I had first heard of this particular brouhaha last fall, but now, according to Crooks & Liars, ths case of a teacher in New Jersey has taken a turn for the bizarre. A student who taped a teacher prattling on about certain whacky religious views when that teacher should have been teaching, you know, science and stuff (the student did that because no one in the Administration would take the boy's word over the teachers; so he's a liar and loony), is now being punished for bringing the situation to light. Taping teachers is no longer allowed in that school district.
Were I a parent in that school district - you know I can't even begin to write, because my blood boils at (a) the situation itself; (b) the perfidy and cowardice of the Administration and school board for not firing this guy's ass; (c) creating a false debate over "rights" and "freedom" when what is at issue is professional integrity and honesty. The teacher in question needs to be fired NOW, and perhaps having his professional credentials revoked (is that even possible?) so that he can never teach in public shcools again (if he wants to teach in some religious-based schools, fine, although I think there might be a certain question of his moral character as, when first questioned about the incident, he LIED). The school board needs to publicly apologize to the student who called the teacher out, that student's family, and all those who support him; apparently the teacher in question is quite popular (why? he tells kids fairy tales and that they are going to hell!) and the student who made the tape has received a whole lot of flak from other students.
I think DL & I would be together on this one. This nutbag has no place teaching student in a public school; the sitting school board members need to be replaced as soon as possible, to reflect a bit more, ahem, spine and testicular fortitude.
Virtual Tin Cup
