Deleted
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Jun 1, 2024 20:06:31 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2014 22:39:08 GMT
When I saw this story, I couldn't believe it! What was this teacher thinking? |
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lindas
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,168 
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Post by lindas on Sept 12, 2014 1:03:58 GMT
Hmmmm, 102 views and no one has an opinion, how unpea like.
she should be fired plain and simple. This wasn't a mistake, it was a deliberate attempt to slam Bush. Teachers need to keep their political views out of the school.
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Post by Kymberlee on Sept 12, 2014 1:05:15 GMT
I saw that and found it reprehensible.
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Post by scrapsuzy on Sept 12, 2014 1:09:33 GMT
When I first saw this story, I said it was like comparing apples to chainsaws. I don't think there was a lapse in judgment by the teacher, and do think it was a very deliberate thing. I would find it just as reprehensible if the comparison was between Obama and Hitler.
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Post by myshelly on Sept 12, 2014 1:13:12 GMT
I don't understand why people are offended.
It's a Venn Diagram to compare AND contrast. There is more room on the diagram for ways they are different than ways they are the same.
It's an exercise in critical thinking. Something that seems to be lacking in purposely sensationalized "news" stories.
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Post by I-95 on Sept 12, 2014 1:20:31 GMT
I don't understand why people are offended. It's a Venn Diagram to compare AND contrast. There is more room on the diagram for ways they are different than ways they are the same. It's an exercise in critical thinking. Something that seems to be lacking in purposely sensationalized "news" stories.  |
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Jun 1, 2024 20:06:31 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Sept 12, 2014 1:36:20 GMT
Critical thinking can be taught in far less controversial ways than this one.
The teacher injected her political views into the exercise, right in the directions. I can't imagine that many people would welcome comparisons and contrasts between Hitler and Obama. Or Hitler and Netanyahu. Or really anybody other than another murderous dictator. It's insensitive, at best.
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back to *pea*ality
Pearl Clutcher
Not my circus, not my monkeys ~refugee pea #59
Posts: 3,149
Jun 25, 2014 19:51:11 GMT
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Post by back to *pea*ality on Sept 12, 2014 1:37:29 GMT
While I am not surprised by the liberal indoctrination at the collegiate level this rises to the rare occasion where I would refuse to allow my child to have contact with this teacher.
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Post by myshelly on Sept 12, 2014 1:37:56 GMT
Critical thinking can be taught in far less controversial ways than this one. The teacher injected her political views into the exercise, right in the directions. I can't imagine that many people would welcome comparisons and contrasts between Hitler and Obama. Or Hitler and Netanyahu. Or really anybody other than another murderous dictator. It's insensitive, at best. Comparing one murderous dictator to another murderous dictator doesn't take any critical thinking skills. Your post shows you don't understand the purpose of the assignment. |
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Post by leftturnonly on Sept 12, 2014 1:40:22 GMT
Part of me is disgusted that Bush is still being slammed.
The other part of me remembers assigning my homeschooled kids a compare and contrast our (then) political leaders with those in Harry Potter.
I like my assignment better.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Jun 1, 2024 20:06:31 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Sept 12, 2014 1:40:45 GMT
Critical thinking can be taught in far less controversial ways than this one. The teacher injected her political views into the exercise, right in the directions. I can't imagine that many people would welcome comparisons and contrasts between Hitler and Obama. Or Hitler and Netanyahu. Or really anybody other than another murderous dictator. It's insensitive, at best. Comparing one murderous dictator to another murderous dictator doesn't take any critical thinking skills. Your post shows you don't understand the purpose of the assignment. Actually, I'm pretty sure I understood its purpose pretty well. Given that the school district apologized and the teacher will too, they probably understood how insensitive the assignment was. |
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Post by myshelly on Sept 12, 2014 1:41:51 GMT
Comparing one murderous dictator to another murderous dictator doesn't take any critical thinking skills. Your post shows you don't understand the purpose of the assignment. Actually, I'm pretty sure I understood its purpose pretty well. Given that the school district apologized and the teacher will too, they probably understood how insensitive the assignment was. You don't understand it if you think the same thing can be accomished by comparing one dictator to another. |
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Deleted
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Jun 1, 2024 20:06:31 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Sept 12, 2014 1:43:02 GMT
Actually, I'm pretty sure I understood its purpose pretty well. Given that the school district apologized and the teacher will too, they probably understood how insensitive the assignment was. You don't understand it if you think the same thing can be accomished by comparing one dictator to another. I'm good, thanks. |
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conchita
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,141
Jul 1, 2014 11:25:58 GMT
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Post by conchita on Sept 12, 2014 1:44:37 GMT
When I first saw this story, I said it was like comparing apples to chainsaws. I don't think there was a lapse in judgment by the teacher, and do think it was a very deliberate thing. I would find it just as reprehensible if the comparison was between Obama and Hitler. I have to agree.  |
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Jun 1, 2024 20:06:31 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Sept 12, 2014 2:01:07 GMT
Well this liberal thinks it was a crappy thing to do.
