Teacher sends home letter asking parents to renounce US citizenship
posted at 9:50 am on September 17, 2007 by Bryan
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It was meant to “start a discussion.” Naturally.
Bidwell Junior High School administrators said a letter sent home with students in an eighth-grade class Tuesday was a good idea for a history lesson, with bad execution.
The letter, which appeared to ask parents to renounce their U.S. citizenship, prompted phone calls to the school from several irate recipients…
Reached at home, the teacher said his U.S. History class is studying the Declaration of Independence, and he decided to write a letter putting the document into modern language. His intention, he said, was to send it home for parents to review, and possibly discuss with their children.
He concluded the letter with “After careful consideration of the facts of our current situation, I have decided to announce to everyone that I am no longer a citizen of the United States, but a free and independent member of the global community.”
Guess what else the teacher is teaching the young skulls full of mush.
Chico resident Michael Hill said he was told by his daughter, Kaytlen Hill, 13, that the assignment was to have parents sign the letter and return it to class Wednesday.
“The lesson being taught in class was that the U.S. kidnaps innocent people and takes them to Cuba, where they are kept indefinitely and tortured,” Hill said he learned through his daughter.
When Hill asked her if Brooks mentioned Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where the U.S. imprisons terrorist suspects, he said his daughter replied “yes.”
He said his daughter broke into tears when she talked about Brooks mentioning illegal wiretaps and other surveillance directed against innocent people.
Forget the letter. If Brooks is teaching kids that nonsense about Gitmo and wiretaps, he ought to be fired for rank incompetence. But, not too surprisingly, his superiors are backing him.
Principal Joanne Parsley said teacher Mike Brooks never intended to have parents sign the letters, or forward them on to President Bush, to whom they are addressed.
“It was a well-intended lesson that didn’t shake out too well,” she said, adding that Brooks would not be subject to disciplinary action.
How is it well-intended to make kids cry that their country is jailing and wiretapping perfectly innocent people, when their country is not doing either?
Parsley and Chico Unified School District Assistant Superintendent Bob Feaster said they were shocked when they first saw the letter, which had gone out with no administrative approval, but wanted to give Brooks a chance to explain.
Parsley said he came up with good arguments for the unusual lesson plan, but would do things a little differently next time.
Today, Parsley said, the teacher will send another letter home with students, explaining exactly what the first letter was about, and assuring them that it was only for classroom discussion.
Parsley said she doesn’t believe Brooks has any political agenda to advance.
Of course not. He’s just mischaracterizing our tactics in the war for the fun of it. And his superiors aren’t clued in enough on the war to know the difference.
Or, they have the same political agenda and are protecting Brooks.
More: Not really related, except in terms of the quality of education that some schools deliver: Mexican-American kids get in trouble for wearing t-shirts saying “They can’t deport us all.” The kids sporting the shirts are probably citizens, so deportation probably doesn’t even apply to them.
Now, having slammed public education twice today, let me praise it a bit. My own kid’s public school is by all accounts excellent. The teachers there emphasize the basics of reading, writing and math, personal responsibility (they never let the kids get away with blaming any of their own academic failures on anyone or anything else, and that’s school policy from the top down) and even patriotism. Yeah, I was as surprised as you are. Good teachers and schools probably still outnumber the bad ones, but they never make news so we don’t hear much about them.
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This district’s parents are getting exactly what they deserve.
Jaibones on September 17, 2007 at 9:55 AM
Their children aren’t.
Esthier on September 17, 2007 at 9:57 AM
Typical.
In case you didn’t know there is a glut in Social Studies teachers. So many so that I know of schools that have waiting lists to transfer into the department. Even sadder is everyone of them that I know is a Socialist.
