Liberty Middle School teacher assigns opposition research for Obama campaign.

You can't make this stuff up. Doesn't it seem like a government teacher would know better?

http://dailycaller.com/2012/03/22/va-middle-schoolers-assigned-to-do-oppo-research-on-gop-candidates/

Sad but not surprised, it is Fairfax and the schools are full of liberals

free cheese Wrote:
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> Sad but not surprised, it is Fairfax and the
> schools are full of liberals

The state/county doesn't matter. The entire US education system is infested with liberals.

Virginia, Arizona, Texas....everywhere.

"The 8th grade students, who attend Liberty Middle School in Fairfax County, were required to seek out the vulnerabilities of Republican presidential hopefuls and forward them to the Obama campaign."

Um. Not really. They were never told to forward them.

Take away the inflamitory rhetoric of The Daily Caller article (nice news source, BTW) and you learn that the students were in a Civics Honors class where the teacher split them into four groups, one for each Republican candidate. (Maybe because the biggest civics news right now is the Republican Primary?) The students were then to collaborate as a group and research the backgrounds of their assigned candidate. Denman assigned two students to write a paper revealing the identified “weaknesses,” two to write the attack strategy paper and two others to locate an individual inside the Obama campaign to whom they could send the information.

It's called teaching children HOW to think -- Research, analyze and report. As for sending to the Obama campaign, yea - The Dems are jonesing for the political analysis of the average middle school student.

Can't you get your knickers in a twist over something more important to the GOP? Like how Obama is Hitler, or a facist socialist? Or maybe his birth certificate...

Typikal demokrat behavior, infekting our schools and running their "civics" klasses like Nazi youth camps to support the Führer.

------------------------------------

twitter @EyeAmU

When I graduated the school was full of liberal teachers. They didnt mind bringing their political views to class either. Liberal teachers talk about how life should be fair and then you graduate and enter the real world to find out the truth, life is anything but fair.

i win Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Take away the inflamitory rhetoric of The Daily
> Caller article (nice news source, BTW) and you
> learn that the students were in a Civics Honors
> class where the teacher split them into four
> groups, one for each Republican candidate. (Maybe
> because the biggest civics news right now is the
> Republican Primary?) The students were then to
> collaborate as a group and research the
> backgrounds of their assigned candidate. Denman
> assigned two students to write a paper revealing
> the identified “weaknesses,” two to write the
> attack strategy paper and two others to locate an
> individual inside the Obama campaign to whom they
> could send the information.
>
> It's called teaching children HOW to think --
> Research, analyze and report. As for sending to
> the Obama campaign, yea - The Dems are jonesing
> for the political analysis of the average middle
> school student.


Fail. The teacher got outed, face it. "Teaching them how to think" Yeah to think the proper way right?

to "i win"

The teacher could have also assigned opposition research on President Obama. Or, he even could have allowed them to opposition research for another candidate--since, as you say, that is where the "civics news" is right now. But, instead, he assigned research for the President.

No matter how you spin it, this was unacceptable.

i win Wrote:
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> Um. Not really. They were never told to forward
> them.


please note your source to support the above statement. thank you

i win Wrote:
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> Um. Not really. They were never told to forward
> them.

Probably, because the parents found out first.

you lost Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> i win Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Um. Not really. They were never told to
> forward
> > them.
>
>
> please note your source to support the above
> statement. thank you


Libs don't concern themselves with trifles like legitimate sources, facts, or the truth. You should just take his word for it, he knows what's best for everyone.

a comment Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> i win Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Um. Not really. They were never told to forward
>
> > them.
>
> Probably, because the parents found out first.

+1

Just like cockroaches Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> free cheese Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Sad but not surprised, it is Fairfax and the
> > schools are full of liberals
>
> The state/county doesn't matter. The entire US
> education system is infested with liberals.
>
> Virginia, Arizona, Texas....everywhere.


Nail head hit. So many educators use their position as a platform to preach personal politics. I found in my education that it increased exponentially as I progressed.

1. If this was a learning opportunity based on the current Republican campaign, why was the Obama campaign involved at all?

2. Did you assign a strategy for winning the respective campaigns--or only opposition research?

3. Did you teach about the process of winning delegates state by state? That would have been a true strategy--and a real learning experience.

4. Did you have the students compare and contrast the campaigns?

5. Did you use the 2008 campaign as an example of how the two parties are the same and different in how they get delegates?

6. Did you have the students caucus to choose a candidate? I cannot imagine a more relevant assignment.

7. Did you ever, ever consider doing some of this with straw candidates? Have the students design a campaign with a candidate who supports their issues?

Why hasn't Patch reported this?

