Education thread

[O Really]

A grade 8 kid suddenly finds his crackpot teacher to be the most credible person in his life? Maybe a bit exaggerated?
But yeah, teach should be named, shamed, and dumped.

[Vrede too]

California School District Disciplines Teacher For Telling Students Trump Is Still President

A California middle school teacher has been disciplined after telling students that Donald Trump is still president, COVID vaccines are frightening and Hunter Biden had sex with his niece and was doing deals in Ukraine and China.

None of that is true.

The “lesson,” given last month by a history teacher at Anacapa Middle School in Ventura, was recorded by one of her students.

“I trusted her to teach him the facts about history and she went off on this rant like a preacher on a pulpit,” said Sarah Silikula, whose 8th-grade son recorded the teacher.

The comments upset and confused her son, Slikula told CBS Los Angeles.

“He’s hurt. He’s scared. He doesn’t trust his parents now. He thinks we lied to him,” she said.

“He announced: ‘I’m never getting vaccinated. I’m never getting any more shots of any kind. Did you know Trump’s still president?’” she added.

School district officials investigated and said they did not condone the teacher’s comments. The unnamed teacher has been disciplined in accordance with a policy agreed to with the teachers’ union; however, officials offered no details.

The superintendent told Silikula that her son’s class was switched to another teacher, but his former teacher is still working at the school.

Silikula called the action inadequate.

“Whatever anybody’s political belief is, I respect. It’s their belief,” Silikula said. “Don’t impose it on my child who I trusted in your care.”

The teacher should be named, shamed and placed on immediate mandatory psychiatric leave.

A grade 8 kid suddenly finds his crackpot teacher to be the most credible person in his life? Maybe a bit exaggerated?

One would hope, but is it really that unrealistic to think that a 14 year old would temporarily (hopefully) believe what tens of millions of adult Trumpettes and antivaxxers believe?

But yeah, teach should be named, shamed, and dumped.

As an example of the above, whiny California Karens strike back:

California Tries to Close the Gap in Math, but Sets Off a Backlash

Then, nationwide:

'I Don't Want to Die for It': School Board Members Face Rising Threats

[Vrede too]

A grade 8 kid suddenly finds his crackpot teacher to be the most credible person in his life? Maybe a bit exaggerated?
But yeah, teach should be named, shamed, and dumped.

A California middle school removed a history teacher who told her students that Trump is still president

A history teacher in California has been removed from her job after she told her students that Donald Trump is still president.

... It's unclear whether the teacher is still employed by Ventura Unified, the district that oversees Anacapa.

... But parents say that's not enough. The parent of the eighth-grader who now fears getting vaccinated against the coronavirus says her child and her husband have a damaged relationship because of the teacher's comments.

His father questioned what the eighth-grader learned in school, and the son said he believed his teacher. "When he first got in the car and said, 'Dad, teachers know everything. She's right, dad. You're wrong.' He's damaged. He's hurt. He's scared. He doesn't trust his parents now. He thinks we lied to him," the parent told CBS New York.

He's a budding Trumpette.

[O Really]

They've now officially fired her.

Counselors have been sent to the school to assist those 8th-graders emotionally damaged by receiving bogus information from a teacher.

[Vrede too]

They've now officially fired her.

Counselors have been sent to the school to assist those 8th-graders emotionally damaged by receiving bogus information from a teacher.

Counselors are okay, I guess, but I hope they also send scientists, doctors, election experts and other qualified people that will tell the kids the truth and prove that it's the truth.

[neoplacebo]

They've now officially fired her.

Counselors have been sent to the school to assist those 8th-graders emotionally damaged by receiving bogus information from a teacher.

Oh, fuck, just what we need....a goddamn right wing victim shooting down the tube just in time for Thanksgiving. Mashed potatoes and gravy. Now there's a conspiracy.

[Ulysses]

The teacher could always run for governor.

[O Really]

Some states have been somewhat controversial in making teachers fill in for staff such as bus drivers and maintenance. Michigan, home of one of the best universities in the country and one of the sorriest public school systems, just passed a bill that would allow bus drivers and lunch ladies to be substitute teachers - regardless of education, experience, or lack thereof. For real. Maybe this post doesn't even belong in "Education" and should be in "Can't make this stuff up."

https://www.bridgemi.com/talent-educati ... ubstitutes

[Vrede too]

I Joined A Far-Right Group Of Moms. What I Witnessed Was Frightening.

... For several years now I have been worried about the increasing right-wing views that I have noticed in my demographic (white suburban women). Before 2016, I always thought of Nazis as mainly historical villains that belonged in Indiana Jones movies or old news reels or the sad stories my grandfather told me. Now, however, as the last Holocaust survivors are dying, I am aware that fascism is creeping back into the world at large in terrifying ways.

