"What Do You All Know About that War in Iraq?"

Saturday, November 8 - Fresh updates and new developments are still coming in.... All updates will be posted after the jump.

There's a video which is making the rounds on the internet, and it's clearly disturbed a number of you because it involves a military child. The video does have political content, so it's tricky. We debated on whether or not to post it because we never discuss politics here. Never. But in the end, it's obvious that this is a subject which is relevant to military families. 

The video is below:

Apparently, this took place in (or near) Fayetteville, North Carolina - home to Ft. Bragg and Pope AFB. Judging from the email, it isn't the politics that bothers many of you. What bothers you is how the teacher uses the fact that this child's father is a soldier in an unfair and emotionally-charged manner.

Questions and comments that some of you have posed are below:

• Have other military parents confronted something along these lines before, and if so, how did they deal with it?
• What have other moms instructed their children to do if a situation like this arises?
• What types of responses have other parents received from school administrators in similar circumstances?
• Have other parents found that things like this are more rare in communities lacking a large military population?
• I'm curious since Veterans Day is coming up, what kinds of celebrations, etc are done in civilian schools?
• I wonder if this is an isolated incident or if stuff like this happens more often than we know. I'm going to have a talk with my kids about this and make sure they know to tell me if anything like this ever happens to them.

Anyone have experience with something like this? Feel free to weigh in, but let's stay focused on the actual issue and not get bogged down in a political discussion. No political attacks, please.

Update I: The Fayetteville Observer has more but I've been unable to get to it. Their server must be overwhelmed at the moment. I was finally able to get to the article. The teacher is defending herself and the school district has responded. Expect a very public announcement this afternoon on YouTube, of all places, from the school superintendent:

Wanda McPhaul, a spokeswoman for Cumberland schools, said county officials were shocked when they were alerted to the video.

But McPhaul said Superintendent Bill Harrison, who will post his own videotaped statement on the matter on YouTube later today, is prohibited by state law from revealing what might happen to Harris.

Update II: The statement from Superintendent Bill Harrison has been issued:

CCS Headline News - Superintendent’s Response to YouTube

I was shocked when I saw the clip of an interaction between a Cumberland County Schools teacher and her students as posted on YouTube. While neutral discussion of the political process is appropriate, at no time, particularly with elementary students, should a teacher infuse his/her political views into the discussion. Most disconcerting was the military slant that made its way into this discussion. We are a military community, serving over 15,000 military students and their families. We value the sacrifices, not only of the military parents but also those of their families.

We believe that military children are our children, military spouses are many of our employees, and military service men and women are our heroes. We proudly serve our military children and have received national awards for our support of military families.

I was particularly disturbed to see the uncomfortable position in which our children were placed due to the inappropriate actions of one of our teachers. Please be assured that the actions exhibited in this video are not consistent with the vision of the CCS. Moreover, the actions of one teacher do not represent the 7000 employees in our organization.

Once the video was brought to my attention, I immediately launched an investigation. Personnel laws prevent me from releasing information regarding individual employees and personnel action taken. I can assure you that upon completion of the investigation, I will take appropriate action.

Dr. William Harrison
CCS’ Superintendent

Update III: Dr. Harrison, meet YouTube:

Update IV (11-8-08): The parents respond and shockingly, they are backing the teacher.

Cathy Thompson said Friday she wasn't upset at the time. Her parents, Angela Moore and Army Staff Sgt. Robert Thompson, also said they weren't mad at the teacher.

Moore said her daughter never mentioned feeling as if she was being picked on.

“Mrs. Harris is always active with the children like that,” Moore said. “I have sat in her class when my Cathy was a student, and she was very active with the children. She tries to get them involved with everything.”

Update V (11-8-08): The teacher speaks, and look who's sitting right beside her.

Comments

[Lisa]

I sent a message to the county school board. The teacher was way out of line.

[Sis B]

I don't think teachers should be allowed to wear anything that endorses a political candidate. I'm not sure how prevalent this is, but I will ask my friends and find out if they know what is going on in their kids' classrooms. I'm also going to have to think for a while on how to prepare my kids for that kind of ignorant spotlight.

[She of the Sea]

Boy, it was hard to write a thoughtful comment that wasn't going to be misconstrued. Obviously, the teacher's behavior was inappropriate. We've been very fortunate that we've always lived in areas that were heavily military, or very supportive of the military. Our current school does a lovely Veteran's Day program (my kids are missing it right now since they are all home sick), however, we live in an area where there is a small active-duty presence but a huge retiree population. (We're not far out of DC.) Thank you for sharing this video - it was very enlightening.