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Post by SabrinaM on Sept 12, 2014 2:07:43 GMT
The problem with the assignment for me is in the directions. Compare and contrast "two men who abused their power." Not cool.
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back to *pea*ality
Pearl Clutcher
Not my circus, not my monkeys ~refugee pea #59
Posts: 3,149
Jun 25, 2014 19:51:11 GMT
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Post by back to *pea*ality on Sept 12, 2014 2:14:45 GMT
Actually, I'm pretty sure I understood its purpose pretty well. Given that the school district apologized and the teacher will too, they probably understood how insensitive the assignment was. You don't understand it if you think the same thing can be accomished by comparing one dictator to another. C'mon a dictator that you would say was the equivalent to Hitler? To date, no President has provided the health initiative that President Bush did with aid relief to Africa with aids. Obama has not shown any particular interest in the Ebola virus. Unlike Carter and Clinton, Bush has shown respect for the Presidency and has never criticized Obama. This comparison went beyond the pale. |
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Post by myshelly on Sept 12, 2014 2:36:04 GMT
You don't understand it if you think the same thing can be accomished by comparing one dictator to another. C'mon a dictator that you would say was the equivalent to Hitler? To date, no President has provided the health initiative that President Bush did with aid relief to Africa with aids. Obama has not shown any particular interest in the Ebola virus. Unlike Carter and Clinton, Bush has shown respect for the Presidency and has never criticized Obama. This comparison went beyond the pale. What? You are missing my point the same way people are missing the point of the assignment. No one, not me, not the assignment, is saying Bush is a dictator equivalent to Hitler. The point of the assignment is that he is NOT equivalent to Hitler. Compare and CONTRAST. There is a lot more room on the diagram for differences than there are for similarities. It would be EASY to compare 2 dictators bc they would have a lot in common. It takes critical thinking skills to compare a dictator and a president. |
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Post by redayh on Sept 12, 2014 2:40:50 GMT
C'mon a dictator that you would say was the equivalent to Hitler? To date, no President has provided the health initiative that President Bush did with aid relief to Africa with aids. Obama has not shown any particular interest in the Ebola virus. Unlike Carter and Clinton, Bush has shown respect for the Presidency and has never criticized Obama. This comparison went beyond the pale. What? You are missing my point the same way people are missing the point of the assignment. No one, not me, not the assignment, is saying Bush is a dictator equivalent to Hitler. The point of the assignment is that he is NOT equivalent to Hitler. Compare and CONTRAST. There is a lot more room on the diagram for differences than there are for similarities. It would be EASY to compare 2 dictators bc they would have a lot in common. It takes critical thinking skills to compare a dictator and a president. Exactly. |
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back to *pea*ality
Pearl Clutcher
Not my circus, not my monkeys ~refugee pea #59
Posts: 3,149
Jun 25, 2014 19:51:11 GMT
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Post by back to *pea*ality on Sept 12, 2014 2:44:03 GMT
C'mon a dictator that you would say was the equivalent to Hitler? To date, no President has provided the health initiative that President Bush did with aid relief to Africa with aids. Obama has not shown any particular interest in the Ebola virus. Unlike Carter and Clinton, Bush has shown respect for the Presidency and has never criticized Obama. This comparison went beyond the pale. What? You are missing my point the same way people are missing the point of the assignment. No one, not me, not the assignment, is saying Bush is a dictator equivalent to Hitler. The point of the assignment is that he is NOT equivalent to Hitler. Compare and CONTRAST. There is a lot more room on the diagram for differences than there are for similarities. It would be EASY to compare 2 dictators bc they would have a lot in common. It takes critical thinking skills to compare a dictator and a president. Sorry, but I am not buying the explanation. I think the teacher singled out Bush to push political views. If the sitting President had been selected for compare/contrast the story would have been covered on every national and cable outlet, the outrage would be palpable and the teacher would have been fired. |
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Post by freecharlie on Sept 12, 2014 3:11:39 GMT
I can't really figure out why she would assign something like that. If she wanted conflict, then she could have picked jfk, eisenhower, hell, reagan or bush senior.
