If I say yes to the public option, will stuff like this go away? (1 Viewer)

[4saintspirit]

To do what -- sing about a current issue, even if political? So singing a "It's Election Day! Go Vote Today!" song would be off-limits?

They're singing a song about the healthcare debate -- not about any one side. In fact, the video cuts off a kid from the school saying he likes the current system (the video linked here shows the song only not the introduction), because if Obama's plan gets enacted then the rich people have to pay for their healthcare and everyone else's and then businesses shut down and jobs get lost and that's not fair (paraphrased).

I am not being partisan about anything here -- its not disturbing to you that teachers can impose politics into school - these kids have no choice or even an idea about healthcare -- can you tell me one legitimate reason to teach them this song -- They can no longer sing Xmas songs but during December it certainly is a current event

 

[RazorOye]

its not disturbing to you that teachers can impose politics into school

schools are not apolitical - schools are politicized sphere and are that way also because of government, parents, commercial interests, textbook corporations, etc....

to say that schools are political solely through teacher pedagogy is naive

 

[V Chip]

its not disturbing to you that teachers can impose politics into school - these kids have no choice or even an idea about healthcare -- can you tell me one legitimate reason to teach them this song

How are they "imposing" politics? Do we not teach 5th through 8th graders about the Iraq War, or about elections, or Katrina, or the Civil Rights movement, or a host of other things that have political slants or are entirely political?

And you must have missed my previous message where I stated that one of the kids definitely DOES have an idea about healthcare because he talked about it when asked and gave his opinion. These kids are 10-15 years old (average age of 5th - 8th graders) -- they're not infants.

And the song can be used to teach kids about the healthcare debate -- ref: Schoolhouse Rock and how it taught even younger kids things that stick with them still today like conjunctions, numbers, the process of making a bill into law, etc. This school (private, btw) sends these kids out for a variety of events, so perhaps they're being used as a fund-raising mechanism for the school, or to raise awareness of the school. The kids have already been featured on TV numerous times before this one.

 

[4saintspirit]

schools are not apolitical - schools are politicized sphere and are that way also because of government, parents, commercial interests, textbook corporations, etc....

to say that schools are political solely through teacher pedagogy is naive

I did not say they were soley through Teachers -- my point is that this is disturbing to say the least -- if you think its allright then thats your opinion --
I mean we can no longer say the pledge of allegiance unless we strike the word God from all references -- but this is okay --
personally I would not want my kid at that age group to be taught to sing political songs no matter how just the cause is -- maybe they should hold a political pageant where the school kids sing, dance and perform to different political causes -- like save the whales, save the rain forest, --

 

[4saintspirit]

How are they "imposing" politics? Do we not teach 5th through 8th graders about the Iraq War, or about elections, or Katrina, or the Civil Rights movement, or a host of other things that have political slants or are entirely political?

And you must have missed my previous message where I stated that one of the kids definitely DOES have an idea about healthcare because he talked about it when asked and gave his opinion. These kids are 10-15 years old (average age of 5th - 8th graders) -- they're not infants.

And the song can be used to teach kids about the healthcare debate -- ref: Schoolhouse Rock and how it taught even younger kids things that stick with them still today like conjunctions, numbers, the process of making a bill into law, etc. This school (private, btw) sends these kids out for a variety of events, so perhaps they're being used as a fund-raising mechanism for the school, or to raise awareness of the school. The kids have already been featured on TV numerous times before this one.

teaching history and this are different things -- they teach about slavery -- would you support us singing a song about it ?

 

[Shawn]

teaching history and this are different things -- they teach about slavery -- would you support us singing a song about it ?

You avoided all of his points; and your "point" that teaching history is different is false.

