How to address biased HS teacher

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC has a teacher with known conservative views on many social issues (pro-choice, against gay marriage, aligned with groups that do not believe in affirmative action or kids who are trans using their preferred gender bathroom) based on previous advocacy work.

This year DC wrote what we thought was an excellent paper related to about a particular historical moment in the LGBT rights movement, and got a poor grade. When she got the rubric and grading back many items that were marked off did not make any sense. When she tried to inquire with the teacher the teacher was very defensive and kept coming back to the point that the teacher did not agree with the thesis. The teacher also came down on DC for not presenting the other view point which is that LGBT rights are not a good thing. DC did mention that there is opposition from some groups, especially religious groups, but it was not half her paper because the assignment was not to present all sides of an issue but to pick a moment and make an argument about it. One of my good friends is a HS teacher and read the assignment and paper and was shocked about the grade and thought this needed to be brought up to the administration.

We are not sure what to advise DC to do next if anything. Is this something you would bring up and how would you do it? Would you go to the teacher first? The department head or the principal? This is a public school.

You think the paper is wonderful because it represents your point of view and you feel that you are proving to the teacher she is wrong. The paper in fact could suck. Just depends. Does the rubric say to provide opposing viewpoints and explain them? Refute them? Teens' ideas of refuting an argument can be based on feelings but maybe the point was to refute the arguments with actual facts and citations. Even so they might pick the wrong facts that don't actually refute argument. It's still a learning process.

Your friend of course is going to tell you the paper is brilliant even if she doesn't think so.

Other posters are right, you and your DD just want the teacher to be wrong. It's a waste of time. Don't teach your kid this kind of nonsense. They don't need to try and fix the teachers view points. That's not her responsibility and it's not even possible. Do your kid a favor and just tell them yeah this wasn't the right approach, learn to tread your audience, and don't waste any more time on this.

WHAT KIND OF BS REPSONSE IS THIS? ARE YOU F'ING KIDDING ME?? Are you really saying that kids should be treading lightly around their teachers personal belief systems instead of trying to learn, meet the grading rubric, and succeed based on the merits of the assignment? In high school none the less? You are ridiculous.

Because it is very likely that it is not the teacher bias but as other posters have already pointed out it is the failure to include the counter argument and properly explain it. That is the point of the assignment and if it isn't done, that's going to lower the grade. The best approach if the student really wants to work through the issue, is to sit down with the teacher and have the teacher explain the reasoning for the grade, the student to LISTEN and not defend, take notes and then read back to the teacher what the issue was to confirm their understanding.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC has a teacher with known conservative views on many social issues (pro-choice, against gay marriage, aligned with groups that do not believe in affirmative action or kids who are trans using their preferred gender bathroom) based on previous advocacy work.

This year DC wrote what we thought was an excellent paper related to about a particular historical moment in the LGBT rights movement, and got a poor grade. When she got the rubric and grading back many items that were marked off did not make any sense. When she tried to inquire with the teacher the teacher was very defensive and kept coming back to the point that the teacher did not agree with the thesis. The teacher also came down on DC for not presenting the other view point which is that LGBT rights are not a good thing. DC did mention that there is opposition from some groups, especially religious groups, but it was not half her paper because the assignment was not to present all sides of an issue but to pick a moment and make an argument about it. One of my good friends is a HS teacher and read the assignment and paper and was shocked about the grade and thought this needed to be brought up to the administration.

We are not sure what to advise DC to do next if anything. Is this something you would bring up and how would you do it? Would you go to the teacher first? The department head or the principal? This is a public school.

You think the paper is wonderful because it represents your point of view and you feel that you are proving to the teacher she is wrong. The paper in fact could suck. Just depends. Does the rubric say to provide opposing viewpoints and explain them? Refute them? Teens' ideas of refuting an argument can be based on feelings but maybe the point was to refute the arguments with actual facts and citations. Even so they might pick the wrong facts that don't actually refute argument. It's still a learning process.

Your friend of course is going to tell you the paper is brilliant even if she doesn't think so.

Other posters are right, you and your DD just want the teacher to be wrong. It's a waste of time. Don't teach your kid this kind of nonsense. They don't need to try and fix the teachers view points. That's not her responsibility and it's not even possible. Do your kid a favor and just tell them yeah this wasn't the right approach, learn to tread your audience, and don't waste any more time on this.

WHAT KIND OF BS REPSONSE IS THIS? ARE YOU F'ING KIDDING ME?? Are you really saying that kids should be treading lightly around their teachers personal belief systems instead of trying to learn, meet the grading rubric, and succeed based on the merits of the assignment? In high school none the less? You are ridiculous.