I wanted to know how I could fight against the appallingly stupid yet dangerously widespread disinformation that is entrancing many of my friends and neighbors. Basic facts about COVID-19 are being dismissed by whole states as part of the “liberal mainstream corporate media.” Bodies from COVID victims were stacking up in ICUs and filling the morgues back in 2020, yet I was still called a “child abuser” by people on the street because I made my son wear a mask. Why are people going nuts? Why are people dismissing science and history in favor of conspiracy theories? And, most importantly, how could we nudge the nation in a saner direction?

I was especially curious about activist groups that specifically target suburban women. These groups seemed intent on making life more dangerous for my child. According to my local right-wing women’s group, masks should not be allowed in school. They told us to stop worrying about kids dying of COVID. They were also vocal about not wanting racism and its deep, formative history in the United States to be taught. Some of these people literally do not believe white privilege exists because, according to them, the Union soldiers who fought in the Civil War were overwhelmingly white. (No, I don’t understand that argument either.) Others feel parts of our country’s history shouldn’t be included in curriculums if it makes people ― namely white people ― uncomfortable....

[GoCubsGo]

I Joined A Far-Right Group Of Moms. What I Witnessed Was Frightening.

... For several years now I have been worried about the increasing right-wing views that I have noticed in my demographic (white suburban women). Before 2016, I always thought of Nazis as mainly historical villains that belonged in Indiana Jones movies or old news reels or the sad stories my grandfather told me. Now, however, as the last Holocaust survivors are dying, I am aware that fascism is creeping back into the world at large in terrifying ways.

I wanted to know how I could fight against the appallingly stupid yet dangerously widespread disinformation that is entrancing many of my friends and neighbors. Basic facts about COVID-19 are being dismissed by whole states as part of the “liberal mainstream corporate media.” Bodies from COVID victims were stacking up in ICUs and filling the morgues back in 2020, yet I was still called a “child abuser” by people on the street because I made my son wear a mask. Why are people going nuts? Why are people dismissing science and history in favor of conspiracy theories? And, most importantly, how could we nudge the nation in a saner direction?

I was especially curious about activist groups that specifically target suburban women. These groups seemed intent on making life more dangerous for my child. According to my local right-wing women’s group, masks should not be allowed in school. They told us to stop worrying about kids dying of COVID. They were also vocal about not wanting racism and its deep, formative history in the United States to be taught. Some of these people literally do not believe white privilege exists because, according to them, the Union soldiers who fought in the Civil War were overwhelmingly white. (No, I don’t understand that argument either.) Others feel parts of our country’s history shouldn’t be included in curriculums if it makes people ― namely white people ― uncomfortable....

One woman said she disliked the term 'bounty' but she could see the need for 'monetary compensation' for those who turn in teachers that were doing things parents found unacceptable. ... 'If we have to offer monetary compensation for people to report teachers, I see no problem with that. It’s an incentive for people to wake up.'

Under the assumption that a large swath of Americans didn't suddenly become idiots overnight, they certainly have been in the wings and are feeling empowered and vocalizing it.

I shudder at the type of calamity it's going to take to shut them up and shut them down.

[billy.pilgrim]

https://www.rawstory.com/republican-pol ... education/

shoo fly, we got no time or money fo no pickaninnies or white trash. Education is fo them what pays taxes fo education.


"It’s a bedrock principle of American law that average people can vindicate their legal and constitutional rights in courts of law and have those courts compel or prevent acts of other branches of government."

"From preventing the taking of private property without compensation, to ordering necessary services for, say, people living with disabilities, or even an incarcerated person, such action can take several forms."

"Despite multiple judicial determinations that the state’s K-12 schools are unconstitutionally deficient, the Republican politicians – including, last week, a pair of appellate court judges – say that no court can order the legislature to actually fix the problem.

According to the judges in question, state courts have “no authority to order the appropriation of monies to satisfy any execution of [the Leandro] judgment.”'

"All that said, North Carolina state Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger has taken things a step further. Not only did he deny the power of courts to remedy the state’s unconstitutional education system, but last week he also blamed the situation in the state’s schools on the plaintiffs in the case – that is, low wealth counties and the kids unlucky enough to attend school therein."

[Vrede too]

https://www.rawstory.com/republican-pol ... education/ ...

NC used to be renowned for its public education system, not after years of RepuQ legislatures and sometimes RepuQ Gov.

Linked from your link:

NC Court of Appeals rules judge can’t force legislature to meet state’s obligation for $1.7B school improvement plan

... Tamika Walker Kelly, president of the NC Association of Educators, responded to the Court’s ruling on Twitter.

“I’ve never ever, in my whole life, seen people work so hard to DENY children the resources they need to be successful,” Kelly said.

