Teacher's politics disturbs students

[Sydnie]

First-graders were told Kerry 'kills babies'
By STEVE URBON, Standard-Times senior correspondent

FAIRHAVEN -- A Rogers School music teacher sent first-graders home on Election Day to warn their parents against voting for pro-choice presidential candidate John Kerry because he "kills babies," according to a School Committee member.
The graphic political lesson so traumatized some of the first- and second-grade students at the Fairhaven school that it prompted a parental backlash and hasty meetings between parents and school officials.
The teacher, Rita Campoli, did not return a call at her New Bedford home seeking comment yesterday. But Fairhaven School Committee member Michael Gagne said he has been swamped with calls and e-mails from irate parents, as have school administrators.
The aunt of one first-grader called The Standard-Times to say that her niece had collapsed in tears at the idea that candidate Kerry was somehow responsible for the killing of babies in abortions. "She hardly has an idea of death. And now she has this vision of John Kerry killing babies."
Assistant Superintendent Ralph W. Tripp could not be reached for comment yesterday afternoon. But in an e-mail to Mr. Gagne and others, he explained that the teacher had used her classes to bring up abortion and euthanasia, both of which she opposes.

<more>
http://www.s-t.com/daily/11-04/11-05-04/a01lo839.htm

This is unbelievable -- right here in Mass!!! I hope these parents contact a good lawyer and sue the teacher and the district! If I had been one of those parents, I would be on the phone to the ACLU so fast it would make the entire town spin!

[lonewolf0507]

1. Why is a music teacher discussing Abortions in class?

[ElsewheresDaughter]

17. and to 1st graders no less!! this is an OUTRAGE!!!! this bitch is EVIL!!!!

[symphony]

61. ditto ... I hope they fire the bitch

she would certainly be fired if this were my school district

Educators need to keep their opinions to themselves. These poor babies (the 1st graders) were truly traumatized.

Anything about * killing innocent children and women by the thousands?

[Lenape85]

69. OMG, And they accuse college professors of forcing political beliefs

[blm]

2. Evidently this was an organized act. All over the country this happened.

Every damn one of them should be hit with a lawsuit.

[Danocrat]

11. They better hurry

before the lawyers are all gone

[snippy]

3. This is what happens when people vote republican. n/t

[girl gone mad]

4. Someone on DU was talking about the same thing..

happening to her daughter. She was very upset about it. I wonder if this is her. Glad it came out in the media.

[Sabriel]

20. I think that was in Alabama

Apparently these aren't isolated incidents. Egad. All I can say is, they'd better not do it to my daughter.

[southlandshari]

63. That was probably me

Although I've been told that other DUers have reported similar problems, so you may be referring to another poster (sad that this has happened once, terrifying that it seems to be common these days). Here's my story:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x2600992

I did take some action today (I will file a report in my original thread tomorrow; too exhausted tonight). Nothing as significant as many suggested (though the thought of taking the bold steps was satisfying in and of itself!). The school administration was very responsive. The young woman (she wasn't an actual teacher but a college student worker in the afterschool program) denied she made the comment, but it seemed clear she wasn't believable to those who questioned her.

Of all the things I find frightening about the impact of big Republican wins on Tuesday, this is the scariest. If so many "teachers" believe they can say these horrific things to children (very young children) without consequence, it may be an ominous sign of far worse things to come.

[smbolisnch]

5. These teachers seem to be coming out of the woodwork....

And I have to ask the same question....in which of her music classes was she told that she should teach her 6 year old students her very skewed ideals? Scary.....

[sniffa]

6. i want her fired

and her given a wedgie.

[Wright Patman]

7. Wow!

I work with a young lady whose 7-year-old daughter has just had this exact same experience. Of course, in East Texas, it is more to be expected.

But the little girl came home crying one day about a month ago and begged her mom not to vote for John Kerry because, she screamed hysterically, "he kills babies!" The teacher had given a campaign speech to the little ones and told them to be sure and tell their parents not to vote for Kerry.

The first grade teacher who demonized Kerry belongs to the local Baptist church, as do I. In fact, the pastor ran for the local school board twice and was elected the second time. The school superintendent is a prominent lay leader in the same church.

So there is really no recourse short of a lawsuit and any local lawyer who took on such a case would receive the kind of persecution from Christians that Christians are always saying they receive from "the world."

