Some people just don't get it ...

[geetrue]

Back in September of 2005, on the first day of school, Martha Cothren,
social studies school teacher at Robinson High School in Little Rock,
did something not to be forgotten. On the first day of school, with
permission of the school superintendent, the principal and the building
supervisor, she took all of the desks out of the classroom.

The kids came into first period, they walked in, there were no desks.

They obviously looked around and said, "Ms. Cothren, where's our desk?"
And she said, "You can't have a desk until you tell me how you earn them."

They thought, "Well, maybe it's our grades."

"No," she said.

"Maybe it's our behavior."

And she told them, "No, it's not even your behavior."

And so they came and went in the first period, still no desks in the
classroom. Second period, same thing. Third period. By early afternoon
television news crews had gathered in Ms. Cothren's class to find out
about this crazy teacher who had taken all the desks out of the classroom.

The last period of the day, Martha Cothren gathered her class. They were
at this time sitting on the floor around the sides of the room.

And she says, "Throughout the day no one has really understood how you
earn the desks that sit in this classroom ordinarily." She said, "Now I'm
going to tell you."

Martha Cothren went over to the door of her classroom and opened it, and
as she did 27 U.S. Veterans, wearing their uniforms, walked into that
classroom each one carrying a school desk.

And they placed those school desks in rows and then they stood along the
wall. And by the time they had finished placing those desks, those kids for
the first time I think perhaps in their lives understood how they earned those
desks.

Martha said, "You don't have to earn those desks. These guys did it
for you.

They put them out there for you, but it's up to you to sit here
responsibly to learn, to be good students and good citizens, because
they paid a price for you to have that desk, and don't ever forget it."

[Camaero]

I don't know if thats true or not, but I think if it really happened it would go down more like:

Teacher gets fired for supporting troops
Troops get booed out of school

Things are bad.

[Letum]

That takes corny to whole new level.

Those who fought for us deserve solemn respect. They should
not be asked to wield desks around as some form of ridiculous,
sentimental theatre show for the benefit of history students.
It's completely undignified!
Not the way to show respect.

*edit*

Originally Posted by Camaero

I don't know if thats true or not, but I think if it really happened it would go down more like:

Teacher gets fired for supporting troops
Troops get booed out of school

Things are bad.

ohh, it's true, mores the pitty...
http://www.snopes.com/glurge/nodesks.asp

[Subnuts]

You know what would have been more effective?

Bring the kids to school in Volkswagen Beetles, make them sit at desks made in Nazi Germany, and force them to speak a bizarre combination of German, Arabic, Italian, Japanese, and English. Anyone who fails to comply gets a rifle butt to the forehead courtesy of Prince Charles.

Less theatrics, more dramatics, I say!

Note: This post is sarcastic.

[Letum]

Originally Posted by Subnuts

Less theatrics, more dramatics, I say!

mmm, Bringing back national service would be a good start in the UK.
That would teach them a little of what to be thankful for.

[Ostfriese]

Originally Posted by Subnuts

You know what would have been more effective?

Bring the kids to school in Volkswagen Beetles, make them sit at desks made in Nazi Germany, and force them to speak a bizarre combination of German, Arabic, Italian, Japanese, and English. Anyone who fails to comply gets a rifle butt to the forehead courtesy of Prince Charles.

Less theatrics, more dramatics, I say!

Sounds a bit like 'The Third Wave'. We've already had that

[Hitman]

At least you brits and americans have gradfathers/fathers who fought against an external enemy. For us here in Spain, the "recent" history is one of civil war My two grandfathers fought in the civil war, but each one on a different side Who of them earned the desk for me?

[geetrue]

Originally Posted by Subnuts

You know what would have been more effective?

Bring the kids to school in Volkswagen Beetles, make them sit at desks made in Nazi Germany, and force them to speak a bizarre combination of German, Arabic, Italian, Japanese, and English. Anyone who fails to comply gets a rifle butt to the forehead courtesy of Prince Charles.

Less theatrics, more dramatics, I say!

How true Subnuts ... America has won every conflict, except one, and I still don't speak Vietnamese ...

Thank you veterans of foreign wars.

[Heibges]

The better hope the Teamsters don't find out about them moving those desks themselves.

[U-533]

I agree with you geetrue some people will never get it.


But they will expect it no matter.

True or not your story is a good show.

Thank you.

[Takeda Shingen]

I've seen the salary scale for the Little Rock Public Schools. Those students may want to thank their teacher first, then the troops. Otherwise, they have no one to teach them this, or any lesson.

[P_Funk]

I think that that "lesson" was altogether outside the perview of the a teacher's position. I'm pretty sure that stirring patrotism is not part of any sane curriculum.

As much as I might agree with honouring soldiers, I think that to do that with students is a form of indoctrination, particularly without parental permission. It certainly reflects the tacher's point of view and as a teacher being biased is supposed to be bad.

I could perhaps understnad it if it were a discussion. But that was a declaration, no discussion, no place for dissent.

Even though what she said:
"...it's up to you to sit here
responsibly to learn, to be good students and good citizens...."
sounds good to me, I don't think that its a very fair way to introduce such an idea.

[Letum]

mmm, yes
Anyone moved by this drama is totally lacking in cynicism.

[Yahoshua]

So I'm venturing to guess that nobody here objects to children beng indoctrinated by "Channel 1" programs?

[P_Funk]

Originally Posted by Yahoshua

So I'm venturing to guess that nobody here objects to children beng indoctrinated by "Channel 1" programs?

I object to anyone being indoctrinated by anything.