Tim Burton on September 17, 2007 at 9:57 AM
You mean it wasn’t “satire”?
darwin on September 17, 2007 at 9:58 AM
Had another history teacher in that school mentioned the heroism of our troops, that teacher would already be on administrative leave.
jediwebdude on September 17, 2007 at 9:59 AM
The question is, who allows these brain dead leftist fools in the classrooms with our children? The Republic is in deep trouble.
rplat on September 17, 2007 at 10:00 AM
This is why I have my kids in a private faith-based school. Homeschooling is next.
realVerse on September 17, 2007 at 10:00 AM
Best argument I’ve seen for home schooling in a long time.
Longhorn Six on September 17, 2007 at 10:01 AM
If he keeps this up he may become a tenured professor at one of our fine Universities.
trubble on September 17, 2007 at 10:03 AM
Funny. When I studied American history, I was never asked to give up my American citizenship and become a member of the “global community”. I was taught, ya know, American history…
amerpundit on September 17, 2007 at 10:04 AM
Isn’t that the purpose, Social[ist] Studies?
oldleprechaun on September 17, 2007 at 10:06 AM
Why, the brain dead leftist fools who are the administrators of gubmint skools.
Seriously, this should be taken up with the school board–oh, wait, this is California. Bummer.
common sensineer on September 17, 2007 at 10:07 AM
unbelievable. . . he can only get away with it because it is anti-american as has been stated. If he had said something positive about America - that we spread freedom around the world - he’d have been reprimanded.
What a shame. In this case, I wish teachers like this would ‘leave children behind’ if they are going to ‘teach’ them this stuff. Just unbelievable.
ThackerAgency on September 17, 2007 at 10:08 AM
Another interesting thing about this is that while he wants others to renounce their citizenship, he’d be the first to argue that we should grant illegal aliens citizenship as their ‘right’.
This world is backwards.
ThackerAgency on September 17, 2007 at 10:10 AM
There really needs to be a law criminalizing this kind of blatant indoctrination. This goes well beyond the “academic freedom” debate into mental abuse of children.
I note that the commie teacher isn’t even going to be reprimanded for his “lesson.” Leaving aside the offensive nature of this incident, shouldn’t there be SOME consequence for bad teaching? Perhaps probation where a third party has to sign off on lesson plans for a period of time?
highhopes on September 17, 2007 at 10:11 AM
And we wonder how these kids at demonstrations can be so ignorant…
DCJeff on September 17, 2007 at 10:11 AM
I hope that this causes an uproar and gets noticed, beyond blogs. This could be an eye-opener for parents who don’t have a clue what their kids are being taught.
Doug on September 17, 2007 at 10:12 AM
He’d have been fired.
Our schools are actually teaching children to be anti-American. This goes beyond just being Liberal. Liberal would’ve been just the letter attacking Bush’s policies. This is globalist/socialist extremism.
amerpundit on September 17, 2007 at 10:13 AM
Well, you know what they say:
‘Those who can’t, teach. Those who can’t teach, teach gym.’
And apparently those who can’t teach gym, teach social studies.
bloggless on September 17, 2007 at 10:15 AM
I’m not clear, did the teacher sign the letter renouncing his citizenship? What exactly is the process for that? Does he now need a visa to live and work in the US?
Canadian Imperialist Running Dog on September 17, 2007 at 10:17 AM
People, people. The teacher was talking about America #2. Have you forgotten there are 2 Americas?
On-my-soap-box on September 17, 2007 at 10:18 AM
All do respect, that’s very demeaning. I was a teacher years back when that phrase gained popularity. There are capable teachers out there, but they pay crap in our schools now. People like me may love to teach, but you need to feed your family.
The teachers that are good get run out of town.
amerpundit on September 17, 2007 at 10:18 AM
As a former teacher myself (social studies believe it or not) I believe the phrase is:
“Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach. Those who can’t teach, teach gym. Those who can’t teach gym, administrate.”
Capitalist Infidel on September 17, 2007 at 10:22 AM
They don’t pay that poorly, especially when most only work 9 months out of the year. If it was such an underpaid job people wouldn’t be doing it. The problem is teaching has become one of the political arms of the left. Unions (or mafia, to be more precise) intimidate teachers, we have muslims and anti-American liberals dictating what’s in our textbooks and principals and administrators toil everyday to prevent being sued instead of charting the best course for students.