The teacher's behavior did not surprise me in the least. She thinks she is piling up reward points in heaven.

Why the teacher thought having her students influence the parents to vote against Kerry was necessary in Texas is another matter. I would aasume she knows very little about the electoral college system.

[libbygurl]

8. Seems to be a coordinated, nationwide effort, from all these

anecdotes that bear striking similarities to one another!

Horrors! When will these people stop? (stupid question--ans. is NEVER!)

[girl gone mad]

19. My son came home the day before the election..

saying someone at school had told him John Kerry kills babies. I'm used to hearing that kind of stuff in Texas, so I just assumed he meant one of the kids. I'll have to ask him this afternoon if it was actually a teacher that was saying this.

[NVMojo]

60. these teachers sound like religious suicide bombers.

[LizW]

9. There's something very wrong with this person

This is worse than just religious or political zealotry. There is an element of viciousness in it that is very disturbing. Why would an adult say something so cruel to young children? Why would someone in the teaching profession, who supposedly is trained in child development, and understands how young minds work, deliberately inject into those young minds the image of the potential President killing babies.

Every adult knows that most first graders don't understand everything about pregnancy and childbirth. Yet the teachers who say these things are deliberately using words and imagery intended to frighten and horrify children. They know that these children don't know what abortion is, and they know that the children will hear "kills babies" and lock on an image of Kerry literally, personally killing live babies.

That is child abuse and it is sick.

[atommom]

10. That's cruel, and absolutely sickening.

If one of my child's teachers did that, I would be calling for an immediate firing! :mad:

[goddess40]

12. What's with music teachers

I thought my son's middle school teacher was bad by telling the kids that hanging the flag upside down was wrong and that the Dixie Chicks could say they didn't like bush here but not in another country.

His grade school music teacher regularly puts religous songs in the winter concert and lets kids sing songs like 'Jesus Loves Me' for the talent show.

And this is public school in Wisconsin - not the bible belt

[snacker]

Same thing here....

the music teachers in our public school here in Wisconsin are both
fundies...the "moral values" people. Concerts are always filled with
religious songs. Last year, I felt like I was at a church revival, not a public school concert. They sang songs with the words "I believe in the father, the son and the holy ghost.....he's worthy to be praised." I sat by and didn't say anything for my daughter's sake. But I am writing a letter to the superintendent today.

[goddess40]

21. Last year at the elementary schools winter concert

I had a pre-school girl behind me that kept kicking my chair, talking and singing. When it was clear the parents weren't going to stop her I turned around and asked her to please stop kicking my chair. The next thing I hear is a sound like kids make when they are playing pretend guns, (the cocking the shot gun and the gun blast) I turned around in time to see the father pretending to shoot me in the head and his family giggling about it - I too said nothing because I didn't want to disrupt the show. It also crossed my mind that someone that is willing to do something so sick in a kids concert might have a real gun in their car.

[LiberalFighter]

43. Deleted

[bbernardini]

25. Hey, lay off music teachers! :)

I'm a music teacher myself. While I'm all for separation of church and state, there are numerous pieces of classic choral literature that are religious in nature. To deny dedicated choral students the chance to sing classics like Handel's "Messiah" seems like a crime against art to me. :)

[Mizmoon]

34. YES!

I was in choir in school and we sang beautiful songs like "Messiah". Now they sing all these crap songs because they don't want any religious connotation.

[bettyellen]

73. BUT JESUS LOVES ME?

[goddess40]

30. I have to go to the asst. principals office for re-education today

The asst. principal and the music teacher want to meet with me today because I sent an e-mail complaining about something the music teacher said. This is the e-mail:

I wanted to send you a separate e-mail to let you know that xxxx is especially nervous about coming back to your class. He told me that you made some inappropriate comments about Americans right to display a flag upside down. I have reassured him that he doesn’t need to worry about political comments coming from his teachers.

He also said that you were from Texas and I also reassured him that Texas has good people as well as bad. The mind of a kid is funny sometimes, he assumed that everyone from Texas was like Bush.

The Asst. principal flies a black hawk and has been to Iraq and the music teacher is a bushbot. This meeting might be entertaining, I just wish I didn't have this blasted headache.

Notice that I didn't even bring up the freedom of speech issue about the dixie chicks.

