My daughter's 8th grade Tech Ed (shop) teacher thinks Gore is a flake & global warming a conspiracy.

[kid a]

And he's not too subtle about it.

She's a member of the "Green" Club and is organizing Earth Day activities. They were trying to put a can recycling box in the tech ed room (its the only place in the school where there's a soda machine). They keep getting smirks and angry "soap box" speeches from this 30 year veteran teacher. Its a bizarre situation - it seems most of the faculty and staff are afraid of him because he is so bitter and demeaning. Even the new, young principal seemed reluctant to call him in and ask him to tone down his liberal bashing rhetoric.

Next step: Letter to the superintendent? Is that going too far? Teachers on DU? What do you think?

[EmilyAnne]

1. Do you live in a town named Dover, by any chance?

[Umbram]

2. Is he teaching the children that large stones can be carved into wheels? (nt)

[donheld]

3. Shop teachers are, stereotypically, not too bright

I guess in this case it fits.

[mwb970]

16. Those who can't do, teach. Those who can't teach, teach shop.

I'm parapharasing Alvy Singer here.

[Maddy McCall]

4. School board.

Tell them that you expect that when children want to undertake harmless conservation activities, they shouldn't be belittled by this teacher.

[krispos42]

5. So there's an massive global-warming conspiracy...

...but a conspiracy to rig elections is just totally off-the-wall? Completely impossible?

Oh, the blindness, the blindness...

[Sherman A1]

6. Everyone is entitled to their opinion

even this Shop Teacher. Yet, even the Esteemed Senator McCain who doesn't necessarily buy into the Global Warming Theory (or as we would acknowledge-- Hard Science), was quoted on a BBC report I heard a month +/- ago saying something to the effect, that we should do more in the areas of recycling and energy efficiency as if it is true, we need to do it and if not the worst that happens is that we leave our children a cleaner planet. Now we would perhaps see that as a fence sitting, political have it both ways comment, yet it still supports doing things that are green, so who really cares?

[WinkyDink]

10. Quite true. What is NOT true is that any public school teacher has a "right" to discuss issues

extraneous to his subject matter.
A Princpal would be within his rights to ask that this teacher demonstrate to him the relevance of political talk to his teaching, with lesson plans.
That may sound draconian and not "fair", in the sense of educating "the whole person", but it's a fact.

[surfermaw]

14. I would consider it more of a republican thing, especially with a political contest going on now

[bigbrother05]

7. If the "Green Club" is school supported, talk with the Faculty Sponsor

They should be willing to help resolve this for the kids. The next step is with the principal and/or PTA. If that doesn't work, the Superintendent and/or School Board is the top of the chain.

Being a jerk is hard to fight/prove, but obstructing legitimate school (even if extracurricular) activities should not be tolerated. You might not get the most full blown support in your efforts, but please try to engage other parents, you'll need them if this moves up the chain of command.

Good luck to you and congratulations on having what sounds like a great daughter.

One final word of advice: As you move through these stages of school activism, be careful, you might get so good at it you'll end up running for the School Board yourself. That's how I ended up in the mid 90s.

[yasmina27]

8. Your first step is the teacher himself.

In our school, if a parent complains about a teacher, they are asked if they have addressed the issue with the teacher.

Has anyone tried the principal and received no reponse? If so, then the super is your next step. If not, then you have to try through the principal first.

In your complaint, and I recommend that it be a letter (always want stuff like this in writing), don't bring up the "controversial" topic of global warming. Talk about the smirks and soap box speeches. Give examples, if your child can give you some sample quotes.

Try to get the teachers side of the story first. As a parent, I'm sure you know that sometimes kids only hear half the things you say. I'm NOT saying your child is like that. This teacher sounds like a first-class jerk, but sometimes just the fact that a parent calls or writes to say, "hey, my kid so-and-so heard you say such-and-such. I was wondering what the context of this statement was". He'll probably try to dance his way around it, but having heard concern about his comments from a parent, will probably knock it off. If he doesn't, and tries to give YOU one of his crap-filled diatribes, or tries to go harder on you daughter - which is unconscienable! - then go through the chain of command.

I have a group of teeth-nashing freeper kids in one of my 8th grade classes. Every time they bring up about Obama being a muslim, or some other right-wing clap-trap, I tell them to use their gray matter in their heads and do some research. I don't phrase it that way, of course, but sometimes I'd like to!

[KingOfLostSouls]

9. Why is he lecturing politics in schools

we always hear conservatives whine when liberals present historical FACTS


he should lose his job. period. whats good for the goose is good for the gander.

have your daughter record him and tape him if possible then get his ass fired.

this is war and should be treated as such.

[Orsino]

11. Letters to the principal, school board and superintendent...

...with transcripts, if possible. While it's not unreasonable to complain about the political opinions, it might be more germane to raise a stink about his propagating scientific misinformation.

