Mar. 10, 2006 - 18:04 MST

ACADEME'S ILL WIND

Two articles in today's paper give an idea of what's afoot and fumblefooting.

Recently here in our area a student taped a portion of a teacher's high school lecture, let his father listen, the school contacted and the tape turned over to a local Conservative radio personality and his comments aired.

Thing was that the lecture included criticism of Mr. Bush and the administration and bringing in references to things Hitler did. Uproar was that the teacher supposedly wasn't giving balanced teaching.

All sorts of fireworks ensued. Quote: "Angry members of the State board of Education abruptly ended their meeting Thursday in a dispute over whether to condemn Overland High Schoiol social studies teacher Jay Bennish." This from excerpt from an article in this morning's Rocky Mountain News by Berny Morson of that paper. Further on, quote, "A frustrated Pamela Jo Suckla, the board chairwoman, finally exercised her prerogative to put the meeting into "recess," which it technically different from adjournment. She declared recess until April 6, the date of the next board meeting."

Information contained in another article in the same paper. The Cherry Creek school district administrators and attorneys will meet today along with the teacher to learn whether any action will be taken against the teacher.

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Following that background I came to this article, by April M. Washington also of the Rocky Mountain News. In part -- bolds and italics if any mine.:

FLAP SPAWNS BILL TO MAKE IT EASIER TO FIRE TEACHERS

"The firestorm over an Overland High School teacher's controversial political lecture has spawned a bill that would let districts fire teachers who fail to present both sides of an issue."

"Senate Bill 176 targets the actions of Jay Bennish who has been on paid leave from Cherry Creek Schools since he questioned United States foreign policy and President Bush, comparing Bush's statements to speeches made by Adolph Hitler."

"This bill will make it clear in state statute and school district policies that it's important for a teacher to present a balanced view on controversial topics," said Sen. Nancy Spence, R-Centennial, bill sponsor."

"Spence teamed with Sen. Doug Lamborn, R-Colorado Springs, to amend and existing bill so that it allows at-will dismissal of teachers who consistently violate such a policy."

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And the snowball rolls down hill. Quoting from another article by Deborah Frazier in todays Rocky Mountain News is more of the same type of thing. A town of Bennett, Colorado had people at odds with a music teacher Tresa Waggoner because she didn't play traditional Christmas music at the school program. She showed a video clip of the opera Faust. Quote, "The video clip, narrated by opera star Joan Sutherland, featured sock puppets singing in Frnech from the 16th century morality tale."

Quote, "During the Feb. 16 board meeting, more than 53 people appeared to support her returning to the classoroom and 6 opposed it, Waggoner said. "Dr. Sauter (superintendent) told me it would be too disruptive to let me teach again," she said."

Another quote, "Waggoner said she taught the elementary school students a variety of songs for the winter concert, but didn't include the traditional christian songs." "Cory BAbi, the wife of school board member Mike Babi, called four days beforfe the program and said there would be problems if there were no Christmas songs," said Waggoner." "I told her we couldn't sing them because public schools didn't want to offend people of other religions, including Jewish people, MOrmons and Jehovah's Witnesses," she said." Unquote - - - - I wonder if those people who objected to the video clip were fluent in French ? ? ? ?

The last article about the miasma in public schools nowadays is by Karen Abbott of the Rocky Mountain News also, shown in today's paper. In part, bolds and italics mine.:

SCHOOL SUIT DISMISSED

Public-interest firm alleged that funding system is flawed

"A Denver judge has thrown out a lawsuit filed against the state of Colorado last summer by a public-interest law firm, which contended that public schools are so poorly and unequally funded that the state's school financing system is unconstitutional."

"Denver District Judge Michael Martinez dismissed the lawsuit in an order dated March 2."

"He said Amendment 23 to the Colorado Constitution, approved by voters in 2000, sets the minimum level of state funding for public education. He also said that, subject to constitutional requirements, the financing of public education ultimately is the responsibility of state legislators and local school boards, not the courts."

"We will appeal," Kathy Gebhardt, one of the lawyers who filed the lawsuit, said Thursday. She said the lawyers hope the case can go directly to the Colorado Supreme Court. "It's a constitutional issue of great importance to the state," Gebhardt said."

"She said the lawyers were disappointed by Martinez's ruling and did not agrtee that Amendment 23 is the only constitutional requirement that applies to how well Colorado must fund its public schools." "She said they continue to believe that the question of unequal funding in WEALTHY and POOR school districts is a constitutional issue."

"The lawsuit was filed last June by Chidren's Voices, a public-interest law firm, with the backing of the Colorado Association of School Boards, the Colorado Association of School Executives and the Colorado Education Association, a teachers union, among others."

"The lawsuit asked that a judge order the state to study how much it costs to educate a child adequately. The lawyers who filed the lawsuit said during a press conference at the time that Colorado should be spending up to $1 billion more per year on its 181 public school districts."

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Only a portion of the teachers lecture was on tape. Seems that his record of teaching has not been investigated and possibly could show that on following days the other side of the question would be presented.

Nowadays appearances seem to indicate the Bush line must be followed, and the jury is still out on the freedom of musical performances in school but seems to be tending toward strict Christmas Carols always (which I love immensely, but) and above all do not try to get funding for the poorer school districts and schools.

In all, besides all the ruckus, the education of our children is in a heck of a mess, some of which is the responsibility of the parents. They object loudly to things that don't follow their inclinations, but do very damn little to teach their children what they should be taught at home, putting the onus on the teacher's backs.

The Patriot Act of Schools appears to be in the mill ACADEME'S ILL WIND . . . . . . . . . . . .

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