Is there any evidence that leftist/communist/racists have overtaken our public schools? Oh, I’m sure that isn’t true …
But I did stumble upon an interesting blog post on this topic at The Hairpin, entitled “Teaching Trayvon.” No, it isn’t about teaching Ebonics; it’s about … well, here, I’ll let you read it for yourself:
“Another way to approach it could talk about vigilantes. Think about the scene in To Kill a Mockingbird when the mob comes to the courthouse for Tom. Also many of Faulkner’s short stories discuss mobs out for justice.”
Yes, indeed—that’s almost exactly what happened in the Trayvon Martin Mixed Martial Arts while high on dank assault on George Zimmerman. But wait—it get’s even better:
“The thing is, I see Trayvon Martins everyday. They are in my classrooms and in my neighborhood. I worry about young black men and their prospects in a world where a man is able to kill one without being convicted of something. Even if it isn't as simple as that, kids will see it that way. Rednecks are holding their heads a little higher and tapping the guns on their holsters eager for a stand your ground moment. That is what scares me most.
“I try to teach for social justice in a state where the poor are carrying the biggest tax burdens and often the victims of injustice. Poverty motivates some people to try harder, a small group to resort to criminal activity, a large portion just try to make it and live under the radar, and it leads some to give up. I try to encourage kids to do the most with their gifts and live life with integrity. Stories like this makes work more difficult because it makes kids lose hope.”
Well, thank goodness for quality in education. We are all no doubt wondering how on earth this teacher ever received his or her Alabama teaching certificate in the core subject area of English. But none of us should doubt for even one second that he or she will one day be recognized as a teacher of the year, and maybe even become a high school principal or president of the NAACP.
In this weekend’s issue of Parade magazine, it features a conversation with Forest Whitaker, and Oprah Winfrey, about their new movie and the questions it raises about race in America. Where Oprah accuses whites of lynching MILLIONS of blacks.
ReplyDeleteOprah has a real chip on her shoulder. Until all whites are slaves people like her will never stop crying.
IMHO,
DeleteOprah accuses whites of lynching MILLIONS of blacks.
Good grief!
Hyperbole can be useful, but with race relations in the United States the way that they are, that statement by Oprah is inflammatory.
Sam certinly does manage to attract the hoi-polloi.
ReplyDeleteIs THAT why you never fail to show up, and make a nuisance of yourself whenever Sam posts an article?
DeleteThis is the kind of twaddle guilty white liberals engage in to make themselves feel better.
ReplyDeleteI would call it useless, but it's worse than useless. It makes things worse by not going to the root of the problem, but instead allowing everyone to avoid discussing what the real problem is.
Unfortunately it not useless at all. Instead it is POWERfUL and results in GREAT HARM -- harm that greatly benefits the perpetrators and perpetuators of Reverse Racism.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWhy didn't you post the first paragraph, Sam?
ReplyDeleteAn English teacher in Alabama:
In a place like Alabama, this case is tricky to even discuss in the classroom. I would be willing to talk to my students about it if they want to, but I would be hesitant to "teach" it—especially because I teach literature. However, I often use real news stories or events from history to connect with the literature that they study in my classroom. I encourage my students to make connections to self, other texts, and the world while reading."
Or we can leave the teaching to "IMHO"
He ought not to be in the business of teaching at ALL -- especially not LITERATURE. My God! DIdn't you catch "to even discuss it in the classroom?"
DeleteExecrable usage of the language. Vile syntax.
To willfully, carelessly, maliciously, spitefully, rebelliously, defiantly, or even ignorantly or inadvertently split an infinitive is a hanging crime in my never humble opinion. LIFT that person's TEACHING LICENSE. Do it forthwith.
What a surprise ... ducky supports teaching Trayvon. I wonder if he thinks we should teach Sean Crudup and Raychal Thomas, too ...
ReplyDeleteYou know, there's just never too much anger on the left.
How about giving Racial Jeantel, the young genius filled with keen wit, penetrating insight and wisdom far beyond her years, a full-tuition scholarship to an accredited university?
DeleteSurely a Grand Gesture worth of placement on the hghest Pinnacle of Enlightenment.
FT,
DeleteMs. Jeantel has received TWO scholarships already. Maybe more because I haven't done a Google search as to her scholarship status.
