Posted on 03/04/2003 11:27:05 AM PST by Dont Mention the War
Hank Ogilby has been teaching government at Freeport High School for about nine years, but he's never told his students what political party he belongs to or whom he votes for.
Sharing that information, he said, might create a bias in the way they think about him, either positively or negatively.
"I usually don't share my opinion unless I'm asked, and if a student asks, I still may not share my opinion," Ogilby said. "I think it can compromise the learning environment."
A few days after a flap over some educators in Maine schools allegedly making inappropriate, negative comments to members of military families, the head of the Maine Army National Guard says it has been blown out of proportion. And Maine teachers say educators typically take an even-handed approach to sensitive issues in the classroom.
"We try to put as many ideas and opinions out there on the table and leave it up to them to make up their minds," Ogilby said, referring to how teachers conduct discussions with students on such controversial issues as the possible U.S. invasion of Iraq.
However, accusations surfaced last week that some Maine educators were making insensitive comments to the children of guardsmen and their parents. The story was picked up by national and international media.
Now, National Guard Maj. Gen. Joseph Tinkham is saying that national media figures, including conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh and television commentator Bill O'Reilly, exaggerated the extent and nature of the problem.
National Guard spokesman Maj. Peter Rogers said Monday that one Washington paper reported that teachers were taunting and harassing kids. "We never said that," Rogers said.
He said the complaints were only about a tiny proportion of Maine's educators. "Everyone we know has been tremendous with the kids," he said. "They're professionals. Many of them are guards themselves."
The complaints were made through National Guard family assistance centers around the state. They ranged from a claim that an assistant teacher called the looming war "unethical and immoral" in a high school classroom debate, to a parent's report that a child had been mocked by other children on a school bus and school officials said there was nothing they could do.
There's uncertainty about how many complaints were made. Last week the office of Gov. John Baldacci - who said he was "disappointed and disturbed" by the reports - said the complaints numbered 12. However, Rogers on Monday said the total is 16.
At the same time, some educators are concerned that the National Guard is releasing very little information about the complaints. Rob Walker, president of the Maine Education Association, whose 25,000 members include teachers and other school staff, said that "at this point, there are accusations out there and there is nothing specific."
Walker said the complaints could be handled as private personnel matters at the local level. "How do you solve the problem unless you can get at the whole truth?" he asked.
But Rogers said Monday that the Guard doesn't want to reopen the issue. He said there have been no more complaints since Education Commissioner J. Duke Albanese - after being informed about the National Guard's concerns - issued a memo last week to schools around the state reminding educators to use a balanced teaching approach and to be sensitive to all students.
"In our eyes the problem is solved," Rogers said. "The children aren't being subjected to that anymore."
The National Guard has not said which schools were involved or who the participants were. And it described just a handful of the 16 complaints.
Albanese on Monday said he has received no details of the complaints. He said the families and the National Guard have agreed that each family will make its own decision on whether to share details with local school officials or the state Department of Education.
Rogers said the complaints were gathered by Maj. Andrew Gibson, a Guard chaplain, at meetings where relatives of deployed soldiers get information and support. Rogers said Gibson did not investigate the complaints but "feels very strongly that they are correct."
In addition to the complaints about the classroom debate and a child being mocked on the bus, the Guard has described these three other complaints:
A soldier at the Bangor meeting said that when he took his children from school early to say goodbye, he was told it would be an unexcused absence.
Another soldier reported that when he asked a school guidance counselor to watch for changes in his child's demeanor or behavior, the counselor said, "You're in the Army, aren't you? Your child should be able to deal with it."
Another parent said that when she told the school principal that her child had been teased by other children who said her father could be killed in the war, she was told there was nothing school officials could do because the other children were right and what the child's father was doing was wrong.
However, teachers interviewed Monday said they don't know of any educators who would behave as reported. Tom Major, a history teacher at South Portland High School, said, "Frankly, I can't imagine what was suggested happened."
In fact, he said that when his sophomore world history class talked about the National Guard controversy on Monday, one student asked why teachers are always asking students for their opinions but don't share their own.
Major said that airing his own views to students "is not on my agenda. It's not about me getting out my opinions, it's about me provoking their thought."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Staff Writer Tess Nacelewicz can be contacted at 791- 6367 or at:
Can you say "omerta"?
Respectfully,
f_t_d
OK kiddies! Here ya go. You make up your minds!
2 + 2 = 5
2 + 2 = 22
2 + 2 = k
2 + 2 = 4
2 + 2 = -4
2 + 2 = 0
The information is there as well as many other diverse views regarding two plus two. Happy learning!
Schools should be there to teach the facts not present all diverse views. That is up to the parents. No wonder our kids are learning less and less.
It is in his best interest to take the heat off of his boss, before he finds himself removed from command over a seemingly trifling matter after the uproar dies down."
Bing-Go on all counts!
Maj. General Joseph E. TINKHAM II is indeed the AG of the ME NG., and reports to Gov. John BALDACCI, "D".
This report originally came from LtCol. J. MOSHER and Chaplain Maj. A. GIBSON, who seemed to be rather, shall we say, "concerned" about this and were speculating that the 30 some cases they were looking into might represent a fraction of actual incidents due to limited access of all NG Families to the Family Support Centers and speculation that many cases had not been reported.
The story hit WABI Bangor on Friday; shortly thereafter a couple of Bloggers landed on it, and it hit the FR forthwith.
I rather think that any such cases reported to School Administration were unlikely to get beyond the Office door, and would be officially forgotten about rather quickly.
By about the following Monday, LTC MOSHER and Chaplain GIBSON were conspicuous by their absence; Gen. TINKHAM and Education Kommizar J. Duke ALBANES were doing all the talking, and they did not seem to think that this was any big deal.
Surprise.
Has anyone seen or heard from MOSHER or GIBSON since? Hmmmm....
The Kommizar sent a Memo to all of the Schools, urging "Sensitivity"; this bureaucratic oblation was for the purging of all Public School sins, apparently, and we were all supposed to just go away, forgive, and forget that it ever happened.
We didn't.
Then it really rattled their cage when Rush and O'REILLY landed on it... heeheehee.
I have heard of the MEA's reputation here mentioned; very few Labor Unions these days can, with one phone call, have cold sweat running and knees a-knocking together all the way from Augusta to Washington DC, but I have little doubt that the MEA weilds that kind of power.
Much to our delight, it seems that neither Bill O'Reilly nor President BUSH are terribly intimidated by them; Bill let them have it pretty well at least once, and we hear that our CIC has had a little "Heart-To-Heart" chat with the Uppity-Ups of the ME Education Dept, in which it seems the Federal "Soldiers and Sailor's Act" was mentioned, along with a few really good reasons why rabid Komrade "teachers" don't EVER want to pull this bilge again.
I somehow doubt that the issue of "Sensitivity" was discussed at any length, but of course I have no way of knowing for sure.
The harder they try to suck this under their rug, the more it slithers out to bite them "aft".
I don't think that they made the most intelligent decision in attempting a cover-up, but only time will tell.
In the mean time check the "Maine Legislator Irked" thread; this is not over by a long shot.
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