You have to be a liberal to be in education. You have to be idealistic and believe you can change people and that the world can be a better place through individual effort. You have to encourage people and not give up. You have to love people and see the good in them. You cannot teach that the world is an unfair, dim, and fearful place and that it's supposed to be that way. The conservatives that are in education are horrible teachers. They are inflexible, believe education is about "painting by numbers" and teach the what and not the "how". They don't want people to think too much---just march to the leader--- and they want to get paid less and have crummy retirement systems. They don't respect themselves as teachers.

Why don't conservatives become teachers?

Except for "i win," you guys are all idiots. This is a total non-story. The claim that "the education system" is "full of liberals" is bunk. I communicate pretty regularly with my kids' teachers (elementary and middle school), have done so for years and years, and I couldn't tell you what political ideology they align with.

This sounds like a great assignment for a civics class and it gives students a real view into how a political campaign works.

Tucker Carlson must be getting truly desperate for attention if he's pulling up shit like this.

another question Wrote:
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> Why hasn't Patch reported this?


A good question. With Patch being a part of the Huffinkton Post and all.

------------------------------------

twitter @EyeAmU

t Wrote:
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> Except for "i win," you guys are all idiots. This
> is a total non-story. The claim that "the
> education system" is "full of liberals" is bunk. I
> communicate pretty regularly with my kids'
> teachers (elementary and middle school), have done
> so for years and years, and I couldn't tell you
> what political ideology they align with.

And Romney told a bunch of southerners "Hi, Y'all, I just had some biscuits and cheesy grits" Do I mean *gasp* that people can mask who they really are? I bet your children couldnt tell you what their political party is either, but I bet they know their ideologies.

I taught for many years--and I was a conservative teacher. Believe it or not, there are quite a few of us--far more than you think. However, we are the ones who are quiet and try to be reasonable. We are not the ones giving one-sided assignments, because we believe in a government that does not legislate beliefs. We are not the ones who shout--and, I guess because of this, it is the liberals who get control of our profession. For, they are the ones who lead the unions.

We are teachers who are expected to be quiet while our "professional organization/union" supports candidates that we oppose. Never once was I asked to vote on a candidate for the union to support--it was decided "on high". You cannot believe the pressure put on teachers to join. Once, I worked in a school that was "working to the rule/contract". We were told by our building representative to leave as soon as our contract allowed (30 minutes after dismissal) and not to take work home. You would be amazed at how many of us said "no way". I always felt like I got my reward every two weeks in a paycheck and that I was a "professional" teacher who was not paid by the hour. Did I want more money? Of course. But, my responsibility was to the kids.

I worked in one school where the contract would not let the principal "evaluate" us in our classrooms unless he made an appointment. That is insane. A principal should constantly be evaluating teachers.

And, do you know who the worst teacher in our school was? It was the building representative for the teachers' union. Boy, did she know her "rights". She also taught the least,

There are plenty of conservative ideologues teaching as well.

The explanation from iwin had me going up to the point where they were supposed to identify a person in the OBAMA campaign to send the information to. If it was really intended to be an unbiased class project, why not simply have the students identify an individual in ANOTHER CANDIDATE'S CAMPAIGN to provide the information to. I think now might be the time for the teacher to play the Stupid Card.

It is a shame because projects like this can if properly done, really be great learning tools for kids.

As a government and history teacher, this assignment shows the bias of the teacher. The assignment on its face is good, select candidates and do the strengths and weakness' of each. I did that in 2008 for my middle school classes (6th through 8th). We included all candidates no matter the party, including some 3rd party candidates. The issue here is that only 1 party is presented to be researched, then the students write the papers on how to attack, younger minds can be creative (at best) and its starts to put the mindset together (at the worst) of seeing more party differently than the other. In that regard it is not teaching the students how to think, but what to think.

This assignment should have included all the candidates, including the President. Give all sides and perspectives on if the candidates are qualified (based on their positions) to have the support of the people to hold the highest office in the land. The assignment seems to be focused only on the negative of the candidates, again showing a mindset of what to look for, not to look and find the positions, both that you like and dislike, of the candidates.

Would the campaign have used these, if they had actually been sent, doubtful, but this was more about indocrination than critical thinking development. In school, teachers need to present the facts, push for critical thinking and be able to show both sides of the issue. In my classroom, the students were not able by the end of the assignment to determine where I was politically because I debated and showed all sides in my room. In the end, the classes did actually vote for our current President in 2 of the 3 grades, btw.

Achtung!!!

