris Helphinstine, a part-time biology teacher at Sisters High School was fired by the school board Monday night for deviating from the curriculum on the theory of evolution after only eight days on the job, four of which were spent teaching his own theories of evolution through a PowerPoint presentation that referenced Nazi Germany and Planned Parenthood.

When asked why Helphinstine was dismissed, school board chairman Mike Gould said, “He lacked judgment in departing from the district science curriculum in a very controversial subject area and this departure occurred without any consultation or without an appropriate supervisor. This is a sensitive area. When teachers teach in certain areas, they have to teach it straight down the line.”

 

Helphinstine’s curriculum included two controversial powerpoint presentations. View the presentations "Eugenics" and "Human" - links are provided below.

Helphinstine’s PowerPoint presentation displayed the following quote from a leading British evolutionist who is commonly referenced by Creationists. “The theory of evolution (is) a theory universally accepted not because it can be proved by logically coherent evidence to be true but because the only alternative, special creation, is clearly incredible.” (D.M.S. Watson, “Adaptation,” Nature, Vol. 123 [sic Vol. 124] (1929), p. 233).

“He taught that evolution doesn’t exist,” said seven-year board member Glen Lasken. “Of course we want our students to think, but this went beyond that. He spent four days dismantling the theory of evolution for these kids. He was terminated for a gross error in judgment, without checking with the superintendent or principal. This was an extreme error in judgment.”

In a phone interview, 27-year old Helphinstine said that his whole purpose was to promote critical thinking. “Eugenics, the self directed evolution of mankind is an interesting subject. Every teacher brings in supplemental material. What is standard curriculum?” asked Helphinstine who has a master’s degree in science from Oregon State University.

The PowerPoint presentation included photos of dead bodies taken during the Holocaust and referenced a 1941 article printed in The Journal of American Psychiatric Association calling for the killing of mentally retarded children, referred to as “natures mistakes”.

“He was trying to make the point that not only is evolution wrong; he suggested that evolution is used for bad purposes. Evolution was used as an experimental basis in Nazi Germany. He said the founding fathers of Planned Parenthood are Nazis. His PowerPoint presentation of the Holocaust is pretty revolting stuff. What is most discouraging is that he says he was trying to encourage critical thinking. This was a calculated decision on his part to bend young minds,” says Lasken.

Board members met with Helphinstine in private for approximately 90 minutes before a public meeting on the matter, though the teacher did not stay for the public forum.

“Mr. Helphinstine was dismissed for failing to teach science in a freshman biology class. He didn’t expressly teach Creationism but provided significant messages from advocacy groups in his presentation. The materials he submitted were not age appropriate,” said board member Jeff Smith.

>View Helpinstine's powerpoint presentation named 'Eugenics'

>View the presentation named 'Human'

(Both links will open in a new browser window.)

[bvw]

It belongs in a civics class, civics and/or modern history -- but is belongs in some class!

[bvw]

There's a principle that the Principal is your "pal". In your situation, obviously, the Principal was not, and so your spelling is correct.

[Elyse]

Well I put the word twice in that post and the first time I spelled it correctly. Please, oh mighty spelling moderator, may I at least get half a credit for that?

[bvw]

In this case your "Principal" does not deserve to have her title spelled correctly. I give you a gold star!

[Cold Heart]

I heard Lars Larson interview the teacher. Lars and a lot of listeners got annoyed with the guy when he couldn't give a straight answer. The guy was disorganized & lost a lot of credibility.

[righthand man]

bump

[Osage Orange]

I'm thinking you really didn't read the article????

[rogue yam]

His PowerPoint presentation of the Holocaust is pretty revolting stuff...” says (school board member) Lasken.

Regardless of whether the firing was justified Laskin is playing dirty here.

[Oztrich Boy]

And it took eight hours for somebody to notice that. I knew being the only one reading it would have beeb a waste of time.

[BykrBayb]

You have such an appropriate tagline.

[Saundra Duffy]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1806509/posts

[T'wit]

That's because I wrote it for this discussion :-) See, it changed from 53 / 54.

[wagglebee]

Moral Absolutes Ping!

Freepmail wagglebee or little jeremiah to subscribe or unsubscribe from the moral absolutes ping list.

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The left will do anything to protect their evil agenda!

[txroadkill]

...as they are objecting to religious dogma, myth and crank wackiness, being presented as scientific theories...

One thing you can always count on is a leftist defending his cause by insulting the belief of his opposition.

Defend Darwinism, if you can, with proof, not insults. To me, and others like me, it takes a nut to believe that all of this happened by chance and we reach that conclusion by applying scientific facts into what you would call a belief.

...than it is for them to do some actual research and tests and produce some papers or fossil predictions, DNA marker predictions, ANYTHING, that points to Intelligent Design being a workable theory.

You assume that those of us who believe in God do so blindly and ignore science so that our beliefs wont be challenged. You assume wrong.

Darwinism is a theory at best with no scientific proof that I have ever seen other than pointing at the slow water buffalo that gets caught by a lion and calling it proof (I see it as part of God's perfect design in that the lion needed to eat, so he made slow water baffalos). You brought up the Earth's location in the universe, it is scientific fact that if this planet and all the other planets were not in the exact location that they are in then life would not be possible on Earth, the odds of that happening by chance are too incredible to even comprehend and then rationally say it is fact.

You demand proof of God, then look around, proof of God is everywhere. Show me proof that God does not exist, other than theory.

[rzeznikj at stout]

Interestingly, that phrase can be found on every one of the 26 campuses in the University of Wisconsin System...

Suffice it to say, none of them live up to it.

[Oztrich Boy]

One thing you can always count on is a leftist defending his cause by insulting the belief of his opposition.

Just as you can count on "moral conservatives" to defend their cause by making ad hominem attacks on anyone not in total agreement with them.

Check out the current mega-thread on daddy-daughter purity balls. Anyone admitting to feeling uncomfortable with the idea of men publically proclaiming the virginity of their preteen daughter on a dancedate is accused of supporting debauchery.

[txroadkill]

Just as you can count on "moral conservatives" to defend their cause by making ad hominem attacks on anyone not in total agreement with them.

I wont argue with that... the best definition of "sin" I have ever heard is "anything that you do that I don't".

[beaversmom]

I'm pretty darned conservative, and I thought the idea was a odd/creepy. You don't need a ceremony for it.

[donmeaker]

Eugenics is flawed, with the odd combination of Special Creation and Special Delivery that is creationism or with Evolution.

Eugenics presumes that a central authority (like the Nazi State) can do three things.
1. Predict what the future will demand
2. Predict what traits will be most successful in the future.
3. Remove traits that will be bad in the future, and retain traits that will lead to success in the future.

Since central authority can not create a successful state in the future, they should not be trusted to create a successful state in the future. For example, Nazi Germany did not accurately predict their failure in WWII.

Because they could not predict the future, they could not predict the skills or traits needed. For example, no effort was devoted to selection for better keyboard or mouse skills.

Since bad traits are often conflated with good trates, the ability to remove bad and keep good doesn't happen. For example, Patton's spacial ability enabled him to conceive and execute slashing armored attack. This spacial ability was closely linked with his well documented difficulty in reading. His profanity was linked with his ability to motivate. His concepts of manliness and honor were closely linked with his impulsiveness leading to the famous slapping incident.

All this is true, whether we have humans trying to act to supplant nature, or whether we have humans trying to supplant G-d. The cruelty and failures of Eugenics are not an argument against Evolution, or against Creationism. They are arguments against being a monster.

[Osage Orange]

ROFLOL!!