[Southpaw Bookworm]

39. We want updates! n/t

[tsuki]

41. It's all the Bible Belt now.

[LWolf]

13. As a teacher, I can unequivocally say that

if I did something like this in my classroom, I would be removed. Instantly. I don't know any teachers who are so far gone that they've allowed their churches or politics to corrupt their professional integrity to this extreme. It makes me wonder if the school board, in this instance, is sympathetic.

[0007]

14. Is this all happening in public schools?

[abburdlen]

16. Afraid so.

Long long ago, I was going to be a high school teacher, physics in fact. During my student teaching I was amazed to discover the number of right-winger in the schools. The three teachers that taught biology were self-proclaimed creationists. Teacher and students would meet before school for prayer and bible study.

I expressed amazement to my advisor in the teaching department at the university. She just nodded and shrugged. Later I found out that she was as far right as them.

Of course this is the south, but it does appear that in general the teaching profession draws an higher % of religious types.

[AspenRose]

22. HOMESCHOOLING: Not just for RW freaks anymore

I'm certainly considering it, once my kid(s) are old enough.

What's good for them is good enough for me. They're not going to ram their agenda down my kid's throat.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

46. Why not do it with a commie-librul twist?

Cooperatively. A dozen or so liberal families join up, pool their abilities to teach the different subjects and create their own little impromptu school.

[0rganism]

65. There are some excellent possibilities for home-schooling collectives

There's a home-schooling organization in Portland that offers a wide range of classes, sort of like a community college. The parent or guardian stays with the child, to handle any discipline problems and help with the learning process. The child gets to pick what classes s/he takes.

My son is home-schooling. We tried public school for a couple months this year, and he seemed to be getting stupider and nastier by the day. He hated it. We took him out, and within a week he was back to his old precocious self.

[intheflow]

68. But what about the families that can't afford to home school

because both parents (or only parent) has to work? Please put your kids in the public school system, but work with the PTA and get elected to the school board. That's the only way to assure that a RW agenda doesn't take over the public school curriculum.

[CornField]

70. We tried that route

Perhaps things have changed, but when we were doing it, I found it very difficult to find pre-made curriculum that wasn't religiously tainted.

[southlandshari]

64. Yes

In my daughter's case, it was our town's only public kindergarten.

[mopinko]

15. this is the wet dream behind no child left behind.

if this was a public school, imagine what they get in the christian schools. more and more parents are seeing local parochial schools as the better alternative to public schools (which are not as bad as they want you to believe.) they want the public schools to fail, so that they can get their hands on these tiny minds. you see the fruits of the growth in christian schools. i have no problem with people sending their kids off to learn their religion, but many people feel that religious do a better job (tho they don't), so off they send them.

[Dinger]

35. These "schools" Have NO Accountability

Coming from a teacher here - Most states (Wi., my state is one) do not require standardized testing of private schools, and IF THEY CHOOSE TO TEST, they DO NOT HAVE TO REPORT RESULTS. There are excellent private schools, but I think it is likely that these schools have a way to prove it at least.

[snippy]

18. Democrats need to show that this is the republican party at work.

Looking at these incidents as examples of extremist individuals is exactly why moderate republicans and other decent Americans think that it is okay to vote republican since the Reich Wing fundamentalists are quaint and amusing but essentially harmless. Moderate republicans and other decent Americans need to be shown that the Reich Wing is not quaint and harmless. It is extremist and dangerous. If democrats do not blame the republican party for these incidents no one else will. Certainly not the media.

[Southpaw Bookworm]

23. Nothing new under the sun

Fundies have been making their voices in PUBLIC schools heard for years. A friend of mine raised in a UU church was regularly informed by her teachers that she was a heathen who was going to burn in hell. She was hit, spit on by other students and none of the other teachers did anything. That they'd have the nerve is even more amazing considering that both her parents were science (ooooh, even more evil) teachers at the high school level. This was in Virginia in the late 70s and 80s.

[NVMojo]

24. I just found out that a local neocon Repuke HS Gvt. teacher

takes his male 18-year students down to register for Selective Service every year. Amazing. Doesn't even get permission from the parents as they are 18. This is one of the most religious right wing nut job teachers we have.

[LiberalFighter]

44. Isn't there a liability problem taking kids out of the school

What happens if the students are injured? Does the school realize that they are legally responsible?

[bbernardini]

26. Anybody have contact info for the school district, school board, etc.?

[bbernardini]

27. CONTACT INFO!

http://www.fairhavenps.org/DistrictHome.htm

There you'll find phone numbers and e-mail links for the Superintendent of Schools and the Asst. Supt. of Special Education and Pupil Personnel Services (the latter being the Mr. Tripp mentioned in the article).