[DL Sly]

Let me put it this way:
Given the political atmosphere around here, on Wednesday the 5th, as I took my daughter to school, I warned her not to speak of the election and it's results with any kids or teachers.

[michelle]

I'm what some people might call a "crazy liberal" and that teacher was WAY out of line. Terrible.

[joyce]

Both Blackfive and Michelle Malkin are running this video. I like the comments the soldiers make--that we need to prepare our children. But, these mock elections need to end. And what is sad---is that this teacher does not even realize she is a biased bully. And those who can homeschool, please do it.

[Penny]

That poor child.. I can't even begin to imagine what she felt being singled out like that :(

[Denise]

While this video is despicable (brought me to tears for that little girl), it is not an isolated event. Most teachers are more subtle in their political indoctrination. A student should never be sure of a teacher's political leanings. If they are, then the teacher has failed to present all sides in an unbiased manner.

[Andi]

I think Dr. Harrison struck the right tone when he stated, "Most disconcerting was the military slant that made its way into this discussion." This will surely be seen as a political issue to a lot of folks, but most of the military families I'm hearing from are most upset about, as one mom put it, "the teacher using the girl's dad as a weapon against her."

I'll bet this little girl and her family are probably uncomfortable with all the attention they are no doubt receiving right now, too. Like a double whammy.....

[MrsD]

I freely admit to being a Democrat (though, admittedly, with conservative leanings) and I feel strongly that current events should be taught in the school system. That said, this situation crossed several lines, in my opinion. First, no child - of any age - should EVER be put on the spot like that over his or her opinion. Second, no teacher - and this comes from the child of two teachers - should EVER infuse his or her opinion into the current events lesson. Even at home, where I feel entitled to my own opinion, I always tried to present information on both sides (or candidates) to my children for them to make up their own mind. Often we were able to do that by me presenting my opinion and DH presenting his since we're polar opposites politically. I truly hope they help this woman see how she is undermining what she is trying to teach rather than just "disciplining" her.

[Marine Wife]

The teacher thought she'd "just moved on" after a child expressed support for McCain? Really?! How is suggesting that her father could be in the military and in Iraq for the next 100 years "moving on?" Sounds more like emotional bullying to me.

It is entirely possible to talk about current events and present both sides of an argument. My husband had educators as parents and he was never sure who they voted for. When our daughter wanted to know who he voted for he refused to tell her. That doesn't mean we didn't talk about the election.

She's 8 and based her mock vote on the the candidates' ages and the best chance of both getting a crack at the job. Because that's what made sense to her.

[Military Child Advocate]

In Mannheim, Germany a DoD HS Biology teacher was frustrated with the students disinterest in his class. He was, at best, a boring, mono-tonoed teacher that lacked enthusiasm and taught Biology labs "virtually". Yes, that's right - he used videos (while they were sitting in a state of the art lab). No real life slicing of frogs to be had there - but I digress.

Anyway, one day he told the kids that if they didn't straighten up they would have no choice for jobs but to join the military like their parents. He was a "tenured" Masters Degree holding DoD teacher.

His mistake was saying this to budding adults who marched straight to the principal's office to tell her what had occurred.

He was gone by the end of the Semester. He resigned. I'm quite sure he was counseled, but that is a private matter between him and the principal. Parents never hear what happens to teachers - due to privacy laws and the strength of the teacher's unions. And trust me the DoDDS-Europe Superintendent NEVER publicly addressed the parents about any transgressions of her teachers. They have a lot of power. One could only hope the administration would handle things appropriately - with the best interests of the children in mind.

My military hat's off to the Cumberland County School Superintendant for the way he is handling this so far.

I'd be pleased to hear that teacher was pulled from the classroom immediately awaiting the investigation results.

But I guarantee you she has a union supporting her right to a paycheck and a "personal improvement" plan.

What really stands out is the age of the children - they can't speak up for themselves. Teachers are to be respected - and that can be intimidating.

So, BRAVO for the camera and YouTube - but only for the exposure of this teachers' actions and the ability to have adults advocate for those kids - not for the unfortunate extra attention on the children.

Andi - thank you for covering this item in the news. It is important that we prepare our children for these situations.