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Post by AussieMeg on Sept 12, 2014 3:16:05 GMT
For the most part I agree with myshelly. The thing that nags at me though, as SabrinaM mentioned, the description referred to "two men who abused their power". That was a very unfortunate choice of words from the teacher, and suggests there could be more to it than an innocent "critical thinking" exercise. |
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georgiapea
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,846
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Post by georgiapea on Sept 12, 2014 3:36:31 GMT
I was never a Bush supporter and feel the teacher should be fired.
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PaperAngel
Drama Llama
Posts: 7,386
Jun 27, 2014 23:04:06 GMT
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Post by PaperAngel on Sept 12, 2014 3:43:56 GMT
For the most part I agree with myshelly. The thing that nags at me though, as SabrinaM mentioned, the description referred to "two men who abused their power". That was a very unfortunate choice of words from the teacher, and suggests there could be more to it than an innocent "critical thinking" exercise. Exactly. The teacher unprofessionally inserted personal opinion into the assignment, which deflects from its purpose of having students exercise critical thinking in a historical context. |
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The Great Carpezio
Pearl Clutcher
Something profound goes here.
Posts: 2,936
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Post by The Great Carpezio on Sept 12, 2014 3:58:14 GMT
This was insensitive. Any educated adult should know that comparisons, in any way, to Hitler can go horribly wrong.
HOWEVER, if it would have had unbiased directions, I would not condemn the teacher. I couldn't condone, but I could see her rationale. The article is misleading by stating that the teacher asked them to compare. She actually asked them to compare and contrast, and there is a big difference. If it was an exercise in critical thinking and she asked them to pick any president to compare to Hitler, I think it could work in the right teacher's hands. I don't think this was the right teacher (or the right age IMO).
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Deleted
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Jun 1, 2024 20:06:31 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Sept 12, 2014 4:02:32 GMT
How about she used Bush because he is the most recent ex president. A man that was President in their lifetime. Granted it was only during the first 5-6 years but still it might be more revenant then using previous presidents who were President before they were born.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Jun 1, 2024 20:06:31 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Sept 12, 2014 4:04:53 GMT
Oh come on with all the horrible comparisons to Bush and Hitler in his time in office (happens to Obama too sadly) we all know this was a HORRIBLE idea. It just is stupid.
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Post by leftturnonly on Sept 12, 2014 4:28:46 GMT
For the most part I agree with myshelly. The thing that nags at me though, as SabrinaM mentioned, the description referred to "two men who abused their power". That was a very unfortunate choice of words from the teacher, and suggests there could be more to it than an innocent "critical thinking" exercise. That was not an unfortunate choice of words. Those words convey a definite meaning and were used deliberately. |
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Post by Pahina722 on Sept 12, 2014 4:42:41 GMT
As a professor and a parent, if my child had come home with this assignment, I would have been one of the parents waiting at the principal's door the next day. The wording in the directions makes it clear that the teacher has an agenda. ALL presidents have been accused of amusing their power at one point or another. Why choose Bush, a president that sixth grade students won't remember, unless the teacher is trying to make a political point. I would suggest a better comparison would have been between Hitler and either Mussolini or Stalin.
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cycworker
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,376
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Post by cycworker on Sept 12, 2014 7:25:53 GMT
This was insensitive. Any educated adult should know that comparisons, in any way, to Hitler can go horribly wrong. HOWEVER, if it would have had unbiased directions, I would not condemn the teacher. I couldn't condone, but I could see her rationale. The article is misleading by stating that the teacher asked them to compare. She actually asked them to compare and contrast, and there is a big difference. If it was an exercise in critical thinking and she asked them to pick any president to compare to Hitler, I think it could work in the right teacher's hands. I don't think this was the right teacher (or the right age IMO). While I still tend to agree with myshelly, you do make good points. Of course, while I certainly don't think they'd have much in the shared sections of the Venn Diagram, I do think it's pretty clearly fact that Bush abused his power. |
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