[zerostar]

12. Depending what state

Scientific DISINFORMATION might be the curriculum!! Oh boy what a disgrace!

[surfermaw]

13. I would be worried about my childs teacher!..she must be a nut case

[seasat]

15. He has a right to his opinion but can't be demeaning to the kids.

If his objections to global warming, no matter how bassackward, are presented in a reasonable way within an open discussion, that's fine IMHO. However, if he berates the kids for their views then I would lodge a complaint. My wife and mother are both teachers and I've done a little high school teaching myself. My wife is a science teacher and has had to face kids whose parents are troglodyte Repugs that don't accept the greenhouse gas theory on global warming. While she disagrees with them because she understands the science behind the issue, she is always respectful to the kids for their politically based view of climate change. IMHO, it is very important for a teacher to demonstrate those qualities and if they don't they need to be reprimanded.

[mwb970]

18. Isn't it silly that we have to talk about it this way?

How surreal it is to be discussing a teacher (a teacher!) who disbelieves obvious facts and tries to spread his foolish disbelief to the kids in his charge. It's like having a teacher who "disagrees" with the "theory" of gravity, preferring to give it a name and a personality, and who teaches his students that the Gravity God holds them to the earth because He loves them so. In such a case, would we have posts saying that it's OK for the teacher to present these "facts" as long as it is in "open discussion"? This is crazy.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

19. But he's a shop teacher...

Not to be demeaning or anything, but this is not a guy with an advanced degree in the arts and humanities. He's basically a construction foreman with a teaching certificate. I wouldn't expect any better behavior out of the football coach.

That being said...

The parents should first talk to the club sponsor to get as much information as they can about what's going on. Remember that kids (depending on their age) do have a tendency to see even polite criticism or "joshing" by a teacher as a verbal assault. Make SURE that what you're dealing with is a genuinely abusive situation and not just kids being overly-sensitive.

The next step for the parents, if the club sponsor can't resolve it, is to go to the principal and put their complaint in writing. They should make it clear, in a polite but firm manner, that they expect this behavior to be addressed within thirty days, or they will elevate it to the Superintendent's office. Same story for the Superintendent, either address this situation or it goes to the School Board.

While this is going on, talk to students who are recent graduates (and their parents) to see if there is a history of this kind of behavior. Document EVERYTHING.

[yasmina27]

23. I beg to differ...

I would have had the same opinion as you in the past.

However, my stepson is a "shop" teacher. He went about it in an indirect way. When he first graduated from HS, he went to tech school and got his associate degree in HRVAC. He worked full-time in his career, before he decided to go back to school for his Bachelor's degree. He had to take all the Gen. Ed. courses that anyone else getting a 4-year degree would have to take. His credits from tech school transferred only as part of his major. He is now in grad school for his Master's degree. Oh, and by the way, post high-school, he has never received lower than a 4.0, and can have an intelligent discourse about any subject. I attribute much of that to growing up with his father and I. We often engaged in spirited debates about many issues around the dinner table. His mother could never see any value of higher education.

Several posters here have mentioned going to the club sponsor. I disagree with this approach. The OP said that this man has intimidated the entire staff, including the young principal.

The man is a bully, but needs to be addressed first, as I stated in a previous post. Then go up the chain of command. If no satisfaction is attained, then I would write a letter to the local newspaper, or call a reporter. Nothing gets the attention of a school district than the media asking a controversial question.

[seasat]

20. I would have a big problem if he was a science teacher.

Then he would be teaching incorrect material. This fellow is a shop teacher. Students and teacher in other subjects do get off track into other areas during slow times in the day. A good teacher would not give their opinion but allow the students to come to their own conclusions on any subject. My wife purposefully does not explicitly give her political views in class but will discuss issues in a Socratic way that will encourage the kids to think about it. This person doesn't seem to be a very good teacher in that respect. However, since it's not his subject area, it's not an offense I would complain about. I'd arm my kid with the science behind the issue so that they could rebut the teacher's misconceptions. If the teacher was demeaning to my kids because of their position, I'd be down there to confront him in the principal's office in a heart beat. If the principal didn't address the issue, I'd take it up with the school board.

[baldguy]

17. Is he one of those shop teachers who are missing two fingers on one hand?

[electron_blue]

21. I don't know the answer, but I hope you can find a way to deal with him.

In 8th grade I had a home-ec teacher who had Stop Era signs all over her classroom and she politicized the classroom and bashed working women, feminists and any girls who were not interested in following traditional careers (like me). No adults rallied, they turned their back, and I think this was a huge mistake.

[dogday]

22. If he is a great teacher, he will explain both sides of the

argument and let the kids make up their mind..