Of course, nowadays you literally can’t get rid of bad teachers either. They’re simply promoted to administrative positions where they do even more damage.
darwin on September 17, 2007 at 10:25 AM
It used to be that parents had to spend extra time with their children to supplement the education provided in public schools.
Now they have to use that time to repair the damage. Fantastic.
mojowire on September 17, 2007 at 10:26 AM
I hear the Ward Churchill spot is still open.
conservnut on September 17, 2007 at 10:29 AM
WAKE UP CALL…
Is anyone listening…
NRA4Freedom on September 17, 2007 at 10:31 AM
Our public school is very patriotic…maybe because we are a navy town.
And when I make enough money saved to survive and get my kids through college I’m going to be a teacher so bite me with that “Those that can’t do teach” crap.
I wonder if people say that at the parent/teacher conferences. “Huh, couldn’t get a real job, huh?”
tlynch001 on September 17, 2007 at 10:32 AM
Those other 3 months are devoted, at least for good teachers, to planning for the next school year. You can’t plan for the upcoming year during the upcoming year.
By that same philosophy, no one would be working at difficult, low-paying jobs.
amerpundit on September 17, 2007 at 10:32 AM
Needless to say, but that’s their parents’ fault. Sorry, Esthier, but I don’t believe in the Federal control of junior high education. Abolish the department of Ed, as it is — obviously — worthless. The local citizens can fix this if they think it needs fixing. Go to the Board meeting and demand the firing of the teacher and the Principal, immediately.
If they don’t, then replace the entire school board at the next election, and have the new board fire them. The voters control this sort of thing.
Jaibones on September 17, 2007 at 10:34 AM
Really I thought it was meant to indoctrinate children to moonbat way of thinking.
Somebody really needs to take this tool out back and have a nice man to moonbat talk with him.
Mojack420 on September 17, 2007 at 10:40 AM
It was a botched joke.
On the plus side, Bill Bennett’s publisher is offering America: The Last, Best Hope at an educators’ discount to encourage its use in schools. If you go to his site, audio of his interview with Jane Foley is up regarding this.
saint kansas on September 17, 2007 at 10:43 AM
Two words: Home schooling.
csdeven on September 17, 2007 at 10:43 AM
Sounds like he has renounced his citizenship. He needs to apply for permission to work before continuing to teach in the public schools, or to hold any other job.
Seriously, though, he should be put in jail (and maybe executed) for treason, for attempting to brainwash his students into renouncing their citizenship. We absolutely don’t need “useful idiots” and dhimmis like him having any influence over our children.
jimbo2 on September 17, 2007 at 10:44 AM
I have no problem paying teachers more. However, we need to trim the fat out of the education budget. What we get for our dollars is pathetic. Combining state and federal budgets comes out to over 500 billion dollars a year we spend on education. I want my money back. Many HS graduates can’t even tell you what 50% of 100 is. Many have no idea what two countries border the US. But they can tell you how bad America is and how “hateful” Christians are, and how wonderful islam is.
Teachers have ZERO authority, many are products of liberal colleges and universities and come not to teach but to indoctrinate. We’re now seeing the years of hard work by leftist indoctrinators at our schools coming to fruition. It ain’t pretty. It will take decades to undo the harm they’ve caused.
I know not all teachers are like that, and I know not all schools are like that … but there are enough that we should seriously begin to take our schools back. We have everything to lose and have lost some battles already.
darwin on September 17, 2007 at 10:46 AM
We need to get rid of “social studies” and get back to teaching history and civics.
“Social studies” is inherently interpretation-based, whereas history is based on facts.
It’s our only hope.
jimbo2 on September 17, 2007 at 10:47 AM
The same protesting fartsacks you saw on campus in the 1960’s and 70’s.
Wade on September 17, 2007 at 10:47 AM
How exactly is this supposed to be comforting? It was “only for classroom discussion”? Why, so that parents would not know what it is the teacher is indoctrinating their kids with? Not particularly comforting, in my mind.
reine.de.tout on September 17, 2007 at 10:48 AM
I’m not saying otherwise.
