What do you think of this crazy teacher?

Public Figure=/=Politican for starters. Celebrities are public figures. While I'm sure you could find SOMEONE I imagine the number of parents who would object to you having their child write any of the following is somewhere between nil and none.
Elon Musk, Stephen Hawking, Neil DeGrasse Tyson, Bill Gates, Steven Spielberg, Peter Jackson, or Steven King.

I could probably make a fairly long list of celebrities that hardly anybody has any emotional response to. I mean does anybody hate Elijah Wood or Matt Damon? I'm not asking do you love them but is there anything about them sufficiently controversial that people would freak if you wrote to them? The worst thing about Shaq is he tried to act for a few years, professional B-ball player, volunteer cop, what's not to like? I suppose there are some hyper religious people who might object to Joss Whedon (creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, director of Avengers) I mean vampires! Other Gods!

So in short yes, there are fairly non-controversial people.

But every single one of them could start making enemies just by speaking publicly about politics. That's where America is right now.
 
But every single one of them could start making enemies just by speaking publicly about politics. That's where America is right now.

I'm just wondering if there actually is a non-controversial public figure that no one would object too? I can't think of one...

No need for them to talk politics. They need to be a non-controversial public figure. By definition they are public figures. As I stated public figure=/= politician. Anybody in the public eye qualifies just fine. Jessica Alba is no less a public figure than Sarah Palin. Probably MORE so since I imagine Sarah Palin loses name value faster once you cross the borders.
 
I'm not sold on the Mumia being guilty thing, but that's irrelevant. I don't feel the teacher should be requiring students to write to him . . . he's a prisoner who was convicted of murder.
 
I'm not sold on the Mumia being guilty thing, but that's irrelevant. I don't feel the teacher should be requiring students to write to him . . . he's a prisoner who was convicted of murder.

Considering that for the purposes of students practicing their writing skills they could just as easily write to Harry Potter, James Bond, and Frodo Baggins I agree. I just have a hard time getting outraged and as someone else brought up earlier and even harder time joining Boxi on the Rage Machine when he sees no problems with economics teachers passing out anti-Islam packets.

Something I think would ultimately be much worse. The kids will probably read and possibly internalize the "facts" on that sheet. I doubt any of them could tell you Mumia from Mumra.


This guy looks like he could use a get well letter too. I mean his skin is grey, his eyes are blood shot, he's underweight and wrapped in bandages!
 
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Considering that for the purposes of students practicing their writing skills they could just as easily write to Harry Potter, James Bond, and Frodo Baggins I agree. I just have a hard time getting outraged and as someone else brought up earlier and even harder time joining Boxi on the Rage Machine when he sees no problems with economics teachers passing out anti-Islam packets.

Something I think would ultimately be much worse. The kids will probably read and possibly internalize the "facts" on that sheet. I doubt any of them could tell you Mumia from Mumra.


This guy looks like he could use a get well letter too. I mean his skin is grey, his eyes are blood shot, he's underweight and wrapped in bandages!
Yeah, on the scale of things I feel I should be outraged about, this is relatively minor. I do think it was stupid of the teacher, though.

On the Mum-Ra note, look at this Lion-O I found on deviant art:

http://th01.deviantart.net/fs71/PRE/i/2012/071/0/6/lion_o_by_vshen-d4sjz2b.jpg
 
They are third graders right? They probably thought they WERE writing to Mumra!

In the Age of Internet Outrage truth isn't required. All anyone needs to a.) media coverage and b.) something (real or unreal) to complain about.

Every single person on the list is a multimillionaire - the dread 1% sucking the life out of the working man! Living in mansions and pretending to be eco-friendly! Fighting global warming by flying all over the world in private jets! And some of them are, gasp, atheists, liberals, douche-bags, and conservatives!

LOL - reality has little to do with the outrage machine - for or against.
 
Compassion is fine. If this had been an assignment to write a get-well letter to some public figure, even including a notorious murderer, and there had been a choice of several recipients, I would have no problem. It's insisting the letters have to be sent to this killer that bothers me.

And he has been convicted and the conviction upheld by several higher courts, and the evidence of his guilt was very solid. Even the killer's own brother, who was right there at the time, refused to commit perjury by testifying on Mumia's behalf.

And all this is in the link I posted earlier.
By the same token, they shouldn't be made to say a Pledge of Allegiance to a flag with as much blood on it as the US one.
 
By the same token, they shouldn't be made to say a Pledge of Allegiance to a flag with as much blood on it as the US one.

