[replicamuse]

AURORA - A 16-year-old boy at Overland High School doesn't want to hear what he calls his teacher's left-wing political rants.

Reporter Chris Vanderveen says the Cherry Creek School District is reviewing whether the comments Bennish made were an isolated incident or part of a pattern. March 1, 2006. 6 p.m.
Sean Allen frequently recorded his teachers to back up his notes. Allen recorded Jay Bennish, his 10th grade World Geography teacher, making comments about President Bush's State of the Union Address.

Allen's father claims the comments made in the recording are biased and inappropriate for a geography class.

"I'm not saying Bush and Hitler are exactly the same, obviously they're not. OK? But there are some eerie similarities to the tones that they use," says Bennish in his critique of U.S. economic and foreign policy.

Towards the end of the class, Bennish goes on to say, "I'm not in anyway implying that you should agree with me, I don't even know if I'm necessarily taking a position. But what I'm trying to get you to do is to think about these issues more in depth and not to just take things from the surface."
More... It's about time students take action against their pos liberal teachers who go around badmouthing the President. Comparing the President to Hitler should be good for a couple of years in jail to say the least.

[fudelholf]

It's about time students take action against their pos liberal teachers who go around badmouthing the President. Comparing the President to Hitler should be good for a couple of years in jail to say the least.

Jail?


JAIL?


Perhaps you'd be more comfortable in North Korea or China?

[Marat]

The teacher doesn't know if he's taking a postion when he make comments like that? What an absolute load of crap. He's trying to cover his ass with that statement.

[Kausilwf]

Comparing the President to Hitler should be good for a couple of years in jail to say the least.

Doing so would draw even more comparisons. But I give you more credit than that Gaddy, good one! LOL

[Ecurrexchangess]

It's about time students take action against their pos liberal teachers who go around badmouthing the President. Comparing the President to Hitler should be good for a couple of years in jail to say the least.

A couple years in jail for political speech? WTF?

That is just nonsense.

Matt

[Saispapedlimi]

It's about time students take action against their pos liberal teachers who go around badmouthing the President. Comparing the President to Hitler should be good for a couple of years in jail to say the least. Yeah. Freedom of speech is highly overvalued...

[Pippoles]

Yes JAIL! Freedom of speech has nothing to do with a pos liberal teacher displaying a complete lack of respect in our government.
It has nothing to do with geography and this teacher should be fired and jailed!
The asshole was not teaching geography but rather the liberal socialist agenda.
Freedom of speech does not apply because teachers are paid to teach and this idiot failed in that respect and also failed as a citizen.
You want freedom of speech?
Go out on the street and speak your mind and make damned sure somebody is not paying you to do a job when you go out.
Teachers are not free to speak their minds while they are in front of a class and being paid by the taxpayer.
Jail would do this idiot a lot of good and would help a lot of liberals focus on something called "responsibility" instead of their focus on them doing what Liberals feel like but crying and screaming when someone else does something they don't like.
Yes, I would jail the idiot for contributing to the deliquency of minors.
He is a typical liberal though. Totally irresponsible, divisive and untrustworthy.

[dxpfmP0l]

By your "logic", you should be jailed for your lack of respect of the Constitution of the United States.

Fortunately for you, our laws do not reflect the level of oppression you are advocating.

Matt

[qzgCVHex]

Gadfly, you're so over the top! You cry about liberals and yet you are an extremist. All you do when you spew this crap is cause liberals to think that all conservatives/Bush supporters are idiots!
Attention all liberals:
Most conservatives/Bush supporters do not feel the way Gadfly feels and we would truly appreciate it if you didn't use him as an example of conservatism!!!!!!!!!

[CefGemYAffews]

By your "logic", you should be jailed for your lack of respect of the Constitution of the United States.

Fortunately for you, our laws do not reflect the level of oppression you are advocating.

Matt

Not saying the teacher should be jailed, but, he is illegally using his authority and violating the public trust, as well as illegally using public funds (his salary) to express his personal political views and force them upon children.

Thats not free speech Matt - that is a gross violation of his position as an agent of the state. It is no different than if he was attempting to convert students to a particular religion.

Jail? No. Terminated from his position and loss of any and all benefits? At the very least.

[drislerfottor]

Towards the end of the class, Bennish goes on to say, "I'm not in anyway implying that you should agree with me, I don't even know if I'm necessarily taking a position. But what I'm trying to get you to do is to think about these issues more in depth and not to just take things from the surface." Damn! A teacher trying to get his kids to think?? How ... old-fashioned.

I can understand why some would be concerned.

[iOqedeyH]

Not saying the teacher should be jailed, but, he is illegally using his authority and violating the public trust, as well as illegally using public funds (his salary) to express his personal political views and force them upon children.

Thats not free speech Matt - that is a gross violation of his position as an agent of the state. It is no different than if he was attempting to convert students to a particular religion.

Jail? No. Terminated from his position and loss of any and all benefits? At the very least.

Don't get me wrong - I agree that his use of his position to make political statements outside the scope of the curriculum was wrong.

Far more wrong, however, is the notion that he could be jailed for it, IMHO.