FT,
DeleteRachel Jeantel Accepts Tom Joyner’s Scholarship Offer. It's a full ride scholarship.
This source says: [H]e also committed to helping Jeantel graduate high school first. “I will help you get tutors to get you out of high school, tutors to help you pass the SAT and I will give you a full ride scholarship to any HBCU you’d like.”
HCBU = Historically Black Colleges and Universities
At no point did I state I support teaching it.
ReplyDeleteThe teacher in the article isn't to enthusiastic about the idea either and merely cites how she would handle it if the topic arose since she encourages her students to be inquisitive.
That means she doesn't ask them to swallow the standard right wing jingoistic stupidity.
Another linguistic atrocity -- this time from YOU, yourself.
DeletePlease review the rules for the use of familiar homonyms. In this case TO, TOO and TWO.
The distinction is important if are to have even a faint hope of regaining and retaining proper use of the language.
Well, Duck Breath, here’s an idea: what about not teaching social justice at all in our public schools? Let’s focus instead on reading, writing, mathematics, science, and (cough, cough) actual US and World History (as opposed to Zinn revisionism). We might also consider teaching world geography without multiculturalism. While we’re at it, we could spend less time on the theater arts, and more time on classic literature (as opposed to that crap by Maya Angelou). Caged bird my ass …
ReplyDelete@ Ducky:
ReplyDeleteYour wrote: That means she doesn't ask them to swallow the standard right wing jingoistic stupidity.
For the life of me, I’m trying to imagine what aggressive foreign policy has to do with the topic of this post. I think what is going on is that whenever you begin sputtering, you end up tongue-tied and begin spitting out words and phrases that have no contextual significance. You use these words and phrases, not because they make sense, but rather because having memorized them in Marxism class, they’ve become part of your lexicon.
Whenever you get a clue, drop back to converse with us.
Canardo was taught at the knee of Nicolai Ivanovich Shibbolethsky, a former member of the Russian aristocracy who escaped Lenin's firing squads, and became one of Marxism's most devoted disciples.
DeleteThe former Count, as his name implies, had nothing to offer but shibboleths, hence the dismal rhetoric we are treated to from the beak of The Beantown Quacker
There is too much money in perpetuating the hate. For that reason, there will never be an hoest conversation about race in America.
ReplyDeleteI think that George Zimmerman should change his name to King Samir Shabazz. That way Barack Hussein Obama, these Liberal bloggers and the Media will never mention him in a negative way again.
ReplyDeleteReminds me of the hoary old joke about George Lipschitz. He was so embarrassed by the sound of his name he changed it to Jack Lipschitz.
DeleteJack, I'm not surprised you mention the theater arts.
ReplyDeleteMy local high school superintendent eliminated he local theater arts program despite the fact that in a low income working class town it had achieved state recognition and regularly placed in competitions.
Some of the works were completely student written and produced. However, they did touch on topics common to working class student life that you would probably rather ignore and censure.
If you can point to any study that doesn't indicate dramatic arts is an indicator of achievement, I'd love to see it.
I'm interested in your idea of "actual history". How did you arrive at it when you dismiss even reading Zinn or anyone who questions Sam's jingoistic nonsense. "Actual history", very complex idea.
" ... Some of the works were completely student written and produced. However, they did touch on topics common to working class student life ..."
DeleteSTOP RIGHT THERE!
You blew any hope of achieving credibility with those pitiful sentiments. GENUINE education in the realm of Theater Arts would not occur in an atmosphere devoted to SELF-expression, SELF-pity, and SELF-indulgence. We can only hope to become educated by pursuing an understanding and appreciation of things higher, finer, deeper, brighter, nobler and cleverer than we in our raw, primitive, untutored state.
By all means check in an the matter of drama departments, AOW.
ReplyDeleteAnother benefit of the local department was its popularity which kept a number of kids from dropping out.
Do you sit with the reactionaries like Jack Whyte?
Duck,
DeleteDo you sit with the reactionaries like Jack Whyte?
Depends on what you mean by sit with.
I firmly believe in the basics and the classics first and thoroughly. After those requirements are met, THEN branch out into "the arts." Such was the philosophy of my mentor, the lady who ran the private school where I worked for 18 years.
As you may recall, I am a musician as well as a Language Arts teacher. FYI...I turned down a vocal scholarship at Juilliard because I felt the call to be a teacher -- a Language Arts/foreign language teacher.