[dizzylizzie]

my son's 4th grade teacher send him home with an Obama bumper sticker the first week of November. with a little note attached saying not to forget to vote nov 4th. my husband was notably upset that they would be pushing their political agenda on our kids in a public school

[MO]

I agree the mock elections need to stop at school. It makes children, already self-conscious, feel bad or weird for wanting to vote for somebody their peers may not be.

This teacher is a disgrace.

[Army Household6]

I just saw the video response from the Superintendent on YouTube .. you can watch it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9ta9XKQXgE

[Army Household6]

oops sorry didn't check for updates .. : )

[Lee Anne]

What about the idea of teaching that an essential part of our civic duty to vote is our right to privacy? Voting rights mean nothing without privacy. This video makes me furious. That poor child.

[Tressa]

I also think that mock elections need to stop in the schools. In my neices' first grade class they held a mock election. They were then teased for their choice by the other kids. First grade!

The way that teacher treated that poor girl was terrible, but I am sure that it is not isolated.

[Erin]

Wow, I'm really surprised that the teacher even went there. I teach school myself, and we have an unspoken policy that we do not discuss our views with the students. Kids kept trying to ask me how I was going to vote, and I would turn it back on them ask who they thought I was going to vote for, just to see their train of thought.

I've really refrained from discussing the election with any of my military friends because it's such a heated discussion that we all feel passionately about. My views weren't always shared, so it was easier to avoid the conversation completely.

I wouldn't be surprised if that teacher "retires" sometime this year.

[dutchgirl]

Having worked for Cumberland County in the past (I was a school nurse) this does not surprise me. Not one bit.

I agree with Tressa, I don't think mock elections with public results belong in schools, just as I don't think children should be singled out in a public school setting to defend or explain their faith.

[Whiskeywoman]

I will never forget the 2000 election season and my then 10 year old came home from her public school to inform my husband and I that Bush was going to give all the money to the military and teachers would essentially lose their jobs. She was horrified at that thought. We were horrified that the teacher would voice such a strong opinion one way or the other. And the other part to that is we are in an area where the largest employer is the military....so she essentially would be without a job without the military.

Now that my former 10 year old is in college, she is better equipped to handle the liberal leanings of her "tenured educated" professors. Thankfully she was raised to weigh both sides of an argument.

[Lily]

I have to say this teacher is NOT exhibiting a "liberal" problem, but rather, a clueless dork problem!

As a rather liberal mil wife, I'm mortified that this woman was so inappropriate, but do feel moved to point out that it is not her politics, or even her beliefs, that are out of line, but rather, her venue.

Her target was a child. In a school. Not okay.

If my child came home from a public school with a political bumper sticker from ANY party, I'd have driven to the principal's office myself to protest. UGH!

[Ann - AF spouse]

As a mom and a school teacher, I was shocked by this video. I can’t believe how unprofessional, and frankly, uneducated this teacher appeared. I remember my first “mock election”, Carter vs. Ford. It was STUDENTS who researched candidates, created posters, and ran the election. I don’t remember opinions from teachers.

Students need to learn how to become informed voters. Not just puppets repeating political rhetoric.

As a MOM: My son is 19 this year and registered as a Democrat. I change my mind each election based on policies toward education, the environment, and military spending. My husband and I discuss issues, the news, BUT we keep our ballots to ourselves. I didn’t even discuss who I voted for with my daughter (15) until after the election. She came home with all the opinions of her friends at school. We discussed BOTH candidates and what was good and bad about BOTH. Things we liked and things we didn’t.

As a TEACHER: Who I vote for is NOT important to them. Making sure they get their information from valid sources is. This teacher didn’t appear to have real knowledge of issues. She was voting purely from an emotional view. The question at the title was “what do you know about IRAQ?”. Based on the response from students and teacher…NOT MUCH! Instead of a real debate on opinions and issues she was pushing for emotional responses and putting those children in potentially emotionally damaging positions. NO ONE should EVER be ridiculed in a classroom for voicing an opinion.

As a MIL Spouse: 100 years!!! What?!!! I want peace; even if it puts my man out of a job, but does that crazy woman have a clue? Where does she get her facts? My kids when in elementary school knew more about Iraq and what was going on. There are multiple ways to get our people out of Iraq, I just hope we end it in a way that won’t make us need to go back to war.