Ever hear the expression "Discretion is the better part of valor"? Just because you've been wronged doesn't necessarily mean the best move is to take an epic moral stand, especially considering it will most likely fail. It's good for the teen to learn that there are, in fact, people out there who abuse their authority and you should be strategic about confronting them. The goal of confrontation should be to change behavior, not just to feel good.

Any attempt at confronting needs to be weighed against
1)the fact that the teacher has been there for years and the first instinct of the administration will be to defend them, and
2)the strength of the evidence. 2) has to be enough to overwhelm 1).

If you're arguing the finer points of what the rubric really means, you've already lost. Instead you're just advising the kid to kick up a big fuss and indulge their latent urge towards righteous indignation, with the only real result being branded a whiner and/or troublemaker.

OP might be best served as a parent by using this as an opportunity to demonstrate a bit of grace and forebearance. As an adult, that kid is at some point going to have a bad manager, or need something from an aloof bureaucrat who treats their authorities like a petty dictator. If all the kid knows how to do is make a moral stand and issue demands for fair treatment, they're going to faceplant in the adult world. Better to learn how to recognize that situation, and figure out how to get by while looking for the exits or keep your composure until they finally cross the line and do something actionable.

Yes, teach people to just acquiesce even when the person in authority is/may very well be wrong. Nothing bad ever comes from that. Sycophants to Trump didn't harm anything and didn't lead any of them into any negative publicity, public ire, or legal trouble. Obedience to ridiculous or tyrannical laws out of fear of Hitler or Stalin's wrath never led to anything bad.

I admire the courage and bravery of Russians publicly protesting Putin's actions on Ukraine - they are doing so out of a sense of right and wrong in spite of knowing full well what becomes of Putin's critics and enemies.

Yes, absolutely OP's child should not bother to get a third party objective opinion of her work if they have any reason at all to believe something inappropriate took place. And they should absolutely continue to just "read" their teachers and classmates and bosses and colleagues and play along like a sheep throughout their academic and professional careers. That's what makes a great, courageous, effective individual to be admired by history for their contributions to society. Just like our country's forefathers, MLK Jr, FDR, etc etc etc. Acquiesce!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC has a teacher with known conservative views on many social issues (pro-choice, against gay marriage, aligned with groups that do not believe in affirmative action or kids who are trans using their preferred gender bathroom) based on previous advocacy work.

This year DC wrote what we thought was an excellent paper related to about a particular historical moment in the LGBT rights movement, and got a poor grade. When she got the rubric and grading back many items that were marked off did not make any sense. When she tried to inquire with the teacher the teacher was very defensive and kept coming back to the point that the teacher did not agree with the thesis. The teacher also came down on DC for not presenting the other view point which is that LGBT rights are not a good thing. DC did mention that there is opposition from some groups, especially religious groups, but it was not half her paper because the assignment was not to present all sides of an issue but to pick a moment and make an argument about it. One of my good friends is a HS teacher and read the assignment and paper and was shocked about the grade and thought this needed to be brought up to the administration.

We are not sure what to advise DC to do next if anything. Is this something you would bring up and how would you do it? Would you go to the teacher first? The department head or the principal? This is a public school.

You think the paper is wonderful because it represents your point of view and you feel that you are proving to the teacher she is wrong. The paper in fact could suck. Just depends. Does the rubric say to provide opposing viewpoints and explain them? Refute them? Teens' ideas of refuting an argument can be based on feelings but maybe the point was to refute the arguments with actual facts and citations. Even so they might pick the wrong facts that don't actually refute argument. It's still a learning process.

Your friend of course is going to tell you the paper is brilliant even if she doesn't think so.

Other posters are right, you and your DD just want the teacher to be wrong. It's a waste of time. Don't teach your kid this kind of nonsense. They don't need to try and fix the teachers view points. That's not her responsibility and it's not even possible. Do your kid a favor and just tell them yeah this wasn't the right approach, learn to tread your audience, and don't waste any more time on this.

WHAT KIND OF BS REPSONSE IS THIS? ARE YOU F'ING KIDDING ME?? Are you really saying that kids should be treading lightly around their teachers personal belief systems instead of trying to learn, meet the grading rubric, and succeed based on the merits of the assignment? In high school none the less? You are ridiculous.