In my view, an educational agenda driven by social justice results in a learning gap -- the term "learning gap" being an understatement.
Duck,
DeleteBTW, where I've been "sitting" most of today is running errands and going to doctors' appointments. I'm barely on the blogs right now.
I am no expert, but it does seem to me that American schools are taking on too much, while ignoring the most vital part of education. As someone already said above, our focus must be core disciplines. Having a theater arts program is worthwhile so long as it does not compete with the core disciplines for time and funding. A state recognized theater arts program may benefit students enrolled in those classes, but it does nothing for the 70% of graduating students unable to understand their reading assignments.
ReplyDeleteRobert,
DeleteAmen to what you typed in!
Yes and no, Mr. Sinclair. It all depends on what one means by the term Theater Arts. I took two highs school courses one in Speech, the other in Dramatics. Both have proved themselves invaluable to me, because the teacher was a brilliant woman who was member of Phi Beta Kappa, and had graduated summa cum laude from Barnard back when that still meant something.
DeleteShe brought Shakespeare to life as no one else ever has outside of The Old Vic, and was overall the very best ENGLISH teacher one could ever hope to have. In her classes we read whole books, plays, reams of poetry and were required to OUTLINE every chapter in our textbook. we were rigorously examined at regular intervals, and every bit of homework we handed in was thoroughly checked, and copiously marked with red pencil. Studying with this demanding person was positively EXHILARATING.
Ergo, I would never be one to dismiss "Theater Arts" as a "breeze" or non-essential subject, unless it was taught in the manner Ducky described above.
Wow, the state of education these days.
ReplyDeleteGlad I don't have any children or grandchildren in government funded schools.
Debbie
Right Truth
http://www.righttruth.typepad.com
This is so much worse than anything I could've imagined. We are in deep doo doo.
ReplyDeleteThis is so much worse than anything I could've imagined. We are in deep doo doo.
ReplyDeleteThe answer to sanitizing the culture and ridding it of "doo doo," is contained in the grammatically incorrect title of an old popular song:
Delete"DO DO DO WHAT YOU DONE DONE DONE BEFORE." ;-)
Black celebrities are staring to treat Florida like they did South Africa in the 80's. More of them, like Chaka Khan (whom I listened to in the 70's) Jesse Jackson, , Al, Shatpton, Stevie Wonder, Jay-Z, and now Harry Belafonte just arrived in Florida to join the sit-in circus from the left. These old farts haven’t the ability to think, or comprehend what the hell went down. All they know is that a Black Boy was kolled by an non-black, and was found to be Not Guilty.
ReplyDeleteBingo! Time to start boycotting Florida. They say they are doing so until Florida Stand Your Ground Law is repealed or re-considered. Didn't lawyers for Zimmerman claim self-defense not Stand Your Ground? I would think blacks would want to defend families and homes against robbers and murderers and malefactors. In cities around the USA hundreds showed up for demonstrations and to repeal Stand Your Ground and some youths wore “I Am Trayvon” t-shirts. Political and sectarian leaders spoke and wrote against Zimmerman and that their son could be Trayvon. I hope kool-aid drinkers don't end up working against their own best interests. In a side note some who support Stand Your Ground may be glad that certain entertainers will not be performing in Florida.
Now that the trial is over, it is amazing after the fact about how so much information regarding both Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman is finally coming out. The media and the koolaide drinking supporters of Trayvon Martin had many people believing that George Zimmerman was a evil racist white dude who was stalking an innocent baby faced boy black boy (Trayvon Martin) who was merely going to the store to buy some candy and a drink. Well, that is how the media orchestrated the script, and many people bought into it. (mostly black) but thanks to that illiterate moron Rachel Jantel who was Trayvon Martin's friend, the truth about the real Trayvon Martin has come out. And the world saw that “innocent unnamed baby faced boy black boy” for the wise assed thug that he was.
This Travyon Martin case is the perfect example and please don’t say it an exception to the rule, because it’s more typical than not. You didn’t see the media so railed up with the IRS, or Benghazi, scandals as they were on this case. Sorry folks but I am just calling it like I see it. That’s all.