[SeabeeSeniorWife]

I agree with Lily that this is not so much a liberal problem but a clueless teacher problem. I really think the administrations need to send down guidelines for current event issues. Personally, I don't think mock elections should be done at a young age, they don't really need that stress and it isn't the appropriate age to learn such a lesson. That doesn't mean you can't discuss the principals of our election process with younger children but avoid candidates and issues with them. At middle school and high school age is appropriate in the proper format. For instance, my daughter's 8th grade math class had very strong discussions on the subject. As far as I know, the teacher was always appropriate but math class is not the place they need to be discussing these things. A structured learning lesson in her American History class was the only place I thought it should be taking place.

It's interesting to me that most teacher wouldn't dare approach the religion issue but they feel free to discuss politics. Not sure why that is knowing the volativity of both subjects.

[airforcecuz]

I live just north of Fayetteville so this was on our local news last night. I find it particularly ironic that just as she finished berating a 9 year old about her hypothetical presidential vote and putting her on the spot in front of her class, she states that she doesn't push her opinions on her students.

I actually don't ever remember having mock elections in school, I do remember talking about the Gulf War when I was in elementary school..and that discussion was simply finding out what we knew and thought about it and then our teacher explained what was going on. She didn't include her opinion if we should be there or not.

I think it's important to teach current events and civics and things like that, but it needs to be done in a neutral and safe place. A 9 year old has a hard enough time growing up in general, but especially with her dad in the military and potentially deployed, that she doesn't need her teacher making her feel like the odd duck.

On a side note, this didn't seem like video taken by some kid in class on their video-phone. Especially considering she had the interview afterward. Does anyone know who shot the video and why it was made? And can a teacher take part in a journalistic thing at school without notifying her principal?

[Stacy]

I agree w/ that the election should be discussed at school, but in a way that history and civics are being taught. As well as that a vote is PRIVATE. I was happy to hear my 9 y.o., when questioned (b/c of this video), that his teacher told everyone that their vote was private and no one needed to know who each other voted for. People who vote have intensely personal reasons for the way they vote...either way doesn't make them right or wrong. I think we're losing that in this country.

As for Veteran's Day celebrations, the best one I ever attended was at Deer Valley Elementary School in Hoover, AL (they had to attend school on Veterans DAy). Over the preceding weeks the children sent letters to their family members who had relatives who were veterans and invited them to attend the ceremony. The vets were also invited to send in patches, pics, etc to put in the hallways so all the students could see. The school assembled, the student w/ their military vet in the middle of the gym for (the rest of the students and visitors were on the sides), and they played all the service songs during which the vets would stand and then patriotic songs were played. I can't remember the rest, but I cried through the whole thing.

[SigGal]

Oh - this was filmed with at least two cameras - and edited like a piece for the news. Are those subtitles Dutch?

As shocking as it is, I am happy it was filmed and put out there for critique - and so the school superintendent has to answer for what is going on in his classrooms.

I can only imagine how much of this goes on without notice.

[liberal army wife]

As a liberal, and as a mom, and as a citizen - that teacher needs to be fired NOW! Teaching about the voting system, about the constitution, about civil affairs... but not this!! I don't care who you want to vote for, as a teacher you are not supposed to be pushing YOUR agenda! If you are in a private school and are supposed to be pushing an agenda, that's different, the parents of the children agreed with that agenda, or the child wouldn't be there... but this - to humiliate the child and draw that type of attention to her.. how vile.

LAW

[airforcecuz]

Well, if the parents feel like the teacher has done enough to apologize and this apparently seems to be an isolated incident (remark even) that has taken place and she seems to deeply regret it, then I think that pretty much wraps it up. From what the parents said, this is a good teacher that otherwise has been actively engaged with her students in a positive manner, we already have too few of those. This just might be one of those lessons learned on her part and I'm sure she will be more aware of how things sound next time.

[Nancy Drose]

Bizarre. I see what the teacher was going for but it went horribly wrong. That's why there are lesson plans. And that last comment....didn't even make sense. She should be reprimanded for displaying her stupidity as well as foisting her very personal views on her charges.

[SigGal]

So, it was a documentary. That means that a film producer got permission to do this - from the school and the parents, I hope. And it probably means that someone in administration chose that teacher's class to be an acceptable place to film. They chose a teacher who does not use proper English (ax instead of ask), said "Jesus!" casually, who was wearing an Obama pin and who, while entrusted in the spotlight, performed embarrassingly in a film that will be broadcast in another country. They speak better English in Sweden. It seems the teacher is not the only one to make bad choices here.