Because it is very likely that it is not the teacher bias but as other posters have already pointed out it is the failure to include the counter argument and properly explain it. That is the point of the assignment and if it isn't done, that's going to lower the grade. The best approach if the student really wants to work through the issue, is to sit down with the teacher and have the teacher explain the reasoning for the grade, the student to LISTEN and not defend, take notes and then read back to the teacher what the issue was to confirm their understanding.

From OP's original post: "When she tried to inquire with the teacher the teacher was very defensive and kept coming back to the point that the teacher did not agree with the thesis. The teacher also came down on DC for not presenting the other view point which is that LGBT rights are not a good thing. DC did mention that there is opposition from some groups, especially religious groups, but it was not half her paper because the assignment was not to present all sides of an issue but to pick a moment and make an argument about it."

Again, the student DID talk to the teacher! Perhaps the student could focus more on the teacher's indication that they needed to present more of the other side's argument rather than just mentioning that there are people who oppose; but it is unclear from OP's post that this was the sole problem with the grading or their understanding of the scores against each rubric.

Teachers do make mistakes sometimes. Some teachers do let their personal biases influence their grading sometimes. It is not always the student who is in the wrong. Maybe the student in this situation is; but I don't understand so many people here being adamantly against the student or their desire to clarify a significant concern.

[Anonymous]

For those of you who think teacher's don't have bias or negative feelings for students, did you even take a peek in the thread that was titled something like "when your kids stop wearing masks, are you afraid teachers will treat them negatively?" There were plenty of teachers on there confirming that yes, they WOULD treat those kids differently... separating them, being harsher on them during grading, and having an overall negative opinion of them and their parents.

And the threads about if kids are dropping masks, one thing has been repeated several times: kids don't want to drop masks b/c they don't want to be viewed as one of those "anti-mask" kids who were so vocal about getting the mandate dropped. The kids know they'll be viewed and treated differently, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For those of you who think teacher's don't have bias or negative feelings for students, did you even take a peek in the thread that was titled something like "when your kids stop wearing masks, are you afraid teachers will treat them negatively?" There were plenty of teachers on there confirming that yes, they WOULD treat those kids differently... separating them, being harsher on them during grading, and having an overall negative opinion of them and their parents.

And the threads about if kids are dropping masks, one thing has been repeated several times: kids don't want to drop masks b/c they don't want to be viewed as one of those "anti-mask" kids who were so vocal about getting the mandate dropped. The kids know they'll be viewed and treated differently, too.

Oh Lord, talk about being confused. Practicing safe health and physical distancing because a student is unmasked is completely different from grading a paper. Even I as a parent get that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC has a teacher with known conservative views on many social issues (pro-choice, against gay marriage, aligned with groups that do not believe in affirmative action or kids who are trans using their preferred gender bathroom) based on previous advocacy work.

This year DC wrote what we thought was an excellent paper related to about a particular historical moment in the LGBT rights movement, and got a poor grade. When she got the rubric and grading back many items that were marked off did not make any sense. When she tried to inquire with the teacher the teacher was very defensive and kept coming back to the point that the teacher did not agree with the thesis. The teacher also came down on DC for not presenting the other view point which is that LGBT rights are not a good thing. DC did mention that there is opposition from some groups, especially religious groups, but it was not half her paper because the assignment was not to present all sides of an issue but to pick a moment and make an argument about it. One of my good friends is a HS teacher and read the assignment and paper and was shocked about the grade and thought this needed to be brought up to the administration.

We are not sure what to advise DC to do next if anything. Is this something you would bring up and how would you do it? Would you go to the teacher first? The department head or the principal? This is a public school.

Obviously report the teacher to Glenn Youngkin.

This is pretty common. I'm so sick of conservative teachers trying to indoctrinate our youth with their version of what is politically correct.

lol. I love how reality and satire have converged to the point we cannot tell one from the other.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC has a teacher with known conservative views on many social issues (pro-choice, against gay marriage, aligned with groups that do not believe in affirmative action or kids who are trans using their preferred gender bathroom) based on previous advocacy work.

This year DC wrote what we thought was an excellent paper related to about a particular historical moment in the LGBT rights movement, and got a poor grade. When she got the rubric and grading back many items that were marked off did not make any sense. When she tried to inquire with the teacher the teacher was very defensive and kept coming back to the point that the teacher did not agree with the thesis. The teacher also came down on DC for not presenting the other view point which is that LGBT rights are not a good thing. DC did mention that there is opposition from some groups, especially religious groups, but it was not half her paper because the assignment was not to present all sides of an issue but to pick a moment and make an argument about it. One of my good friends is a HS teacher and read the assignment and paper and was shocked about the grade and thought this needed to be brought up to the administration.