Esthier on September 17, 2007 at 10:50 AM
The Dept of Ed is a joke. There was no such thing as a federal Dept of Education when I went to school, and I got a much better education than what is passing for education today. Schools should be locally owned and operated.
reine.de.tout on September 17, 2007 at 10:51 AM
I agree. The schools need to be taken back from the anti-American left.
amerpundit on September 17, 2007 at 10:54 AM
The teacher also wrote acceptance speeches at the Emmys.
OK OK I lied. Maybe not. . .
Texyank on September 17, 2007 at 10:58 AM
I have no intentions of biting anyone.
bloggless on September 17, 2007 at 10:59 AM
The article says the Principal is sending a letter of apology from the school to several parents. She also said the teacher did nothing wrong and will not be disciplined.
So…what are you apologizing for?
Jaibones on September 17, 2007 at 11:02 AM
They’re probably offering one of those “I apologize IF anyone was offended” apologies.
Bryan on September 17, 2007 at 11:04 AM
Mine too, Bryan. As parents, you have to be involved though. Talk to your kids and your kid’s teachers. Let them know your paying attention.
Unscientifically, I’ve found you can tell how good a school is by simply going to parents night and all PTA meetings. If they’re “standing room only”, the teachers and administrators are very aware that the parents care and they’d better perform.
BacaDog on September 17, 2007 at 11:10 AM
The parents definitly need to go to the school board. If the school board does nothing, replace them next election. Then explain the situation to the new school board. This does work provided enough people in the community back this. Seeing how this happened in California, good luck with getting the community upset over this.
Buford on September 17, 2007 at 11:22 AM
I’m so glad I send my kids to a private Christian school where they won’t be taught this garbage.
saltydogg14 on September 17, 2007 at 11:33 AM
As do I, but I still must often re-teach or “clarify” what teachers say, even though my children are in a faith-based school.
pullingmyhairout on September 17, 2007 at 11:37 AM
Don’t kid yourself - there are plenty of liberal teachers in private schools as well.
pullingmyhairout on September 17, 2007 at 11:38 AM
Just make sure you read their textbooks, especially starting in about 3rd or 4th grade. There’s a bunch of global warming garbage going on in there.
The best way to teach children about history is to have them read the actual documents, not just read about them. A good school will do both.
pullingmyhairout on September 17, 2007 at 11:40 AM
Despite all the seditious, and anti-God stuff going on at our son’s high school, his principle sent two messages to the student body and their parents over the weekend because a football player had a concussion during Friday night’s game and hangs to life; he asked us to pray for him, both times. I nearly fainted…I cried thinking about his parents and also the fact that he was one of 2 conservative friends my son has. I have to think that there is a greater plan, a reason for this and that I must be patient.
As for the scum who perpetrate this vile indoctrination, I have nothing but contempt. Whenever it’s happened in my children’s classes, I’ve let them know I don’t appreciate their treasonous behavior.
Christine on September 17, 2007 at 11:40 AM
Does anyone really believe that teachers are spending their summers, 8 hours a day 5 days a week, planning for the upcomming school year? Most of the teachers I know think it’s great that they have summers off, and either laze around the house or pick up a summer job for extra cash. That’s going to be a hard sell to convince me that teachers work all summer.
On your second point, about no one working at difficult low-paying jobs, no one does unless they are unqualified for anything else, crazy (by which I mean they enjoy doing something difficult for very little money), or too lazy to actually work hard enough to earn their keep. Teaching as a profession is filled with guarantees and security, and as long as one is willing to show up and take the abuse of their students while having their hands tied by the administration and the legal system, they are set.
samuelrylander on September 17, 2007 at 11:40 AM
Very true. At least in North Carolina. I remember looking at a report a year or so again. First year garbage collectors get paid more than cops or school teachers here. Who wants to go to school, get a degree and then attend more classes to get a teaching certificate only to be paid less than a uneducated garbage collector? makes no sense.