@ Ducky
ReplyDeleteThe purpose of studying history is to introduce students to actual people, in the context of their own time and place, and the events that propelled them into the history books. Understanding what actually did happen, along with an examination of cause and effect, helps students to appreciate decisions and actions by national and corporate leaders, and private citizens, and the consequences of their decisions and activities.
I personally have every confidence that students will bring themselves to a proper conclusion about the Haymarket massacre without telling them which side was most culpable, given our own political persuasions. This was what Howard Zinn did in his so-called textbooks, which were brainwashing tools designed to transform students into accepting Zinn’s view of the world. Zinn was a disgrace to the field of education and the art and science of history.
Ever since The Fall mankind has been plagued by ZINN.
DeleteThere are ZINNS of COMMISSION.
There ZINNS of OMISSION.
There are VENAL ZINNS.
There are MORTAL ZINNS.
So far, nothing has been found that could be said to be UGLIER than ZINN.
Here endeth the lesson. ;-)
Venality may be a "zinn," but I have a sneaking suspicion you were referring venial "zinns," FT. There is a difference between venal and venial you know. Not to scold you, but since you seem to enjoy displaying your expertise with the language, I thought it might cheer you on a bit to realize someone is paying close attention to your considerable store of wit and wisdom, and cares enough to tell you when you're wrong. I for one am sorry you closed your blog. I found it very entertaining, and occasionally informative, but I must chide you for letting the bastards get you down. You disappointed me there. Good luck to you anyway.
Delete----------------> Katharine Heartburn
This is WAAAY too deep for this crazy ass cracker... I'm going back to see how many infinitives I can split in a sentence.
ReplyDeleteFailure to support and participate in solutions means that you are in fact part of the problem.
DeleteOne could never explore any subject in "too much" depth.
"Proud Ignorance" is every bit as big a curse as Communism or any other form of totalitarianism. In fact it opens the gates, paves they way, and rolls out the proverbial red carpet for a takeover by tyrants.
FT,
DeleteMarine4Ever is one of the good guys. A bit rough around the edges but one of the good guys.
And I don't mean that he's a "good ol' boy."
It does seem that you and I are among the few that care about split infinitives. The fact that we DO care about split infinitives may be a sign of the times! I'm sure that I don't have to explain.
Z posted an article on Education by Dennis Prager today at GeeeeeZ.
ReplyDeleteI particularly liked this part:
"If you wish to affirm here an ethnic or racial identity — or a national identity other than American — you will have to attend another school. This includes after-school clubs. I will not authorize clubs that divide students based on any identities. This includes race, language, religion, sexual orientation or whatever else may become in vogue in a society divided by political correctness. Those clubs just cultivate narcissism — an unhealthy preoccupation with the self — while the purpose of education is to get you to think beyond yourself.
"Your clubs will be based on interests and passions — clubs that transport you to the wonders and glories of art, music, astronomy, languages you do not already speak, carpentry and more. If the only extracurricular activities you can imagine being interesting in are those based on ethnic, racial or sexual identity, that means that little outside of yourself really interests you."
I would have added SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS or CONDITION to the list of proscribed topics, because morbid preoccupation with how poor and downtrodden one is juxtaposed to an acute awareness of how rich and "over-privileged" other people are and vice versa is just another item that causes individuals to be vain, selfish, arrogant, greedy, demanding -- and above all ENVIOUS.
Cube's right...it's SO much worse than our biggest fears were even five years ago, since Obama.
ReplyDeleteWe're beyond help now, I fear, too. people actually DO think like this situation Sam's posted on.
The Left HAS won, folks. Obama's divided and he's conquered.
You've heard his speeches lately with his guffawing belittlement of any Republican...constant and nasty. Utter disdain and a laughing audience.
If we had a media that was a true media, this would NEVER EVER be happening; they'd have torn him apart since before he won; "this guy's never DONE anything..he lied about knowing Bill Ayers, his house was practically given to him by a racketeer, etc etc. ..no grades revealed, nobody knows who paid for Harvard, etc..." But, we all knew those things and the media kept all those questions quiet. As it is, we can't win again; the hate for values, decency, morality and love of country is much too strong.
your cheerful friend, Z :-) :-(
Z,
DeleteAs it is, we can't win again; the hate for values, decency, morality and love of country is much too strong.
It does seem that way, doesn't it?
Political movements and political parties die. Is the GOP dying? Very possibly.