We are not sure what to advise DC to do next if anything. Is this something you would bring up and how would you do it? Would you go to the teacher first? The department head or the principal? This is a public school.

You think the paper is wonderful because it represents your point of view and you feel that you are proving to the teacher she is wrong. The paper in fact could suck. Just depends. Does the rubric say to provide opposing viewpoints and explain them? Refute them? Teens' ideas of refuting an argument can be based on feelings but maybe the point was to refute the arguments with actual facts and citations. Even so they might pick the wrong facts that don't actually refute argument. It's still a learning process.

Your friend of course is going to tell you the paper is brilliant even if she doesn't think so.

Other posters are right, you and your DD just want the teacher to be wrong. It's a waste of time. Don't teach your kid this kind of nonsense. They don't need to try and fix the teachers view points. That's not her responsibility and it's not even possible. Do your kid a favor and just tell them yeah this wasn't the right approach, learn to tread your audience, and don't waste any more time on this.

WHAT KIND OF BS REPSONSE IS THIS? ARE YOU F'ING KIDDING ME?? Are you really saying that kids should be treading lightly around their teachers personal belief systems instead of trying to learn, meet the grading rubric, and succeed based on the merits of the assignment? In high school none the less? You are ridiculous.

Because it is very likely that it is not the teacher bias but as other posters have already pointed out it is the failure to include the counter argument and properly explain it. That is the point of the assignment and if it isn't done, that's going to lower the grade. The best approach if the student really wants to work through the issue, is to sit down with the teacher and have the teacher explain the reasoning for the grade, the student to LISTEN and not defend, take notes and then read back to the teacher what the issue was to confirm their understanding.

A well written essay supporting segregation might not be well received either without the other viewpoint.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those of you who think teacher's don't have bias or negative feelings for students, did you even take a peek in the thread that was titled something like "when your kids stop wearing masks, are you afraid teachers will treat them negatively?" There were plenty of teachers on there confirming that yes, they WOULD treat those kids differently... separating them, being harsher on them during grading, and having an overall negative opinion of them and their parents.

And the threads about if kids are dropping masks, one thing has been repeated several times: kids don't want to drop masks b/c they don't want to be viewed as one of those "anti-mask" kids who were so vocal about getting the mandate dropped. The kids know they'll be viewed and treated differently, too.

Oh Lord, talk about being confused. Practicing safe health and physical distancing because a student is unmasked is completely different from grading a paper. Even I as a parent get that.

Uhhh, are you claiming that unmasked children are "unsafe"

Talk about being confused.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC has a teacher with known conservative views on many social issues (pro-choice, against gay marriage, aligned with groups that do not believe in affirmative action or kids who are trans using their preferred gender bathroom) based on previous advocacy work.

This year DC wrote what we thought was an excellent paper related to about a particular historical moment in the LGBT rights movement, and got a poor grade. When she got the rubric and grading back many items that were marked off did not make any sense. When she tried to inquire with the teacher the teacher was very defensive and kept coming back to the point that the teacher did not agree with the thesis. The teacher also came down on DC for not presenting the other view point which is that LGBT rights are not a good thing. DC did mention that there is opposition from some groups, especially religious groups, but it was not half her paper because the assignment was not to present all sides of an issue but to pick a moment and make an argument about it. One of my good friends is a HS teacher and read the assignment and paper and was shocked about the grade and thought this needed to be brought up to the administration.

We are not sure what to advise DC to do next if anything. Is this something you would bring up and how would you do it? Would you go to the teacher first? The department head or the principal? This is a public school.

Obviously report the teacher to Glenn Youngkin.

This is pretty common. I'm so sick of conservative teachers trying to indoctrinate our youth with their version of what is politically correct.

What school district are you in?!?! Clearly not Arlington, or just about anywhere in Northern Virginia where it is quite the opposite. Or are you being sarcastic?
Our experience is quite different. Spouse and I are more liberal; but have a child who is not and who constantly struggles to feel comfortable in classroom discussions because they feel it is obvious that the rest of the class has a different view and that the teachers show their very liberal bias and side with the classmates. Teachers shouldn't be demonstrating bias in their teaching or in their grading - they should be more objective facilitators in discussions to bring out multiple viewpoints in helping students figure out their own thoughts and beliefs. Assignments are to be graded on how well the assignment was completed, not whether the teacher agrees with the premise. Both of our kids tend to take the side of an argument in an assignment that most or all of their classmates don't. One does it because they tend to hold a minority viewpoint; the other does it because they want to be independent and for their work to stand out from everyone else's.