I home schooled both my kids for the middle school years and first year of high school. They were amazed at how dumbed down the school system is compared to home school. I wasn’t. That’s why I home schooled them.
Guardian on September 17, 2007 at 11:40 AM
And people still wonder why more kids are being home-schooled.
thejackal on September 17, 2007 at 11:53 AM
I can only speak from my location, but I disagree completely.
1. You can get your certification with just three classes that you can take while getting your degree.
2. The starting pay for a teacher (in my area) is well above any other job I could possibly get.
3. Teachers get an insane amount of time off, so that pay is for only 9 months, which means they’re getting paid for only working 3/4ths as much as anyone else.
4. I imagine the demand for garbage collectors exceeds the supply of those who want to work with garbage.
Esthier on September 17, 2007 at 11:53 AM
Since the children are the future, I see no future for the West. Virtually all schools function like this. Leftism is a disease that eats any society from within. Unfortunately, it only seems to take root in western societies.
There is no cure. No society in the history of the west, having gone left, has ever corrected itself. There is no precedent for it, nor can I see that dynamic taking place short of the total destruction of our society, say in the wake of a nuclear holocaust, in which politics is replaced by the simple need to survive.
I am so glad I have no children to worry about. These could very well be the End Times.
jihadwatcher on September 17, 2007 at 12:08 PM
amerpundit on September 17, 2007 at 10:32 AM
One last thing. Teaching is difficult in that it’s a real pain in the butt to put up the students when your hands are tied, and at least some of the time you have to take papers home to grade. But that’s about it, as the abundance of numbskulls like the one featured in this thread ought to show you. But is the guy going to get fired for being an idiot? No. How about not doing his job? No. How about firing him for being negligent of his real duties and instead promoting his ideology? I guess not. Other than those “pain in the butt” irritations of which every job has some, teaching is not difficult.
It’s difficult like digging ditches is difficult. Or like the guy with the “Stop/Slow” sign that works for road construction companies has a difficult job. Any idiot with a shovel can dig a ditch. Just because it isn’t fun does not equate, does not equate to difficult.
samuelrylander on September 17, 2007 at 12:12 PM
The only reason to renounce citizenship is in 12 grade history. Renounce citizenship in your senior year, so you can get free tuition to college the next year.
You see, he was helping the students get into college.
right2bright on September 17, 2007 at 12:13 PM
What is ironic is a special on Agassi’s school in Las Vegas champions his school and its effectivness. Meanwhile he supports the Dems who are totally agains school choice, magnet schools, schools with high standards, schools that make the parents responsible…all the things that make his school so successful, he supports the people who want to destroy his methods.
And the Republicans who have wanted and demand those type of schools, are regarded as “mean spirited”, un-caring, etc.
Amazing, simpy amazing. Even with the facts, even with their own succeeding, they won’t admit how wrong they are. Instead they keep undermining, and undereducating.
And no one suffers more than the poor…the democrats, the birth place of “un-education”.
right2bright on September 17, 2007 at 12:19 PM
I heard Boortz on the radio today say a school in Washington State tried to deny an education degree to a student because he was a conservative. Haven’t been able to find it online yet though, anyone know anything?
BadgerHawk on September 17, 2007 at 12:26 PM
There are several local school districts in my area. Staring salaries for 1st year teachers range from $37K to $39K. That’s with no experience. There are also yearly stipends available if you teach ESL or special education. that’s pretty good for fresh out of school.
Where it really starts to suck is after 20 years of teaching, those same teachers are only making around 55K.