Matt

[nTDsD0aU]

Yes JAIL! Freedom of speech has nothing to do with a pos liberal teacher displaying a complete lack of respect in our government.
It has nothing to do with geography and this teacher should be fired and jailed!
The asshole was not teaching geography but rather the liberal socialist agenda.
Freedom of speech does not apply because teachers are paid to teach and this idiot failed in that respect and also failed as a citizen.
You want freedom of speech?
Go out on the street and speak your mind and make damned sure somebody is not paying you to do a job when you go out.
Teachers are not free to speak their minds while they are in front of a class and being paid by the taxpayer.
Jail would do this idiot a lot of good and would help a lot of liberals focus on something called "responsibility" instead of their focus on them doing what Liberals feel like but crying and screaming when someone else does something they don't like.
Yes, I would jail the idiot for contributing to the deliquency of minors.
He is a typical liberal though. Totally irresponsible, divisive and untrustworthy.

I honestly thought you were joking. I guess I did give you more credit than you deserve. Don't worry, won't ever happen again.

[IssuessBratte]

Don't get me wrong - I agree that his use of his position to make political statements outside the scope of the curriculum was wrong.

Far more wrong, however, is the notion that he could be jailed for it, IMHO.

But you do think he should be held accountable right?

I mean you can't use your classroom as a campaign stump...same way churches can't use their pulpits and a doctor couldn't use his surgery to promote a political agenda.

[Nashhlkq]

Yeah. Freedom of speech is highly overvalued...

I am an outspoken bush-basher, BUT a teacher has no business expounding on their own personal beliefs or biases. They should be teaching both sides of a problem or situation.

He should be drummed out of school.

[Hinigyday]

But you do think he should be held accountable right?

I mean you can't use your classroom as a campaign stump...same way churches can't use their pulpits and a doctor couldn't use his surgery to promote a political agenda.

Absolutely. Is this worth firing? Meh, probably not. Is it worth some disciplinary action? Sure.

Is this really that news worthy? Probably not.

[appabessy]

The title is misleading. He got fired for using his position as a teacher to convey is political beliefs and perhaps impress them on the children. He would've/should've been 'busted' for praising Bush as well...

[Peapeuddedbaw]

The title is misleading. He got fired for using his position as a teacher to convey is political beliefs and perhaps impress them on the children. He would've/should've been 'busted' for praising Bush as well...

That's absolutely right, however, there is a fine line between praise and support. Every american should support our leaders, that's the way our republic was set up to operate. I disagree with the liberals on nearly every one of their ideas, but that's not saying that I don't give them my support if they win in an election (however, winning is becoming more and more unlikely for the liberals).

So, the real question is he is being punished for bashing the President, he should be punished for praising him, but, should someone in his position be punished for supporting the president or any other leader? Don't get me wrong, I know he didn't show support to Bush, just a thought for a good question.

Todd

[Fsfkkkjz]

That's absolutely right, however, there is a fine line between praise and support. Every american should support our leaders, that's the way our republic was set up to operate. I disagree with the liberals on nearly every one of their ideas, but that's not saying that I don't give them my support if they win in an election (however, winning is becoming more and more unlikely for the liberals).

Well, I will always support my country to the best of my ability. But support can take the form of constructive criticism, in my opinion. Screaming "Bush is a Nazi!" is certainly not support, but saying "I have a bit of a problem with this issue, because of reasons A, B, and C. My alternate solution would be to..." could be very supportive. I also wanted to note how I constantly find entertaining how conservatives keep saying "It's increasingly unlikely that democrats/liberals how have power in the future", while on the other hand, liberals keep saying "The Republican party is surely on the way out". I guess it's justs natural to convince yourself that your particular party/ideology is doing better than it is. In my opinion, both parties are doing a grand job of being retarded and I think it would be too soon to predict who will do better at the polls this time around. But that's for another topic.

So, the real question is he is being punished for bashing the President, he should be punished for praising him, but, should someone in his position be punished for supporting the president or any other leader? Don't get me wrong, I know he didn't show support to Bush, just a thought for a good question.

Todd Well, it depends on how they support them, I would guess. When I was growing up, I was in elementary school during the first gulf war and I remember having many projects where we would make cards and send them to troops. We'd bring in supplies, bakery goods, etc. to send to the troops as well. This could certainly be considered 'supporting the government', if not directly supporting the President. I've often wondered if this sort of thing still goes on today in the local schools (this is and always has been quite a liberal area of the US).

[WeightWatchyshow]

Well, it depends on how they support them, I would guess. When I was growing up, I was in elementary school during the first gulf war and I remember having many projects where we would make cards and send them to troops. We'd bring in supplies, bakery goods, etc. to send to the troops as well. This could certainly be considered 'supporting the government', if not directly supporting the President. I've often wondered if this sort of thing still goes on today in the local schools (this is and always has been quite a liberal area of the US).

Absolutely, I think no matter what, Americans should always rally together, regardless of politics.

As for the elementary schools, I work at an elementary school and I'm fairly positive that they still do similar things to support the troops. (of course this is elevated because I work at a school on a military base).