The Superintendent has some more explaining to do. And I doubt he can fire her - the union would never allow that.

[Flaneuse]

This is just embarrassing and shameful for all involved.

[Erin]

Well if the parents aren't upset about it, then there's not much to be said I suppose. However, I definitely feel that the teacher was way out of line and if my sister were to ever go through something like that, I would be absolutely furious. Teachers should do just that...teach...have discussions too but between students! Don't browbeat one of your students just because they disagree with you. I agree with whoever said earlier that students shouldn't even know what political leanings their teachers have. Political preferences are conversations that teachers need to save for other adults, not the children in their classrooms.

[armywife]

This was shocking, I hope they fire her, she sounded getto anyhow i would not want my child in her class. Again what in the world was she thinking. I would suggest that she get some help in her own grammer before she teaches our kids...I am disgusted...

[airforcecuz]

In defense of the teacher's word usage, 'ax instead of 'ask' is a colloquialism you hear in the South and in certain places in the North pretty prevalently.

Growing up in WV it was 'ask'...but when I moved to NC in the latter half of high school, 'ax' was how it was pronounced by everyone, including my very best friend who is college educated. It's one of those weird, subconscious linguistic things, she can say 'ask' when I joke with her and give her a hard time about it, but in normal conversation it does not come out that way.

[SigGal]

airforcecuz, thanks for pointing that out - about ax vs ask. You are right - it is a dialect and accepted in many areas of the country. Folks around here sometimes say "warsh" instead of "wash" and this occurs whether or not they are college educated.

I still hold that it is appropriate for teachers to refrain from colloquialisms. They should also avoid responding to students with "Oh Lord" and "Jesus". It is just unprofessional.

[army_wife]

I honestly wonder how much the parents in that school district really care about what kind of "education" (indoctrination) they are receiving... they supported the TEACHER? Aside from the fact that I disagree with her political views, her conduct was out of line. She didn't just "let it go". Listen carefully. "Oh, McCain? Jesus!"... that's completely unacceptable. Both the sentiment and the language used. It made me so angry at the way the teacher conveyed the idea that "that candidate you picked? He'll make sure your daddy's deployed for 100 years." Unacceptable and outrageous.

I will say that after the debacle regarding the hymns of praise to Obama, this does not surprise me. That would strike me as odd and wrong no matter what candidate they were "singing praises" to. That was creepy. They're politicians. Not God.

I am SO GLAD that this was filmed so that it could be addressed. I'm willing to bet that this type of indoctrination in public schools is not as isolated an incident as people would like to believe. Drawing upon my own experiences in the public school system, they tend to run very liberal.

I will say one last thing -- I am so sorry for the poor girl that was humiliated in class over this. Not only will she have a rougher time socially, but she will also have to deal with the emotional fallout from the fearmongering/bullying of the teacher (the "daddy gone for 100 years" comment).

[SeabeeSeniorWife]

While I stand by the fact that, in general, the topic of voting and politics needs to be kept on a more age appropriate level, I can see how taking things out of context can create a slant that maybe wasn't even there. For all we know, she may have made the same type of remarks about Obama. Either way, we need to try and put an objective evaluation on it.

I teach Sunday school to first graders. In one of our discussions about treating others as we would want to be treated, I had one of these type of teacher moments. I asked the kids who had ever taken a toy from someone else knowing it was the wrong thing to do. Of course, no one raised their hand so I raised mine and said that I had done it before and so the discussion began. The next week, a parent came in and said that her son said that I had been stealing toys from other kids. She laughed when she said it but in truth, you never know how comments can be taken out of context and preceived by others.

[airforcecuz]

Sig Gal,

Oh, warsh :) That's something my grandparents use to say, that and pooosh, instead of push. This was less generational and more having to do with being from central WV around Charleston.

While it would be better for there to be no colloquialisms in school...'ax' actually drives me crazy when I hear it...I think it's difficult especially when you have people from the same area kind of unconsciously reinforcing its use with each other.

But I totally agree with you about the 'Oh Lord' and 'Jesus' remarks, I think those were uncalled for and put a negative emphasis on the girl's choice.

Although, SeabeeSeniorWife has a good point with not knowing the rest of what occurred in that classroom. It would be interesting to see the entire video uncut, it's possible that it would seem less inappropriate.