There’s just not much upward mobility in teaching, unfortunately. That’s why most teach for the love of it, not the money.
pullingmyhairout on September 17, 2007 at 12:28 PM
Did I miss it or what? Where is Chico?
jeanie on September 17, 2007 at 12:49 PM
It has never made sense to me why so many social studies teachers are leftists. In my experience, the more I study history and economics and government and such, the more conservative I become. The lessons of history in particular clearly point to a more conservative philosophy as being more likely to produce a positive outcome for a society. I don’t get how these social studies teachers and professors can truly study history and see leftism as a winning philosophy. I can almost forgive leftists who are ignorant of the lessons of history. But I can’t forgive the ones who study history for a living. There’s just no excuse for missing the glaring fact that leftism has failed miserably, time and time again, everywhere it’s been tried, forever.
aero on September 17, 2007 at 12:50 PM
Lenin would be proud at the results our Education system has achieved…
Miss_Anthrope on September 17, 2007 at 12:57 PM
Or why many take the money that comes with administration.
Miss_Anthrope on September 17, 2007 at 12:58 PM
northern kalifornia…
Miss_Anthrope on September 17, 2007 at 12:59 PM
Using the classroom as a soapbox to advance your own political agenda is simply unprofessional. The history and social “science” teachers/professors are the worst offenders.
Little Boomer on September 17, 2007 at 1:24 PM
It was meant to start a discussion because children in the Iraq don’t have globes.
Black Adam on September 17, 2007 at 1:41 PM
And at that point I agree. It’s a good job for a few years when you’re straight out of college, after that, ideally, you should be able to find a better paying job.
Even still though, I currently supervise a team of about 13 people.
One is a former teacher. The starting pay here is 9 dollars an hour, but she’s here anyway since she can’t get a better paying job anywhere else. She would have been better off staying at her old job.
Esthier on September 17, 2007 at 1:44 PM
I didn’t see this bit quoted up top (possibly because of fair-use restrictions), but I thought it was worth mentioning:
This guy caught it, but the parents who don’t care or don’t pay attention aren’t likely to, nor will they pull their kids from this liberal propagandist’s (but I repeat myself) class.
I hope talk radio and people like O’Reilly get ahold of this story and run with it. It’s an absolute disgrace, and what’s worse is that the “teacher” who’s responsible isn’t even getting reprimanded for it.
ReubenJCogburn on September 17, 2007 at 1:44 PM
The problem is the “democratization” of the teachers unions. Public school is like sending your kids to an AFL-CIO training seminar and telling them to study hard.
Buck Turgidson on September 17, 2007 at 1:50 PM
What sucks even worse than teachers politicizing classrooms, is good teachers who have to use the subversive textbooks the leftists and muslims have successfully gotten our schools to accept. Many of these books blantantly twist history, paint the US as bad, capitalism as bad, and paint a touch feely and rosy picture of islam.
darwin on September 17, 2007 at 1:57 PM
Yeah, I can’t relate. The teachers in metro areas make good money, and have a retirement plan the Senate is jealous of. Get a Masters in education (which takes less effort than driving a truck for a year) and you jump into administration. Get a PhD in education (calling it that is an insult to PhDs everywhere), and your pay leaps, and you can become a Principal or district administrator, and then the real money comes.
I’ll never for the teachers strike in Downers Grove, Illinois, where some intrepid reporter noted that over 110 people in the district made more than $100,000 per year.
On strike.
Jaibones on September 17, 2007 at 2:45 PM
Exactly. “I’m sorry if you didn’t understand…”
Jaibones on September 17, 2007 at 2:48 PM
That’s actually a big problem for teachers trying to change careers. Many employers don’t count teaching as being particularly useful “professional experience,” or an education degree as having equal value to most other 4-year degrees. Even trying to transition into other kinds of teaching, like corporate training, is very difficult for teachers, who are subtly viewed as second-class citizens in the professional world because they have never had to be out in the “real world” like other applicants have.
I was a teacher, and I made a successful professional transition. But it was only because I had enough foresight to get my master’s degree in something other than Education. Plus, the field I transitioned to is tangentially related to education, so being a former teacher was a boon rather than a detriment. If I had tried to move in any other direction, I know I would have had a much harder time.