 

[4saintspirit]

You avoided all of his points; and your "point" that teaching history is different is false.

what -- teaching history in a history class is not different then teaching kids to sing policital songs -- you ae joking right ??? Cause if you dont think there is a difference then I really hope you are not a teacher --

But it doesnt matter -- its very apparent that as long as its not republicans doing something then everything is okay and wonderful and nothing is ever wrong -- let a republican teacher teach songs about abortion, which is a current event, and see the fallout from the media as well this forum

 

[RazorOye]

I did not say they were soley through Teachers -- my point is that this is disturbing to say the least -- if you think its allright then thats your opinion --

where did I say this way okay? I don't recall registering an opinion one way or the other

maybe they should hold a political pageant where the school kids sing, dance and perform to different political causes -- like save the whales, save the rain forest,

do you think it's an effective strategy to get your point across by completely mischaracterizing someone's argument and completely reduce it to something absolutely irrelevant to the original point?

It's simple from where I sit:

You said it's a shame that teachers impose politics onto students.

My counter is that schools are thoroughly political - everything from their existence to their curriculum to their school day to their calendar to their building to their resources to their etc.... are political in nature. And none of this has to deal directly with teachers.

Moreover, I think we do a disservice to the children and curriculum if we act as if they are apolitical. I think we should be hyperaware of the political nature of the schools and we should work to inform students about the political which surrounds them.

I hear all of these complaints that kids aren't prepared for the "real world" with a high school degree.

And I'll hear - from the same people no less - that we need to take politics out of the classroom.

In the politically saturated climate, I just can't reconcile those two beliefs.

It's possible, you know, to teach students about politics and things political without it turning into a course of indoctrination, right?

 

[jpcdolphan]

Guess it's time to be angry again...

 

[BullDawg]

Guess it's time to be <blink>ANGRY </blink>again...

fixt

 

[4saintspirit]

My new song that teaches kids about the abortion debate

"rockin round the abortion clinic
at the pro lifer demonstration
dead baby signs and a outdoor picnic
while pro-choicers claim justification
Rockin round the abortion clinic
let the operation start right now
later we’ll grab the ole coat hanger
And then the doc will take a bow"

 

[jpcdolphan]

My new song that teaches kids about the abortion debate

"rockin round the abortion clinic
at the pro lifer demonstration
dead baby signs and a outdoor picnic
while pro-choicers claim justification
Rockin round the abortion clinic
let the operation start right now
later we’ll grab the ole coat hanger
And then the doc will take a bow"

I wish you luck in your efforts to get a group of schoolkids to sing it on live TV so that you can show us all what's up.

 

[4saintspirit]

I wish you luck in your efforts to get a group of schoolkids to sing it on live TV so that you can show us all what's up.

its a joke -

 

[GrandAdmiral]

where did I say this way okay? I don't recall registering an opinion one way or the other



do you think it's an effective strategy to get your point across by completely mischaracterizing someone's argument and completely reduce it to something absolutely irrelevant to the original point?

It's simple from where I sit:

You said it's a shame that teachers impose politics onto students.

My counter is that schools are thoroughly political - everything from their existence to their curriculum to their school day to their calendar to their building to their resources to their etc.... are political in nature. And none of this has to deal directly with teachers.

Moreover, I think we do a disservice to the children and curriculum if we act as if they are apolitical. I think we should be hyperaware of the political nature of the schools and we should work to inform students about the political which surrounds them.

I hear all of these complaints that kids aren't prepared for the "real world" with a high school degree.

And I'll hear - from the same people no less - that we need to take politics out of the classroom.

In the politically saturated climate, I just can't reconcile those two beliefs.

It's possible, you know, to teach students about politics and things political without it turning into a course of indoctrination, right?

^^^This.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

 

[V Chip]

teaching history and this are different things -- they teach about slavery -- would you support us singing a song about it ?

I wouldn't have a problem with it, no.

Of course judging by your response song above I don't think you get the point that it wasn't a song about a side in the debate -- it was a song about the issue. It doesn't say "Obama's plan is the way to go" nor does it say "hey let's keep the status quo" -- it says both sides agree something needs to be done about healthcare reform but we can't figure out what.

In the end it doesn't even make a difference -- it's a private school. Tons more private schools teach their kids things much more partisan than this can even be misconstrued to be and nobody says anything about it.