I agree with the comment to report the teacher to Youngkin's hotline. That's precisely what it's for - reporting teaching that makes a student feel "discomfort" or for teaching things that are divisive....which this assignment clearly is.

Yes, I was 100% being sarcastic. Not about the conservative teacher thing -- there are A LOT OF THEM, including in Arlington. This notion of liberal teachers indoctrinating kids is such a trope.

My sarcasm was aimed at Youngkin's tattle line. We don't need a bloody Stasi state.

Your child, meanwhile, should toughen up. Either have faith in his convictions or be prepared to depend them or don't have them -- he's being a sissy if he feels "discomfort" because others challenge views he cannot defend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC has a teacher with known conservative views on many social issues (pro-choice, against gay marriage, aligned with groups that do not believe in affirmative action or kids who are trans using their preferred gender bathroom) based on previous advocacy work.

This year DC wrote what we thought was an excellent paper related to about a particular historical moment in the LGBT rights movement, and got a poor grade. When she got the rubric and grading back many items that were marked off did not make any sense. When she tried to inquire with the teacher the teacher was very defensive and kept coming back to the point that the teacher did not agree with the thesis. The teacher also came down on DC for not presenting the other view point which is that LGBT rights are not a good thing. DC did mention that there is opposition from some groups, especially religious groups, but it was not half her paper because the assignment was not to present all sides of an issue but to pick a moment and make an argument about it. One of my good friends is a HS teacher and read the assignment and paper and was shocked about the grade and thought this needed to be brought up to the administration.

We are not sure what to advise DC to do next if anything. Is this something you would bring up and how would you do it? Would you go to the teacher first? The department head or the principal? This is a public school.

Teachers with rainbow hair and nose bullrings can share their sexuality and orientation like it’s all good but someone who opposes wokeism is wrong. Goooooootcha

The someone who opposes wokeism is also sharing their sexuality and orientation, are they not? Whatever is your idiotic point?

What is "wokeism" anyway? I don't understand that term. What does it mean?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Liberal teachers are biased, too. Except their bias is tolerated in teachers' lounges.

+1
And in the classroom and in the hallways.

Depends on where you are.

You may also be confusing promoting "common decency" and "tolerance" with being "liberal."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC has a teacher with known conservative views on many social issues (pro-choice, against gay marriage, aligned with groups that do not believe in affirmative action or kids who are trans using their preferred gender bathroom) based on previous advocacy work.

This year DC wrote what we thought was an excellent paper related to about a particular historical moment in the LGBT rights movement, and got a poor grade. When she got the rubric and grading back many items that were marked off did not make any sense. When she tried to inquire with the teacher the teacher was very defensive and kept coming back to the point that the teacher did not agree with the thesis. The teacher also came down on DC for not presenting the other view point which is that LGBT rights are not a good thing. DC did mention that there is opposition from some groups, especially religious groups, but it was not half her paper because the assignment was not to present all sides of an issue but to pick a moment and make an argument about it. One of my good friends is a HS teacher and read the assignment and paper and was shocked about the grade and thought this needed to be brought up to the administration.

We are not sure what to advise DC to do next if anything. Is this something you would bring up and how would you do it? Would you go to the teacher first? The department head or the principal? This is a public school.

Teachers with rainbow hair and nose bullrings can share their sexuality and orientation like it’s all good but someone who opposes wokeism is wrong. Goooooootcha

Oops, you typed “wokeism” (and all that other drivel). Your low IQ is showing.

Kewl. I tested over 160 IQ since you’re so interested. I also have one BA, an MA and an MS. Coach youth sports and run my own business besides teaching your lame offspring. But ok, Einstein.

Whoa. You shouldn't be allowed near children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC has a teacher with known conservative views on many social issues (pro-choice, against gay marriage, aligned with groups that do not believe in affirmative action or kids who are trans using their preferred gender bathroom) based on previous advocacy work.

This year DC wrote what we thought was an excellent paper related to about a particular historical moment in the LGBT rights movement, and got a poor grade. When she got the rubric and grading back many items that were marked off did not make any sense. When she tried to inquire with the teacher the teacher was very defensive and kept coming back to the point that the teacher did not agree with the thesis. The teacher also came down on DC for not presenting the other view point which is that LGBT rights are not a good thing. DC did mention that there is opposition from some groups, especially religious groups, but it was not half her paper because the assignment was not to present all sides of an issue but to pick a moment and make an argument about it. One of my good friends is a HS teacher and read the assignment and paper and was shocked about the grade and thought this needed to be brought up to the administration.