Anyway, transitioning back to teaching is a problem, too. For example, if I were to try to go back to teaching some day, I’d have to go back to a fourth-year teacher’s pay rate, though I’ve been a professional in a field related to education for about 15 years now. Schools would not recognize that professional experience when placing me on the pay ladder, so I’d have to take a severe–really severe–pay cut to do it. That’s probably why hardly anyone who leaves teaching ever goes back to the classroom. It’s a problem that I’m convinced is contributing to the shortage of teachers in some areas. School districts really need to start recognizing other professional experience on the pay scale if they want to attract people from other professions. Who would leave a job as a veteran working scientist or lab tech–even if they were tired of the job and wanted to “give something back” by teaching and inspiring the next generation of scientists–to go teach high school chemistry if they had to go back to rookie pay to do it? Doesn’t work.
aero on September 17, 2007 at 3:11 PM
“…adding that Brooks would not be subject to disciplinary action”
Too bad.
If I were a parent who received one of these letters from my child asking me to renounce my citzenship, I’d return it with a note that said: “You first.”
Then I notify ICE that a non-citizen, non-legal, non-resident alien, might be teaching in a public school.
I have to agree with Bryan about the public schools in my district. Other than “dumbed down” textbooks (from when I was in school), I can’t see very much evidence of liberal dogma. The textbook publishers, as far as I can tell, writen for the “lowest common denominator” and compete like any other business for government dollars.
Imagine that, our kids being educated by the publisher that was lowest bidder.
georgej on September 17, 2007 at 3:27 PM
After careful consideration of the facts of our current situation, I have decided to announce to everyone that I am no longer a citizen of the United States, but a free and independent member of the global community.
LOL!
What a small thinker.
Those who can, do, those who can’t, teach, or try to anyway.
After careful consideration of the facts of our current situation, I have decided to announce to everyone that I am no longer a citizen of the United States, but an ascended and omnipotent member of the Q collective.
MB4 on September 17, 2007 at 4:37 PM
Jean-Luc finds your games annoying Q, you scurrilous bastard.
BKennedy on September 17, 2007 at 5:04 PM
Hey, good news. Today I found out that my professor and nearly every white guy (myself excluded) in my class is a 9/11 conspiracy theorist. And not just 9/11 conspiracy theorists, but Loosers (prof excepted, she just believes every stupid thing she sees on tv).
Darth Executor on September 17, 2007 at 5:14 PM
mbrooks@chicousd.org Ask him what crap he’s shoveling today.
roninacreage on September 17, 2007 at 5:36 PM
They should both be fires.
peacenprosperity on September 17, 2007 at 7:57 PM
r2b, there’s a significant fact missing. Agassi’s school isn’t open to any applicant. It is targeted to “at-risk” children, a determination subject to the school administrators’
whimsopinions. Agassi is a good guy, doing what he believes is a good deed, but I see it as an expensive showcase for how one wealthy American can treat some poor folks well. If your kid wins the lottery, he gets a high-priced education paid for by a tennis player. It isn’t about school choice, and I’d wait a few more years to see how “involved” parents remain with how that school operates, once it passes the celebrity phase of existence.Meanwhile, the real problem isn’t how much money is thrown at education. The real problem is that what is being taught isn’t preparing students to be competent, productive, civic-minded, independent citizens who love and support their country.
There are yet some decent public schools. Any parent who loves their child and cares for their future needs to be absolutely certain such is the case before letting that school have their kids. Any expense demanded by home/private schooling is worth the return on investment otherwise.
I wonder how many students of this anti-American rat brought that renouncement letter home, asked their parents to sign it, and got it signed without even a reading of its contents. I guarantee that’s what he was hoping for, and that as many as a third of them were signed. The question remains what he was hoping to accomplish, what lesson he was planning to teach. Did he wish to then claim to his students that their parents really didn’t love this country, so why should they? Did he plan to actually send any of them to the President?
The most ironic thing is that a careful reading of the Declaration of Independence in today’s political environment wouldn’t drive a real American to renounce anything, rather to consider how close it is to time for a renewed revolution for Liberty.
Freelancer on September 18, 2007 at 6:17 AM