Bill.N. Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The explanation from iwin had me going up to the
> point where they were supposed to identify a
> person in the OBAMA campaign to send the
> information to. If it was really intended to be
> an unbiased class project, why not simply have the
> students identify an individual in ANOTHER
> CANDIDATE'S CAMPAIGN to provide the information
> to.

I don't understand why that step was in there at all. How about script a political analysis piece Meet-the-Press-style or some such thing where results would be theoretically presented in a public forum, or balthered on by talking heads on Super Tuesday?

Does anyone know if the teacher contacted the parents about this activity?

Seems like it would be appropriate under the circumstances.

Shameless liberals brainwashing kids.

Let's not lose sight of the what's important here:

The joy of watching right-wing nutjobs go apoplectic over a middle school civics lesson.

Panties All Bunched Up Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Let's not lose sight of the what's important
> here:
>
> The joy of watching right-wing nutjobs go
> apoplectic over a middle school civics lesson.


If only left wingers had the civics knowledge of a seventh grader....

Panties All Bunched Up Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Let's not lose sight of the what's important
> here:
>
> The joy of watching right-wing nutjobs go
> apoplectic over a middle school civics lesson.

Thats like saying slavery wasnt bad... if you were white. You would be up in arms of it were reversed.

'Pot, this is Kettle'

try putting conservatives in education Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You have to be a liberal to be in education. You have to encourage
> people and not give up. You have to love people
> and see the good in them. You cannot teach that
> the world is an unfair, dim, and fearful place and
> that it's supposed to be that way.

What a joke of a post. How about when you called President Bush a Nazi and compared him to a chimp? Is that loving and peaceful? LIberals are the worst hypocrites in the world. Look no further than the OWS slugs that threw shit on the police, destroyed public property and incited violence. Peace loving my ass.

What is FCPS response to this? Are they going to give this their usual spin--or will they talk to the teachers about the proper way to run a lesson?

Spin?? Wrote:
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> What is FCPS response to this? Are they going to
> give this their usual spin--or will they talk to
> the teachers about the proper way to run a lesson?

My prediction: not a damn thing will happen.

The teaching profession is run just like law enforcement. Its a good ole boys club with little accountability. As long as the teachers don't sleep with students or murder anyone nothing will happen to them. Oh, and as long as they don't mention God. That's the worst offense of all.

The above post is not true. I have seen several teachers fired in the past couple of years (and it wasn't for sleeping with students or murder). They usually give them the choice of being fired or resign. Guess which one they take? The smart ones take firing of course, but most take resign.

It is happening much more than you think.

seen it Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The above post is not true. I have seen several
> teachers fired in the past couple of years (and it
> wasn't for sleeping with students or murder).
> They usually give them the choice of being fired
> or resign. Guess which one they take? The smart
> ones take firing of course, but most take resign.
>
>
> It is happening much more than you think.


Most of that is because they refuse to play the games. Dont confuse personal agenda with professional misconduct.

JBass Wrote:
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> Most of that is because they refuse to play the
> games. Dont confuse personal agenda with
> professional misconduct.

Professional misconduct? What about this teacher's action constitutes misconduct? Are there rules surrounding student assignments that preclude the work this teacher assigned?

Just because what this teacher's assignment pissed YOU off doesn't mean the teacher violated established FCPS policies.

Jumping The Gun Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> JBass Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Most of that is because they refuse to play the
> > games. Dont confuse personal agenda with
> > professional misconduct.
>
> Professional misconduct? What about this
> teacher's action constitutes misconduct? Are
> there rules surrounding student assignments that
> preclude the work this teacher assigned?
>
> Just because what this teacher's assignment pissed
> YOU off doesn't mean the teacher violated
> established FCPS policies.

Sorry, I was referring to the statement made before mine that teachers rarely get fired, a tangent off the OP.

Panties All Bunched Up Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Let's not lose sight of the what's important
> here:
>
> The joy of watching right-wing nutjobs go
> apoplectic over a middle school civics lesson.


+1

give it up Wrote:

> Fail. The teacher got outed, face it. "Teaching
> them how to think" Yeah to think the proper way
> right?



No - see, that would be teaching them WHAT to think. This exercise looked to be designed to teach them HOW to think - to research, to analyze information.

The value is that once they learn how to think they can assess the situations they face and form their own opinions. This skill will allow them to grow up to be thinking individuals that do not accept the opinions of certain afternoon radio entertainers as gospel or watch TV "News" and believe without question that it is fair and balanced.

No Name Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> give it up Wrote:
>
> > Fail. The teacher got outed, face it.
> "Teaching
> > them how to think" Yeah to think the proper
> way
> > right?
>
>
>
> No - see, that would be teaching them WHAT to
> think. This exercise looked to be designed to
> teach them HOW to think - to research, to analyze
> information.
>
> The value is that once they learn how to think
> they can assess the situations they face and form
> their own opinions. This skill will allow them to
> grow up to be thinking individuals that do not
> accept the opinions of certain afternoon radio
> entertainers as gospel or watch TV "News" and
> believe without question that it is fair and
> balanced.


Wrong, not only was it teaching them what to think, it was teaching them what to think in the correct way. There is nothing wrong with teaching children that Republicans are wrong. If they are not indoctrinated correctly by high school, we may lose them to the Republicans. We need more teachers like this.

You can trust them Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> you lost Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > i win Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Um. Not really. They were never told to
> > forward
> > > them.
> >
> >
> > please note your source to support the above
> > statement. thank you
>
>
> Libs don't concern themselves with trifles like
> legitimate sources, facts, or the truth. You
> should just take his word for it, he knows what's
> best for everyone.

My source is the actual article referenced by the OP. Perhaps if you had read it...but I guess wingnuts don't concern themselves with trifles like reading.

Interesting...I went on to respond to a post as my normal user name, "i win" only to find that it had been registered at 3:00 PM by someone who then posted at 3:11...

If you have to win your argument by turning into a troll, it's time to find a new hobby. You may have the name i win, but in all else, you lose.
Attachments:

Just like cockroaches Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> free cheese Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Sad but not surprised, it is Fairfax and the
> > schools are full of liberals
>
> The state/county doesn't matter. The entire US
> education system is infested with liberals.
>
> Virginia, Arizona, Texas....everywhere.

So was there a group investigating Obama's background, looking for his weaknesses, finding ways to exploit them and locating someone within the GOP to send the results to?

Seriously? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Interesting...I went on to respond to a post as my
> normal user name, "i win" only to find that it had
> been registered at 3:00 PM by someone who then
> posted at 3:11...
>
> If you have to win your argument by turning into a
> troll, it's time to find a new hobby. You may
> have the name i win, but in all else, you lose.


Says the troll who uses multiple usernames to bolster his argument. Sorry, you are the biggest loser. If you have a problem with it, learn how to register.


PS - way to eff up the formatting, Gibby.

PPS - giving the world your real name is a massive way to lose and you just did that, Gibby.

good assignment, we have lived with years of right wing facist teachers in FCPS -one that we have now has a picture of Reagan but not current President (YEs and sorry you don't like it but Obama is great and was freely elected, not like how the right lies cheats and steals elections) Eat it morons.

Gibby Ries 571-379 2835 should be more careful when arguing who wins and loses...i win.

One of the pages he has open is this: http://www.motiontemps.com/article_0604.html talking about writing a pitch letter


if you scroll over...
he left up this image of his pitch letter with his full name and telephone number. so silly. just remember that he posted it not I.
Attachments:

Looks like Gibby has his own thread:

http://www.fairfaxunderground.com/forum/read/40/866400.html

http://www.linkedin.com/in/gibbyries

-----------------------------------------------

"...your suffering will be legendary even in Hell!"

-----------------------------------------------

"...your suffering will be legendary even in Hell!"

Well, this thread got a whole lot more interesting.

Can we get back to the issue at hand?

When will FCPS apologize instead of spin?

If you check you will see that 4 years ago Mr.Denman assigned the same assignment, to research the Democratic candidates and find out their flaws. His is the only car in the parking lot with a Buch Cheney sticker on it. You guys are barking up the wrong tree.

How the fuck did you get their WORD.doc?

Seriously? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> How the fuck did you get their WORD.doc?


The moron posted it herself. Check the massive screwup thread in off topic.

Its on there but not on here. How could that be?

Gibby and John have never visited this website. Someone is playing a very cruel trick on them. You don't think they are that stupid do you?

gibby you fucked up. gibby, stop trying to play us.

I suspect the teacher could not ask the students to report on Obamas flaws, there are only a few months until school ends.

Seriously? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Gibby and John have never visited this website.

Yes you have.


> Someone is playing a very cruel trick on them. You
> don't think they are that stupid do you?


Yes, I do think they are this stupid.

Word of advice, it will be a whole lot less painful if you just fess up and move on. These denials will just incite the pack even more.

G

Bump

"two to write the attack strategy paper and two others to locate an individual inside the Obama campaign to whom they could send the information."

Really? And what was the point of this "teaching them how to think" part?? That makes no sense whatsoever. They just had to find 2 names, really??? "to whom they could send the information." Sounds like a discussion on what the word "is" means. (President Clinton)

Oh, the voice of reason. You're so wise! I love it when people (no matter WHAT side of the aisle) chime in with remarks like "I can't believe you don't have something better to do!" Do I need to point out why that's just so precious?

Now I know you're above commenting on this non-story (CLEARLY) and I'm sure you're a very busy individual, but if if (smirk) you happen to make it back to this site to review the comments in response to your wise words, please do us the great honor of expanding on your viewpoint.

Whether or not the Daily Caller ramped up the rhetoric when reporting on this story is neither here nor there (in my humble opinion).

And let's believe for a moment that students were not in fact instructed to forward their findings to someone affiliated with the Obama campaign ....

How is the decision to assign students to research only GOP candidates' weaknesses, an example of teaching critical thinking? That's the opposite of critical thinking. And yes, professor, it would be just as outrageous if teacher assigned students to do some muckraking on dems only.

Dee4 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> "two to write the attack strategy paper and two
> others to locate an individual inside the Obama
> campaign to whom they could send the
> information."
>
> Really? And what was the point of this "teaching
> them how to think" part?? That makes no sense
> whatsoever. They just had to find 2 names,
> really??? "to whom they could send the
> information." Sounds like a discussion on what
> the word "is" means. (President Clinton)

Its just so much easier to find negative information on repukes- lying, steal elections, corruption, young boys...you name it-the Right corners the market on unethical and immoral, they are hypocrites.

farragutwest Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Its just so much easier to find negative
> information on repukes- lying, steal elections,
> corruption, young boys...you name it-the Right
> corners the market on unethical and immoral, they
> are hypocrites.

You are SOOO right!

The question is:

Will the School Board continue to rubber stamp everything that Jack Dale and his staff support? This is a failure of leadership in the school system:
1. It should already be clear that teachers should present an unbiased opinion--especially in an election year.
2. Students are vulnerable and a lesson like this which incorporates "opposition research" FOR Obama only is clearly biased.
3. Why are we only hearing about it on the web? It IS a story.
4. Our school board has once again failed to take the higher road. The response has been the "party line" given by Gatehouse.
5. When will the School Board understand that their first responsibility is to the children--and then to the taxpayers who elect them-not to Jack Dale.

I have yet to read a response in the news from a school board member.

Seriously? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> How the fuck did you get their WORD.doc?


How do you know it is THEIR word.doc? So, you are confirming that it is in fact the Ries couple's document?

If you aren't Gibby or John, how can you confirm it is their word.doc?

Yeah, I WIN!

No. I didn't see the WORD post at frist. I'm not confiriming anything. You lose!

You lose Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> No. I didn't see the WORD post at frist. I'm not
> confiriming anything. You lose!


Are you Seriously??

Because Seriously? wrote, "How the fuck did you get their WORD.doc?"

Seriously? confirmed it was their WORD.doc.

Barack "The Magic Negro"

Interesting how the teacher is the only one with a Bush Cheney bumper sticker on his car. Guess those LIBERALS outta stop teaching!!!!

Ha got you all on that one.... The teacher is NOT A LIBERAL!

Oh and they don't send the campaign their notes - its just a simulation. What campaign would take the help of high school kids sending their campaign email anyway.

Cassie said:
"Interesting how the teacher is the only one with a Bush Cheney bumper sticker on his car. Guess those LIBERALS outta stop teaching!!!!"

If you believe that, I have a bridge to sell you......Sounds like Democrat spin and cover to me......especially coming from Kathy's minion

Having just graduated from a Fairfax County school a couple years ago, there is a blatant liberalism that perpetuates the vast majority of the staff (teachers especially). That's how it is here at college too, professors and high school teachers alike don't mind giving you their biased opinions which 9 times out of 10 turn out to be liberal. If you want to choose an exercise that will make kids critically analyze the campaign, why not let them choose a side to critique? I remember my government teachers during my senior year of high school would flat out make comments such as, "Only a Republican could come up with something that stupid" or celebrating Obama's victory in 2008 by stating, "Thank God we got that Republican idiot out of office." This isn't some unique occurrence, liberals own education, and those who don't see that are completely ignorant.

i.win Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You lose Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > No. I didn't see the WORD post at frist. I'm
> not
> > confiriming anything. You lose!
>
>
> Are you Seriously??
>
> Because Seriously? wrote, "How the fuck did you
> get their WORD.doc?"
>
> Seriously? confirmed it was their WORD.doc.

Yes. I was seriously. But not the gibby seriously. And how did I confirm it was their word doc by asking how you got it? You are seriously retarded. You think you have been talking to gibby this entire time hhahahahaha

bump

pl

wowkk Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> pl

2 letter code for Poland?

bump

bump

Lol Gibby