We are not sure what to advise DC to do next if anything. Is this something you would bring up and how would you do it? Would you go to the teacher first? The department head or the principal? This is a public school.

You think the paper is wonderful because it represents your point of view and you feel that you are proving to the teacher she is wrong. The paper in fact could suck. Just depends. Does the rubric say to provide opposing viewpoints and explain them? Refute them? Teens' ideas of refuting an argument can be based on feelings but maybe the point was to refute the arguments with actual facts and citations. Even so they might pick the wrong facts that don't actually refute argument. It's still a learning process.

Your friend of course is going to tell you the paper is brilliant even if she doesn't think so.

Other posters are right, you and your DD just want the teacher to be wrong. It's a waste of time. Don't teach your kid this kind of nonsense. They don't need to try and fix the teachers view points. That's not her responsibility and it's not even possible. Do your kid a favor and just tell them yeah this wasn't the right approach, learn to tread your audience, and don't waste any more time on this.

WHAT KIND OF BS REPSONSE IS THIS? ARE YOU F'ING KIDDING ME?? Are you really saying that kids should be treading lightly around their teachers personal belief systems instead of trying to learn, meet the grading rubric, and succeed based on the merits of the assignment? In high school none the less? You are ridiculous.

Because it is very likely that it is not the teacher bias but as other posters have already pointed out it is the failure to include the counter argument and properly explain it. That is the point of the assignment and if it isn't done, that's going to lower the grade. The best approach if the student really wants to work through the issue, is to sit down with the teacher and have the teacher explain the reasoning for the grade, the student to LISTEN and not defend, take notes and then read back to the teacher what the issue was to confirm their understanding.

A well written essay supporting segregation might not be well received either without the other viewpoint.

And that would be wrong! There's nothing inherently better about including 'both sides' on issues that involve basic human/civil rights. Do we do 'both sides' on the holocaust too? On the Rwandan genocide? There are some issues where you don't have to have a counterargument that is an opposing view. You might have a counterargument on the range of impacts, the effectiveness of different policies etc. But you don't have to kowtow to people who say gay people don't deserve rights or the holocaust didn't happen because their perspectives don't warrant a seat at the rational table.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Liberal teachers are biased, too. Except their bias is tolerated in teachers' lounges.

+1
And in the classroom and in the hallways.

Depends on where you are.

You may also be confusing promoting "common decency" and "tolerance" with being "liberal."

Yeah. Because "tolerant left" doesn't have most people doubles over in a laughing fit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Liberal teachers are biased, too. Except their bias is tolerated in teachers' lounges.

+1
And in the classroom and in the hallways.

You really enjoy your Fox News fantasies of teachers running through the hallways shaming straight white kids. In reality, teachers just want their students to listen, follow basic directions, and submit work on time. They don’t even have time or resources to implement their radical socialist CRT agendas!

It's not about indoctrination. Our kids' experience has been in the classroom with teachers showing their clear biases, siding with the majority of classmates who share their opinions, and our kids not feeling comfortable participating in the class discussions as the sole differing voice. What I especially object to is this type of thing happening in classes that shouldn't have anything to do with the subject matter being taught.

PP -- and I'll add that Fox news is banned in our house; so no, it's not my enjoyment of Fantasy Fox. It's my kid's more conservative values and opinions being shut down by clearly liberal teachers and not feeling comfortable participating in class discussions, even in subjects where such discussions should be taking place like history and world affairs.

They are being shut down because "conservative" is just a euphemism for racist, sexist, and generally bigoted. If you indoctrinated your children with a bigoted and ignorant worldview, then the whole point of school is to expose them to actual facts and good arguments. Just calling yourself "conservative" doesn't make those views legitimate opinions that can be defended with genuine argumentation in a class discussion.

You must live in a crazy echo chamber. I have various friends who are liberal, far left, libertarian, conservative, etc. My conservative friends are not bigoted at all. They're nice, normal people.

I'm sure that's true. I'm sure it's equally true they aren't trolling school boards and whining on message boards about liberal indoctrination in schools and complaining about CRT and "wokeism." If they are doing the LATTER, than the former is actually not true at all and they aren't "conservative." They are "radical, anti-American, right wing nut jobs."

There is a difference. I have no problem with conservatives. Want to argue about the size of the military industrial complex and capital gains tax policy? Great, let's do it. But the other stuff? No, that isn't a valid way of thinking.