Hope and Change in the Classroom

Check out Diantha Harris in video below, a Barack Obama supporter and teacher in Asheville, North Carolina (at the time of this taping), bullying a young girl whose military parents supported John McCain for the presidency:

Here's Matthew Tabor's commentary:

Teaching is a tremendous responsibility. That’s no secret....

Ms. Harris has embarrassed herself, her school system and her profession - and in that order of importance. But what she taught 15 young kids about political discourse is the real problem. Harris showed these children that it’s acceptable [and a desirable means to an end] to abuse someone into submission over ideology; that it isn’t important to respect one’s views, or engage in discourse that furthers understanding; that intellectual diversity and dissent is to be crushed for political expedience; that a sneering, mean-spirited contempt drives politics.

We’ve heard a great deal about hope, change and goodwill over the last two years. Ms. Harris’ disgusting display undermined the efforts of folks on both sides of the aisle.

What I noticed is Ms. Harris' hostility toward Kathy, the young McCain supporter. I see here, frankly, reverse discrimination.

All of this is interesting, especially since yesterday someone who claims to have been a former student in my classrooom sent me an e-mail alleging, "after the first day of you pushing your beliefs on the class by telling us we need to support our president, I decided not to waste my time."

Check the comments here and here, where some of my actual students call baloney on that.