The "radical leftist" ideas:

... The recommendations include staffing each classroom with a competent, well-trained teacher; staffing each school with a competent, well-trained principal and identifying the resources to ensure all children have an equal opportunity to obtain a sound, basic education, among others.

The state budget funds 53% of the school improvement plan this school year but falls to 43% next year, according to Kris Nordstrom, a senior policy analyst in the North Carolina Justice Center’s Education & Law project.

The NC Court of Appeals is majority RepuQ. The state Supreme Court is majority Dem, we'll see.

[O Really]

The NC Court of Appeals is majority RepuQ. The state Supreme Court is majority Dem, we'll see.

How sad, tragic, outrageous and infuriating that that even matters.

[GoCubsGo]

Ever wonder about the silliness of our hierarchical court system?

Every decision is appealed and no decision is ever final until a supreme court makes it and supreme courts never seem to pay any sort of attention to lower court rulings.

O Really, can you clarify?

[neoplacebo]

Ever wonder about the silliness of our hierarchical court system?

Every decision is appealed and no decision is ever final until a supreme court makes it and supreme courts never seem to pay any sort of attention to lower court rulings.

O Really, can you clarify?

I think what he means is that justice is supposed to be blind, not being influenced by partisan views of individual judges. Chief Justice Roberts attempted to emphasize this a few years ago to no avail.

[O Really]

Theoretically - and to a large degree historically - courts have jurisdiction over specific laws and/or geographical regions. Lower courts have limited jurisdiction, state courts a bit more. Anybody can file an appeal, but it's supposed to be based on a particular reason, e.g., the lower court did not follow the law, there were significant procedural errors, the judge showed bias, relevant evidence was not allowed, etc. Or a case may be moved from state court to federal court if, for example, the state court applied the state law properly, but the state law conflicts with federal. The Supreme Court is supposed to rule primarily on matters of constitutionality. The problem relatively recently is that so many political cases have been fast-tracked through the appeals system and appeals have been accepted because of political issues so it seems like appeals are automatic. Ask the black guy convicted for killing somebody 50 miles away from where he was on the night of the crime how easy it is to get an appeal heard or advanced. His story would be different from, for example, those who keep suing over those inhumane, cruel and unusual mask requirements.

[Vrede too]

Ever wonder about the silliness of our hierarchical court system?

Every decision is appealed and no decision is ever final until a supreme court makes it and supreme courts never seem to pay any sort of attention to lower court rulings.

O Really, can you clarify?

District Court
Court of Appeals panel
Full Court of Appeals
State Supreme Court

We need some form of judicial review to keep the wingnuts in check, and fewer cases are heard at each level.
Anyone can appeal, but that doesn't mean it will be heard.
In fact, tons of solid lower court rulings are never heard by a higher court.
So, only possibly sketchy rulings ever rise higher. This is why we hear of a seemingly large number being overturned, but it's still the minority.

[neoplacebo]

Ever wonder about the silliness of our hierarchical court system?

Every decision is appealed and no decision is ever final until a supreme court makes it and supreme courts never seem to pay any sort of attention to lower court rulings.

O Really, can you clarify?

I think what he means is that justice is supposed to be blind, not being influenced by partisan views of individual judges. Chief Justice Roberts attempted to emphasize this a few years ago to no avail.

Not sure if this is partisan influence, but when money is involved partisanship always lands on the money side. Buncombe County family fucked by legal system.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/equity-erase ... 38224.html

[GoCubsGo]

^^^^^^ ^^^^^

Thx O Really and Vrede.

Guessing some of the political crap is fast tracked because it's "time sensitive ".

That, and the bigger reason....$$$$$

[Ulysses]

Theoretically - and to a large degree historically - courts have jurisdiction over specific laws and/or geographical regions. Lower courts have limited jurisdiction, state courts a bit more. Anybody can file an appeal, but it's supposed to be based on a particular reason, e.g., the lower court did not follow the law, there were significant procedural errors, the judge showed bias, relevant evidence was not allowed, etc. Or a case may be moved from state court to federal court if, for example, the state court applied the state law properly, but the state law conflicts with federal. The Supreme Court is supposed to rule primarily on matters of constitutionality. The problem relatively recently is that so many political cases have been fast-tracked through the appeals system and appeals have been accepted because of political issues so it seems like appeals are automatic. Ask the black guy convicted for killing somebody 50 miles away from where he was on the night of the crime how easy it is to get an appeal heard or advanced. His story would be different from, for example, those who keep suing over those inhumane, cruel and unusual mask requirements.

Thanks for the clear explanation of the appeals process and its current state.

One thing I've learned in my life is to do whatever I can to avoid getting hauled into civil or criminal court for any reason. Either as a defendant or a plaintiff.

That said, some things you gotta fight. Like photo tickets ;-).