Anti-war teachers disrupt assembly honoring students enlisting in the military

posted at 12:15 pm on June 16, 2010 by Cassy Fiano
[ Education ]   

Six students at Dennis Yarmouth Regional High School in Massachusetts decided to enlist in the military following graduation. The school was understandably proud, and held an assembly honoring their service to their country. How did two moonbat teachers respond? They crashed the assembly and protested, holding “end war” signs.

Two teachers at Dennis Yarmouth Regional High School have touched off a firestorm after holding up an “End War” sign at a school assembly where six students who’ve enlisted in the military were being honored.

Many in the community say the teachers crossed a line and treated their own students with disrespect.

The students received a standing ovation, but at that point the two teachers sat down refusing to clap.

Teacher Marybeth Verani defends her protest saying, “I’m showing students in a democracy how to exercise dissent.”

Some students responded by leafleting her classroom with signs saying “Support Our Troops.”

The honored students were stunned.

“For people to not really show support… no one has to agree with your decision, but they can help you along with your decision,” said Evan Tuohy-Bedford, who enlisted with the U.S. Marines.

“Now it’s hard to see them as a role model if they’re not supporting their students,” said Ashley Jacob, who’s also enlisted with the U.S. Marines.

Students say Marybeth Verani talks frequently about her political views, and choosing this public forum now has principal Ken Jenks taking a closer look.

“I think there’s a sincere interest in fostering that dialogue, but I think the classroom is a better environment,” said Jenks.

First, these teachers should be immediately fired. End of story. To disrespect students in such a way is inexcusable, especially when these students are willing to fight to defend their freedom to be ignorant, rude, moonbat asses. Showing students how to exercise dissent? Please. It’s the most pathetic excuse possible. This teacher, Marybeth Verani, is so self-righteous and deluded that she actually feels like she did something honorable.

Considering the principal of the school considers the classroom an appropriate place to make politicial statements, though, they probably won’t face any kind of disciplinary action. What does it say about our education system when the classroom is considered a good place to make political statements? That’s called indoctrination, something that’s far too commonplace in our schools today.

As if this protest wasn’t disrespectful enough, there was also an honored guest at the assembly.

Heightening the reaction was the attendance of Yarmouth police Lt. Steven Xiarhos, who lost his son, U.S. Marine Cpl. Nicholas Xiarhos, to a roadside bombing in Afghanistan in July 2009.

Nicholas Xiarhos, a 2006 D-Y grad, was among the first group of students to receive a plaque recognizing their military service.

So the father of a graduate of this school who gave his life for his country was in attendance. And these teachers, these selfish idiots, clearly did not care about how it might make this man feel to see these two basically disrespecting the sacrifice his son made and the service his son gave. Clearly, these teachers didn’t care that this moment was not about them, their ideals, or their politics. It was meant to be about the students — and yet they came, crashed the party, and made it all about them instead.

What to many was a sign of respect for the students was to the protesting teachers a recruiting moment, said Verani, who noted that assistant principal George Morrison, a National Guardsman, attended in military fatigues.

“This was a captive audience,” she said, adding that the plaques should have been given out at an after-school awards ceremony that was not compulsory attendance for all students.

Verani and Koscher tucked their sign away and sat while the names of the six students entering the U.S. Marine Corps, Army and National Guard were announced.

They remained seated while the rest of those at the assembly gave the students a standing ovation.

“Standing and applauding is a sign of support for the decision these people have made,” Verani said. “I want them to be home and alive and well and going to college and dating and having kids and coaching Little League.”

The protest struck the wrong note with many attendees, Jenks said.

“Large numbers of students and faculty were upset,” he said. “This is a recognition ceremony, not a classroom debate.”

The majority of the students and faculty approved of the assembly and were proud of the students. They got a standing ovation, for cripe’s sake. Verani says one thing that is true: that standing and applauding is a sign of support. Virtually everyone at that school supported the six students enlisting into the military, except these two teachers. But they had to come along and spoil it for everybody.

The faux empathy doesn’t wash, either. These two teachers don’t give a damn about these students. They may claim that they want them home, safe, doing normal college kid things, but they fail to realize that some people are called to a higher purpose than just going to college — and that students don’t need their permission to enlist in the military. These students are just political props to them, an excuse to wave anti-war signs and act like they’re brave dissenters. They don’t actually care about whether or not these six students go to college and get married and have kids. They couldn’t possibly understand that if a brave, honorable few didn’t feel called to serve, then the rest of us wouldn’t have that safe, comfortable lifestyle that these two hold so dear. And when it comes down to it, it doesn’t matter what they want these kids to do. If the students want to enlist in the military, then it is their decision to make. It doesn’t matter if they want them to go to college. It’s not their choice.

If these teachers wanted to protest the military, then they have every right to. If they want to protest the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, then they can. But there’s a time and a place to do that. An assembly honoring students enlisting, when the father of a fallen Marine is there, is not that time and place. It’s disgraceful, disrespectful, and disgusting. They should be fired and never allowed near a classroom again.

UPDATE:

I did a little research and got some e-mail addresses for the school.

First, here are the e-mail addresses for the two teachers who actually did the despicable deed. Feel free to give them a piece of your mind — but remember to be respectful and to use absolutely no profanity. Just because they are shrill, rude, disrespectful, anti-military, anti-American harpies doesn’t mean you should lower yourselves to their level. Keep a civil tone, please.

• Adeline Koscher: koschera@dy-regionalk12.ma.us
• Marybeth Verani: veranim@dy-regionalk12.ma.us

The following people you should e-mail — again, politely and respectfully — and demand that these teachers be fired. Remember that these people do not necessarily hold any kind of anti-military bias. One of them, George Morrison, is in the National Guard. But be firm and be direct.

• Kenneth Jenks, principal: jenksk@dy-regionalk12.ma.us
• Michael Grenier, assistant principal: grenierm@dy-regionalk12.ma.us
• George Morrison, assistant principal: morrisog@dy-regionalk12.ma.us
• Mary Wollak, assistant principal: wollakmc@dy-regionalk12.ma.us
• Ann Knell, assistant principal: knella@dy-regionalk12.ma.us
• Judith Provencher, assistant to assistant principals: provenj@dy-regionalk12.ma.us
• Eileen Whalen, administrative assistant: whalene@dy-regionalk12.ma.us

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Follow Cassy on Twitter and read more of her work at CassyFiano.com and Hard Corps Wife.

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