I hear a lot of talk about establishing a 3rd political party. How viable would such a 3rd party be, however?
The Republican party replaced the Whigs, who apparently just disintegrated in much the same fashion as the GOP seems to be doing today.
DeleteAt the outset the Republican party was a radical, upstart, anti-Establishment organization. It quickly identified itself as "An Instrument for Revolutionary Social Change," although Marxian terms like that were not in vogue in the mid-nineteenth century.
A close study of precisely how and why the Democratic and Republican parties basically exchanged identities would make interesting reading, and might possibly be of help in gaining a better sense of perspective on the disturbing realities we must deal with today.
The Republican party has lost its identity today. It's neither fish nor fowl, because politicians of all stripes with rare exceptions are far more interested in remaining in power as long as possible in order to enjoy the perquisites and privileges that accompany it than in pursuing the country's betterment.
From the body of the blog post: I try to teach for social justice...
ReplyDeleteIsn't that an idiom error with the use of for?
On the other hand, perhaps this Alabama teacher said what he meant. Social justice is his employer -- or something.
English, as spoken and written today, is a continuous exhibition of wanton ignorance, carelessness, clumsiness, mental laziness, lack of mental acuity, lack of curiosity, near-illiteracy, and generalized contempt for propriety.
Delete"He Old School" -- the telling phrase uttered publicly by that paragon of perceptive prose, polished wit, high intelligence and noteworthy academic achievement, Racial Jeantel -- is a perfect example of the regrettable phenomenon in question.
It is considered ill-mannered and "insensitive" for teachers to correct students' pronunciation, grammar, syntax, vocabulary and style or lack thereof.
The result is what we see everywhere today -- hideous dilution of vocabulary, foolish over-simplification, mangled syntax, spelling and grammatical errors, lack of wit, style, control of form, rambling prolixity by people who like to think they know something, but are in fact woefully ignorant etc.
People today -- adults and children alike -- are so hyper-sensitive to criticism they bridle and become ferociously defensive -- or even burst into tears -- at the slightest hint of correction. There appears to be no real desire on the part of most to improve their communication skills anymore -- only a fierce, wholly inappropriate desire to be given CREDIT for having knowledge, skill, expertise and finesse that is in fact totally lacking in many-if-not-most cases.
Once upon a time, we were strongly encouraged to respect our elders and to look up to men and women of great accomplishment who possessed a notably higher degree of learning, skill, knowledge, grace and refinement than we. Today such figures are ridiculed, denigrated, mocked, derided and dismissed as "arrogant," "condescending," "conceited," "affected," "stuffed shirts," "old hat," "out of tune with the times," "Old School," "Grandpa's way of thinking," "irrelevant," and above all that ultimately insulting term of condemnation by the proudly ignorant "BAAAAAAAAAWRING!!!."
Only a society rotted from within at all levels by the poisonous precepts of Cultural Marxism and Freudian Psychology could achieve such a spectacular regression, perversion of values and cultural degeneration in so short a time.
We are DISINTEGRATING at an increasingly rapid rate before our very own eyes, and we are so far gone now most of us consider this a sign of PROGRESS.
FT,
DeleteWe are DISINTEGRATING at an increasingly rapid rate before our very own eyes, and we are so far gone now most of us consider this a sign of PROGRESS.
It's the devolution of our civilization, perhaps the devolution of Western civilization as a whole.
I feel a strong sense of futility and inevitability in all this.
FT,
ReplyDeleteHere's what has happened....Many on the Right absolutely hate those who support Obama because many on the Right view Obama supporters as their personal enemy.
The converse is also true, i.e., many on the Left viewing those on the Right as interfering with the best President evah.
In other words, the divisiveness has gotten very personal.
That may be, AOW, but it's no excuse for that kind of angry, self-indulgent, really self-pitying rhetoric. Adopting such an attitude is not helpful in advancing worthwhile concepts that might possibly improve our situation it is actually destructive.
ReplyDeleteWe've become much too good at chastising and condemning others, while we seem to have lost whatever capacity we may once have had for honest examination of our own flaws and failings of which here are many.
We do a great disservice to ourselves -- and whatever cause we may think we like to think we are promoting -- when we deflect attention away from ourselves by attacking others -- often with unwarranted ferocity, lack of wisdom, and lack of modesty.
"The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves."