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Posted by Berg Katse on 17-05-2004 at 10:10:
OUTRAGEOUS! (US Strikes Again)
This was published in the Daytona Beach News-Journal:
Hard lessons from poetry class: Speech is free unless it's critical
By BILL HILL
Last update: 15 May 2004
Bill Nevins, a New Mexico high school teacher and personal friend, was fired last year and classes in poetry and the poetry club at Rio Rancho High School were permanently terminated. It had nothing to do with obscenity, but it had everything to do with extremist politics.
The "Slam Team" was a group of teenage poets who asked Nevins to serve as faculty adviser to their club. The teens, mostly shy youngsters, were taught to read their poetry aloud and before audiences. Rio Rancho High School gave the Slam Team access to the school's closed-circuit television once a week and the poets thrived.
In March 2003, a teenage girl named Courtney presented one of her poems before an audience at Barnes & Noble bookstore in Albuquerque, then read the poem live on the school's closed-circuit television channel.
A school military liaison and the high school principal accused the girl of being "un-American" because she criticized the war in Iraq and the Bush administration's failure to give substance to its "No child left behind" education policy.
The girl's mother, also a teacher, was ordered by the principal to destroy the child's poetry. The mother refused and may lose her job.
Bill Nevins was suspended for not censoring the poetry of his students. Remember, there is no obscenity to be found in any of the poetry. He was later fired by the principal.
After firing Nevins and terminating the teaching and reading of poetry in the school, the principal and the military liaison read a poem of their own as they raised the flag outside the school. When the principal had the flag at full staff, he applauded the action he'd taken in concert with the military liaison.
Then to all students and faculty who did not share his political opinions, the principal shouted: "Shut your faces." What a wonderful lesson he gave those 3,000 students at the largest public high school in New Mexico. In his mind, only certain opinions are to be allowed.
But more was to come. Posters done by art students were ordered torn down, even though none was termed obscene. Some were satirical, implicating a national policy that had led us into war. Art teachers who refused to rip down the posters on display in their classrooms were not given contracts to return to the school in this current school year.
The message is plain. Critical thinking, questioning of public policies and freedom of speech are not to be allowed to anyone who does not share the thinking of the school principal.
The teachers union has been joined in a legal action against the school by the National Writers Union, headquartered in New York City. NWU's at-large representative Samantha Clark lives and works in Albuquerque.
The American Civil Liberties Union has become the legal arm of the lawsuit pending in federal court.
Meanwhile, Nevins applied for a teaching post in another school and was offered the job but he can't go to work until Rio Rancho's principal sends the new school Nevins' credentials. The principal has refused to do so, and that adds yet another issue to the lawsuit, which is awaiting a trial date.
While students are denied poetry readings, poetry clubs and classes in poetry, Nevins works elsewhere and writes his own poetry.
Writers and editors who have spent years translating essays, films, poems, scientific articles and books by Iranian, North Korean and Sudanese authors have been warned not to do so by the U.S. Treasury Department under penalty of fine and imprisonment. Publishers and film producers are not allowed to edit works authored by writers in those nations. The Bush administration contends doing so has the effect of trading with the enemy, despite a 1988 law that exempts published materials from sanction under trade rules.
Robert Bovenschulte, president of the American Chemical Society, is challenging the rule interpretation by violating it to edit into English several scientific papers from Iran.
Are book burnings next?
Hill is a retired News-Journal reporter.
Article can be found here.
I don't think there are words to express exactly how I feel--and the only words that come close are so vulgar only people over the age of 150 are allowed to hear them.
Katse
Posted by SJ on 17-05-2004 at 12:20:
Stupid.....
The 4th Reich in its infancy, perhaps?
__________________
They used to say "Make love, not war".
Now both of them can kill you
Posted by Firebird on 17-05-2004 at 12:56:
All I can think of is
Whatever happened to freedom of speech?
__________________
Like the Phoenix I rise from the fire. Beware all who try to tame me, you may get burned 
Posted by Buffy on 17-05-2004 at 13:24:
Disgusting. I am appalled that this principal has such an irresponsible approach to education. I hope this is persued in a court of law and beaten the heck down because it is so clearly unconstitutional.
That said, Kat, my gut reaction to first reading the title of this thread was "Oh lord, a 'I hate the US' speech from Katse again." Which was an unfair thought as while I've not always agreed with you, you tend to bring up great points in your messages, and at least get me to thinking at times. I understand that you (often justifiably) find reason to be critical and angry at policies put forth by our current president. But please, please, please, don't condemn my entire country.
I know your reason is to get everyone inside and outside the US stirred up with indignation enough to make change. Blaming the country as a whole "OUTRAGIOUS! (US strikes again)" is certainly a way to accomplish that. The yellow press makes use of inflamatory titles all the time for just that purpose.
Believe me, not everyone in the US is a warmongering, censorship loving, anti-environmental, big business extremist. There are a large number of folks who both support and love their country, troops, etc, who are horrfied at the actions their president and current govt. has taken in their names. Heck, even Bush himself has good politics along with the bad politics. (No, I'm not going to vote for him in the next election either).
I have never, no matter what I've heard about Canada that I might disagree with, condemned Canada and Canadians as a whole. And I never will. There are some who have slammed Canada in such a way, and it comes across as bigoted, ignorant posturing. Please don't make the mistake of poorly chosen words returning the favor. Please? It undermines the important message of free speech you are trying to make here.
Thank you.
__________________
"Spider sense....tingling."
Posted by Tengu on 17-05-2004 at 14:34:
No, Im sure they are not, but unfortunatley the minority seem to be in charge.
__________________
"If you think I am a Condor, you may keep that opinion;
Though I am no Condor, my Skylines rusty enough."
Posted by Berg Katse on 17-05-2004 at 18:31:
Sorry I offended you, Buffy. By no means do I think of all Americans that way--I'd be including members of my own family! A lot of Canadian press simply calls the US government 'the US'. We've become used to referring to the government of a country simply by calling it by that country's name (we do it with the UK, China, Japan, etc). When you read "Israel kills 4", you just know they don't mean the country stood up and crushed someone. I'll try to avoid such generalizations, but I can't promise I'll always remember. I do apologize if I've offended anyone.
Katse
Posted by Buffy on 17-05-2004 at 19:39:
I do apologize if I'm being overly sensitive about it. It's just that, I dunno, I guess it really is a sensitive point for me. Not so much the US stuff, but blanket generalizations in...er...well...general. Heh, and yes, "Israel kills 4" type titles tend to bug the fire out of me too. In fact, that's really the core of my twinge on the Christianity thingie on the other thread. Not so much the 'Christians are perceived as buttheads' angle, so much as 'ALL Christians are perceived as buttheads'.
I'm constantly beating my proverbial head against the bricks reading the junk that passes for news in the Media because of the overgeneralization and hype for the sake of attention and press.
As for this story, it galls me that a public school system would openly promote censorship. I'm sure they are viewing it as promoting patriotism, but that 'still don't make it right'. To me, true patriotism is promoting the principles we are founded on as laid down in the Constitution. I really believe if this went to court, it would be thrown out by the time it reached the final court.
Anyway, I'm in danger of rambling again. Is it ever possible for me to make a post without rattling off semi-literately?
Buffy toodles back to her corner for a Shweps and Chocolate.
__________________
"Spider sense....tingling."
Posted by Elvin Ruler on 17-05-2004 at 20:48:
Public school has long censored students. Students and parents often don't know that they have the right to fight it. The students' parents should have at least realized that the school's behavior was unconstitutional. The judges certainly would have. We have a system to prevent these sort of actions. Most people just don't bother to use it.
__________________
What if there is a spoon? 
Posted by CricketBeautiful on 17-05-2004 at 21:00:
Well, the powers that be can stall things -- like not sending the guy's employement history.
Still, a letter from his lawyer formally requesting the info be sent, copied to old and new schools, should scare things a bit. Lawyer doesn't have to actually do anything but relay the request, but that letterhead often gets action.
Me, my biggest complaint about the school system is the stuff they teach for Canadian Literature (yuck!!) and science fiction (marginal). How about Spider Robinson or RJ Sawyer, and get two lines off the list with one good book, and have something to discuss about writing, ethics, tolerance, prejudice, evolution vs ID, and all sorts of other good stuff at the same time? But, no. We get the Stone Angel and the Asimov one about Doors. No wonder kids don't always like reading.
Wonder if they'll ever assign Harry Potter?
__________________
Between stimulus and response there is a space.
In that space is our power to choose our response.
In our response lies our growth and our freedom.
- Viktor E. Frankl
Posted by Elvin Ruler on 17-05-2004 at 21:15:
Kids everywhere hope so. ^_^
Tell me about it. Dad substitutes at the local high school. They just watched The Color Purple in an English class. He said that he has yet to find something educational in that movie that couldn't be found in a better book/movie.
My brother is living proof of this: Give the kid a good book, and it's a guarantee that he'll abandon electronics to read it. *nods*
__________________
What if there is a spoon?
Posted by Tajiri on 18-05-2004 at 04:44:
I went to Mystic Connecticut the other day and I saw a wonderful bumper sticker. It said "Somewhere in Texas...A village is missing its idiot". I just thought I'd throw that out there given my thought about the article.
Now I'm not one to normally over react but if I were one of the sudents at that school and that was my principal telling me to "shut my face" I would have stormed up there, grabbed the mic, and told him to shut the fuck up. Of course he'd also probably be missing a few teeth, I would be in jail (at least for a little while) and it all might have made the national news because we all know how the media eats up these kind of things.
Now to those "I hate the US" thread. Damn I love those. Of course most of my best rants come from either something happening to the US or something being done by the US or more specifically "W". By the way, the American death toll in Iraq is up to 784. Ummmm when are our troop coming home again???
I'm actually going to Albuquerque in June. Should I break out my pool cue and go down to that school and announce that "I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass. And I'm all out of bubblegum"? Just a thought.
Posted by Firebird on 18-05-2004 at 07:08:
I too hate generalisations and pigeon holing people by labelling a group.
You get so many stupid things written or said its to me just unbelievable at time.
In case you were wondering the freedom of speech comment is directed towards the school, its governers and in particular the head teacher/Principle responsible.
I am making an assumption your schools in the US have governers, a board of people that are made up of teacher, parents etc to assist in the decisions with the local school policies and regulations. If that is incorrect I apologise.
If not maybe they should try having one it would assist in preventing things like this happening or at least getting out of hand.
I wish the teacher and students good luck in their fight against being allowed to freely express their opinions and to be able to be proud of their work.
Considering how the programe was started to help people and give them confidence it is a shame this has happened.
__________________
Like the Phoenix I rise from the fire. Beware all who try to tame me, you may get burned
Posted by Elvin Ruler on 18-05-2004 at 13:29:
Hmmm...missing an idiot, you say? But I'm still here... 
As to when our troops are coming home...remember that June 30 deadline date? Yeah, well forget it. A friend of mine has been told that he's being sent there sometime in the fall.
Our schools do have what we call "superintendants," though at times they're not all that super. ^_^ They are brought in from somewhere outside of the community, and they lead a committee of some sorts. Unfortunately, I'm not too familiar with the various powers and proceedings and what not, having been homeschooled from the fifth grade on through senior high.
__________________
What if there is a spoon?
Posted by Drive on 27-05-2004 at 20:35:
Yup, what everyone else said... 
Well, I'm sorrrrrry, I don't have time to do a meaningful post!!!! Sheesh!! Gimme a break!!
I'll do a collage of emoticons for ya's?
Whoooo! I love these!!
Er, hmm....this was is the rant thread isn't it?
*looks around nervously, realises this probably counts as 'thread invasion' and sneaks out before capture*
__________________
I try to take one day at a time, but sometimes several days attack me at once.
Posted by stardust on 28-05-2004 at 00:07:
This whole thread has my attention as an american and as a teacher.
Different things go on in different parts of our country. I lived in the South for ten years and I moved back a few years ago to the state I grew up in, New York.
Down south they will never allow the students to read Catcher in the Rye but in NY it is on our reading list.
In the south an artist had to put a covering over her nude painting in a museum, why? Because the children might see. In NY, well you've heard about our museums.
I have a problem with censorship of any kind, especially in art. If my students create an off color piece of art, I do not fail them, but I explain how I can't hang it up because my prude of a principal will have heart failure.
My point? Different parts of the country do different things? Why, because supposedly we are free to do so.
Teachers are in a unique position, as we have to listen to a set of rules handed down to us by things like the Dept of Dread..er ED.
However being the eternal nonconformist, I bend them to their limits.
So, to stand with Buffy on this, we are not all the same in the US. Please don't lump us together and feel sorry for us teachers when our hands are tied. And shame on that principal, must be related to mine.
Oh and Cricket? We do have Harry Potter on our shelves.
__________________
Stardust
A villain must be a thing of power, handled with delicacy and grace. He must be wicked enough to excite our aversion, strong enough to arouse our fear, human enough to awaken some transient gleam of sympathy. - Agnes Repplier
Posted by SJ on 28-05-2004 at 02:16:
*scratches head sheepishly*
You know...to be really honest with you. I didn't even look, or take notice, of the "country" named in the article. All I saw was a report about a school gone awry.
I actually think that we're all over-sensitive these days. Everyone is looking at the wrong part of reports and stories. Who really gives a squat where the even took place? What is important here is that there is a problem with censorship in the classroom.
This could happen in Canada, the US, Australia or England...but who cares? The country of origin isn't the issue. I am sure that the teacher soncerned isn't announcing that it is US law to do this to his students (I only skimmed the article so if I appear ignorant, that's my excuse)
Lets forget about homelands, race, religion and creed here for a minute and take the article for what it is. Because that's what it is about. Worrying about how the rest of the world is seeing the country, as a whole, because of this issue is detracting the attentions off the actual issue. (I just KNOW I used THAT word in the wrong context)
This isn't the US against the rest of the world...it is kids being unjustly punished for doing what kids do....And what kids should do. (I think....but I am full of shit at the best of times....so ignore me)...
I can't even remember what books we had on our shelves.....oh...nookie books and dictionaries with naughty words in them....Stephen King <Salute> and all that fun stuff. Anything that was deemed "required reading" we had to actually go out and buy.
Oh.....TIme for sleep. I will probably read this tomorrow and slap myself. Don't let me near a keyboard when I am exhausted.....
G'night
SJ
__________________
They used to say "Make love, not war".
Now both of them can kill you
Posted by Firebird on 28-05-2004 at 06:43:
Stardust,
As far as your regs goes I leave that to you as you work int he field. I love the way you allow the expression and explain that sometimes the rules mean it cant be displayed.
Children are creative and wonderful and we all learn from our mistakes.
In relation to what Buffy said about titles for things. Its a sad fact but we all grew up with these sorts of headlines so I guess we all have become complacent and can forget that when typing something that we hope may attract someone to read what a thread is about we sometimes forget that the same title can cause some to typecast a whole people for the actions of a few.
__________________
Like the Phoenix I rise from the fire. Beware all who try to tame me, you may get burned
Posted by CricketBeautiful on 28-05-2004 at 19:01:
Harry Potter on the shelves, I would hope so -- it gets kids reading -- but I wouldn't be surprised if someone tried to ban it; just my usual "idiots are everywhere" philosophy.
I'm a bit worried about the way the subject matter gets older as Harry does. Parents who approve the first one might not approve the later ones, or want to delay them. The author increases the age of the intended reader with each one, which means you might get an 11-year old who loved the first one reading the last few before she's ready. How to decide when she's ready? I'll tell you after I get my own kids past that stage. Or maybe I should wait till after the grandkids have passed it. But, I have found that kids are usually more ready than we realize; they take different things away from the story than we adults do, but so long as bad things are portrayed as options rather than the way things should be, what they take away is valid, and appropriate for whatever stage they are at at the time.
but, my point was, what about assigning it as required reading?
__________________
Between stimulus and response there is a space.
In that space is our power to choose our response.
In our response lies our growth and our freedom.
- Viktor E. Frankl
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