Perhaps it would be fun if we all sent in applications for the teacher's job? :)

[Dinger]

42. I'm A Teacher, and We've Got One of "Those" At My School

She has made the kids pray, pushed Mary Kay products on minors (she's a "Mary Kay Lady"), She has told them why she votes repug & then has them repeat back to her why this is, she has circulated a ban on gay marriage amndmt. petition here during school time, made kids watch a * state of disunion speech & made them write a summary (they are 5th graders), she has harrassed kids about what the bible says in regard to evolution, she is a mentor teacher & has kept her mentee after hours (against her will) telling her how Kerry is a baby-killer, she has used the school copier to copy church material and then distributes it to steff here, she has cornered administration about her political views (there was an incident an administrator told me about- that's how I know this), etc. etc. etc. The list goes on. For all of her time here, many have known she is a repug, and have done nothing. I knew she'd turn it up several notches this fall, and I was right. The administration ahs tried several things, and as I predicted, it did not deter her. Well, I have done something. I have contacted the ACLU, and we are one step away from having them come here and do an investigation. people here have been too passive.I also need to tell you that she has done these things in front of people, and they have given me permission to used them as witnesses. i don't know why the administration isn't doing their won, but I think I can do a better job anyway. I'll keep all you DUer's updated as this progresses.

[LiberalFighter]

47. There is bound to be Wisconsin law regarding selling products

to minors especially in that type of situation.

[Dinger]

54. Thanks for the info. I'll keep thqat in mind.

[Endangered Specie]

28. Killing babies? I thought Bush is the one doing that

:shrug:

[Momgonepostal]

40. Apparently, the RW thinks it's OK to kill Iraqi babies

Just as long as they're not American and unborn. If the babies are brown and in Iraq, we can call it "collateral damage" and move on.

[lowreed]

29. a picture of ms Rita Campoli

link: http://www.southcoasttoday.com/daily/03-04/03-05-04/a07lo616.htm




Everybody sing alng .... "Row row row your boat, Kerry kills bab..ys"

[cedahlia]

31. someone should point out to this shitbag

and all her fascist goose-stepping fellow Bushbots that

BUSH KILLS BABIES!!! Or maybe they didn't hear about the little war in Iraq that's going on over there in that other part of the world. Who knows just how many babies, children, and other innocent victims have died in Iraq because of that sick bastard!!! Helloooo, McFly!!!

Oh, wait, I forgot, it's only the unborn clumps of cells and Aryan children whose lives are precious in our new Amerika. God hates those other people (oops, did I say people? I meant collatoral damage) so there is no blood on King George's hands...just doing God's work!

Silly me for not getting it. :eyes:

[one_true_leroy]

32. I look back and realize I was lucky

My biology teacher (regular and AP) was the faculty leader of Christian student groups (Fellowship of Chistian Athletes and another that I forget). Biology obviously presents a lot of opportunities for cross-over preaching (can you imagine a Math prof railing against the sins of the cosine?). The closest she EVER got was to assign us a research project involving five theories of life, ranging from creationism and guided evolution (intelligent design) to Darwinism and punctuated equilibrium. We were to devote equal time and space to each arguement, then debate them over one week. The whole time, she was very neutral about her beliefs. Throughout the semester, she would offer her opinion on "hot topics," but in a very non-confrontational manner and in a "there's inconclusive evidence, and I believe ___, because ____" attitude. I credit her for teaching me to examine all sides of an issue and considering counterarguement. She said the biggest mistake a scientist could make was to allow personal feelings to occlude facts. THAT's what wrong with most of this country, IMO

[bbernardini]

33. My letter to the superintendent...

As a fellow music educator, it pains me to say this: Rita Campoli must go. Regardless of my political or religious beliefs, I feel Ms. Campoli's actions warrant immediate dismissal from her position. A suspension or a reprimand is simply not enough. The music classroom (or any other classroom, for that matter) of a public school is no place to subject FIRST AND SECOND GRADE STUDENTS to partisan political speeches of this nature. The children are there to enjoy the educational benefits of music, not to be an unwilling audience to a graphic speech about abortion.

