Pasadena teacher who assigned politically charged letter writing to resign

Houston Chronicle ^ | August 23, 2003 | JANETTE RODRIGUES

[Gorzaloon]

What's does your state education law say about this?

It wouldn't matter, because the laws are interpreted by our judges. I am in Massachusets. We have a machine called the Massachusetts Education Association, so are infected by both that and the NEA.

If it's For The Children, it's above any Law.

What essentially happens is that activists move in from Cambridge or Brookline, etc. (Berkely East), run up the taxes, and then, as soon as their litters move through the school system, leave.

[bimbo]

This woman's mistake was the mention of the suicide. Had she not done this, no one would know about it. Those in the charter movement have children and parents write all the time.

I’m sure you are correct. Teachers all over the country (ab)use their students for political letter writing campaigns, turning them into non-voluntary political activists.

[ladylib]

Massachusetts -- that says it all.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Every school district has a story. It's epidemic.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

NEA challenged on political outlays - Teacher's union fields "army of campaign workers"

Schools at odds in racial division - Hearne ISD sues nearby Mumford for "white fight"

Teachers from Philippines arrive in Boston to teach math and science

Professors take on role as high priests of activism

"persistently dangerous" - School-safety rankings - or just black marks?***"It's the scarlet letter in education today," says Mr. Trump. "Administrators have said to me privately that they would rather be academically failing than be a dangerous school."***

[Cincinatus' Wife]

3 F's, they're out: Edison sees teacher shake-up

[SolidSupplySide]

Teachers all over the country (ab)use their students for political letter writing campaigns, turning them into non-voluntary political activists.

That may be true. But to my knowledge, only public schools in Texas are subject to Chapter 21 of the Texas Education Code. I know private schools are not, and charter schools may not be.

Private and charter schools may not have to follow the same laws as Ms. Williams. But it is clear to me that Ms. Williams failed to meet the standards of the profession as exists in similarly situated (public) school districts in the state of Texas. In fact, there is a case from a couple of years ago from this very district where a teacher was fired for embroiling her students in one of her personal disputes.

[SolidSupplySide]

But I do wish they'd print the text of just ONE of the offending letters. I'd just like to see one.

Excerpts from several of the letters:

"I'm very sorry that Mr. Grusendorf's son had a bad experience, but that's no reason to make everybody work harder, cut field trips, go to school more days, make our parents buy our textbooks and make the schoolchildren go to private schools and pay thousands of dollars a year."

"Just because you don't like schools because of what happened to your son it doesn't mean you have to punish us. Because it's not are fault. I don't mean to be rude but you don't have to get all offensive."

"Your legislation is stupid because you just blame one teacher you blame them all. You have a brain that does not think. So never blame something to a teacher Kent Grusendorf. So start making your brain think."

"Another thing is that I hate Grusendorf because he dislikes teachers ... I have a couple of question for you if you read my paper or letter it doesn't matter. My first question is why are you doing all of this is it for revenge or is it for torcher?"

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=10055787&BRD=1579&PAG=461&dept_id=181233&rfi=6

[hellinahandcart]

Holy crap...she really whipped those kids into a frenzy, didn't she?

[Cincinatus' Wife]

I thought you were making them up until I went to the LINK. Budding little acitivists, how charming. Time to boot union explotation of students and reclaim the education of America's children.