I don't see any comparison. For one thing, the pledge is to the nation that has come to the rescue of other nations countless times in floods, hurricanes, tsunamis, famine, etc.
 
They are third graders right? They probably thought they WERE writing to Mumra!

In the Age of Internet Outrage truth isn't required. All anyone needs to a.) media coverage and b.) something (real or unreal) to complain about.

Every single person on the list is a multimillionaire - the dread 1% sucking the life out of the working man! Living in mansions and pretending to be eco-friendly! Fighting global warming by flying all over the world in private jets! And some of them are, gasp, atheists, liberals, douche-bags, and conservatives!

LOL - reality has little to do with the outrage machine - for or against.

You know that part is true right and that we have a genuine problem not just in America but in the world right?

I don't see any comparison. For one thing, the pledge is to the nation that has come to the rescue of other nations countless times in floods, hurricanes, tsunamis, famine, etc.

Whether or not that's true or not it doesn't make it any less indoctrination.
 
You know that part is true right and that we have a genuine problem not just in America but in the world right?



Whether or not that's true or not it doesn't make it any less indoctrination.

I doubt there is a country anywhere that does not try to inculcate a feeling of patriotism in their children.
 
I doubt there is a country anywhere that does not try to inculcate a feeling of patriotism in their children.

Doesn't make it any less disgusting, wrong or indoctrinating. You can't bitch about schools indoctrinating the youth and then cheer schools indoctrinating the youth.
 
you can be damn certain

if the TEACHER had sent letters to D Wilson

It would have been hauled before the inquisition
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Boxlicker101 View Post

Patriotism: OK. Religion or politics: Not OK.


Patriotism is politics.

I don't agree with you, but it's not worth arguing about. Religion or PARTISAN politics: Not okay.
 
Apparently you've forgotten what the first line says. That's why some kids are exempted from saying it for religious reasons.

Though exempted isn't really true. Trust me as that kid the peer pressure and side ways glance from the teacher just ain't worth it. It's like at Thanksgiving it's not worth being a douche to not hold hands and bow your head. He's a fictional character. Bowing your head to go does no more harm than raising The One Ring to Sauron.
 
I don't agree with you, but it's not worth arguing about. Religion or PARTISAN politics: Not okay.

When you support the war in Iraq, is it patriotic? When you oppose it, is it un-patriotic?

If the answer is yes: how is this not political?
 
you can be damn certain

if the TEACHER had sent letters to D Wilson

It would have been hauled before the inquisition
Forgetful, or just out of touch with reality?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris...-new-school-year_b_5690171.html?utm_hp_ref=tw

3. Ask students to write letters.

One of the chief ways to engage youth in the first few weeks of school and also develop their sociopolitical awareness is to give them an assignment to write letters to all those who are involved in the shooting. This includes politicians, police officers, the families of victims of the violence, and even the deceased.
 
When you support the war in Iraq, is it patriotic? When you oppose it, is it un-patriotic?

If the answer is yes: how is this not political?

We are referring to a teacher addressing his or her class of young children. What I think is immaterial to the discussion.
 
NJ Teacher Blames Third Graders For Wanting To Write Get Well Letters To Cop Killer Mumia Abu-Jamal…

Zuniga

Sadly she has the support of the parents. Update to this previous story.

Via NJ Com

The chants from the crowd filled the auditorium at Orange Preparatory Academy during Tuesday night’s Orange school board meeting.

“Let her speak! Let her speak! Let her speak!”

Standing amid dozens of her cheering supporters was Marylin Zuniga, the third-grade teacher who has been suspended for having her students write “get well” letters to former death row inmate Mumia Abu-Jamal, who is serving a life sentence for killing a Philadelphia police officer in 1981.

The board president wanted to adjourn the meeting and go into closed session, but the crowd roared in protest and demanded that Zuniga be allowed to speak.

The auditorium ultimately fell silent as Zuniga, clutching a written statement in her hands, leaned into a microphone and made her first public remarks about a controversy that has gained international attention. […]

In February, Zuniga said she presented her students with an assignment in which they were asked to consider the main idea of the following quote from Abu-Jamal: “So long as one just person is silenced, there is no justice.”

About two months later, Zuniga said she told the students about Abu-Jamal’s failing health and they asked about writing the “get well” letters.

“In April, I mentioned to my students that Mumia was very ill and they told me they would like to write ‘get well’ letters to Mumia,” Zuniga said.[…]

But at Tuesday’s meeting, Zuniga apologized for highlighting the letters on social media.

“I was very proud of my students’ work and I shared this on social media,” Zuniga said. “I do apologize to parents, students and community members for having done that.”
 
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