If we allow this incident to go with just a reprimand, where does it end? Will physical education teachers be allowed to preach the Gospel instead of teaching the children good sportsmanship? Will the cafeteria staff be allowed to hand out religious pamphlets with each meal? Allowing Ms. Campoli to remain in her position is only the first step on what could become a VERY slippery slope.

[The_Casual_Observer]

36. This is a very sad story

If this really happened, that teacher has some kind of real emotional problem.

[snippy]

50. It is not the teacher, it is the republican party. n/t

[jab105]

37. In my class we do not discuss politics...period...

because it is not a political class...

The kids asked often who I voted for...I told the students that if they want to know what my political views are, then they can talk to me when I'm not working...

And, I did have a kid come up after I'd clocked out on Wednesday ask who I voted for...I told him, he said ok...and that was that...

I would expect to be fired if I ever acted like that woman acted to those kids...

[bbernardini]

38. Another contact...

Mike Gagne, from the Fairview Schools Commission (or something like that):

[e-mail]

[Sydnie]

58. Mike is really an @ss himself

He charged another school committee member with assault a few years ago after calling her the "C" word in the parking lot after a meeting. She slapped him so he charged her with assault. It was eventually dismissed.

If you want to get his attention in a rather public way you can post on this forum (without even registering) and make your feelings known. http://www.southcoasttoday.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=forum;f=15

[BiggJawn]

45. And when they get to college, the kids tell the Profs....

"My dad's a DOCTOR, and MY tutiton pays your salary, so I don't want to hear any of that commie-fag-Liberal shit Rush tells me you're gonna try and indoctrinate me with..."

[Edmond Dantes]

48. Hello?

What political strategist came up with that national strategy, I wonder? Hmmmm. Could it be Karl Rove?

Here is Karl's home address:

http://www.fundrace.org/neighbors.php?type=name&lname=rove&fname=karl&search=Search+by+Name

He's got a couple of kids at home. They need to be educated about the evil their father has wrought.

No stalking or harassment, please. But use every legal means at your disposal to send Karl a message.

[wicket]

49. SICKENING.

[Gingersnapsback]

51. Monroe Township, PA

Kids came home from school there and warned that Kerry would not allow "Merry Christmas or Happy Easter" greetings...they would have to say "Happy Holidays". I guess this allowed wiggle room for the instigators. The Kids immediately translated that thought to no Santa Claus, no presents and were scared of Kerry.

[bettyellen]

74. NOW KERRY HATES SANTA,TOO??

[xxqqqzme]

52. so they did this in schools across

the country so their churches wouldn't take the heat or jeopardize the tax exempt status? I am becoming more religiously intolerant by the minute 2day.

[against all enemies]

53. Bush kills Iraqi babies. Oh, I forgot, that's moral.

[Gyre]

59. They don't count cause they're brown.

Hence, the repubes consider them less than human ergo less worthy of living. Now white babies or caucasian blastoceles; that's a whole different matter!

Gyre

[against all enemies]

67. Thanks, you made me laugh. hasn't happened much lately.

[Behind the Aegis]

55. Maybe...

...it wasn't just the "gay thing" after all!

[AngryOldDem]

56. And the sad thing is...

...in some right-wing Catholic circles, she will be applauded, and if any action is taken against her -- as it should be -- she will be canonized.

:mad:

[tanyev]

57. Finally!

The search function is back. Here are two other threads on the same topic and, I believe, different locations. So who is behind this?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=2600992

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=2598398

Scary.

[Swamp Rat]

62. This is child abuse.

She should never be allowed to teach children again.

[PretzelzRule]

66. Sick fucks like this

need to be FIRED and their teaching credentials REVOKED!

:grr:

[semass]

71. Fairhaven and New Bedford are the southern end of Barney Frank's district

In this heavily Catholic part of Massachusetts Kerry got 70% of the vote in suburban Fairhaven and 77% in the city of New Bedford. Against an Ind. Bushbot/Romneybot Barney got 82% in Fairhaven and 85% in New Bedford. I think this teacher is in deep doo-doo.

[ilovenicepeople]

72. How can you be pro war and call yourself pro life?

[ticapnews]

75. Faux News will hail her as a hero (if they cover the story at all)

http://www.southcoasttoday.com/2002/fairsal.htm
Her salary, as of 2002 was
CAMPOLI, RITA T. FAIRHAVEN ELEMENTARY 38,984.66

I think the taxpayers might want to have their money spent on someone else.