Obama effigy hung at RI school with fired teachers

Obama effigy hung at RI school with fired teachers

news.yahoo.com

A teacher at a failing school where he and all his colleagues are being fired hung an effigy of President Barack Obama in his classroom, apparently in reaction to Obama's support of extreme measures to ensure accountability in schools.

The teachers union on Thursday condemned the effigy, discovered Monday in the teacher's third-floor classroom at Central Falls High School, saying it was wrong and cannot be condoned under any circumstances.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Looked and didn't see this posted. I find it interesting that the guy hung the effigy, and is being told that it is not acceptable. I understand that it's in poor taste, but i wonder if it is because he hung an effigy of a president, or if it is because he hung an effigy of a black president. Had it been bush, clinton, or any number of white presidents that we have had if it would cause as much of a stir. I hope I am wrong and that it is simply because he hung a likeness of a president.

Your thoughts?

news.yahoo.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

a teacher needs to just teach, thats it. not start making political statements in state run schools. what the hells wrong with him.

Here is the deal.

Jefferson said this.

No man will ever carry out of the Presidency the reputation which carried him into it.

Does anyone think that Obama should be exigent from criticism?

Hell, if anything, he should be held to a higher standard due to the way the media let him slide on his pre-existing life.

Hell, if it was me, the media would have tore me apart, but they never did that did they? Never vetted him at all? What is his morals? What is his polarity? What is it that makes Obama tick?

Excuse me, but our MSM made a frelling mistake.

Excuse me, but GW was tested, was Obama?

of course not! but anytie the media gets a chance to make race an issue when it concerns Obama, they do! wether he was racist or not (the teacher) the media have already made up their minds and influence others by askin the very question and skewering the content they show to pander that way. thats how they control the masses...

Calling it a race issue is stupid. Starting a thread about it is stupid. Looking for nonsense where there is none is even more stupid.

A teacher tried to make a political statement about assassinating this country's current representative. Has nothing to do with his race, and starting this thread to try and race bait was just dumb.

Originally posted by Finn1916


if it is because he hung an effigy of a black president. Had it been bush, clinton, or any number of white presidents that we have had if it would cause as much of a stir. I hope I am wrong and that it is simply because he hung a likeness of a president.

Your thoughts?

news.yahoo.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

My thoughts?

You are one of those people who likes to find racism in everything. I bet you probably think everyone who voted for McCain did so because Obama is black.

My thought is that you should get a clue.

Originally posted by KyleOrtonArmy
Calling it a race issue is stupid. Starting a thread about it is stupid. Looking for nonsense where there is none is even more stupid.

A teacher tried to make a political statement about assassinating this country's current representative. Has nothing to do with his race, and starting this thread to try and race bait was just dumb.

Wasn't race baiting, was simply asking questions. I opened my paper this morning and found the story in the main section and wondered what others thought about the whole thing. The race part was simply thrown in because anytime anything that might possibly be able to be miscontrued as racial the media will jump on it. Time will tell with this story, but making it a race issue was not my intent.

Personally, I agree that a teacher should not spend class time promoting his political ideals, but a statement about the new program closing schools and putting teachers out of a job is, in my opinion, an ok statement for a teacher to make. With our economy as bad as it is, we don't need more people out of work. What we need are programs helping teachers in failing schools teach better.

He said it was part of a lesson plan. Hmmm... I wonder what the lesson was.

First and foremost, I will say that I do not agree with firing teachers in failing school districts. The teacher is not the sole reason for a child's failure! Many lessons start at home and teachers have an opportunity to improve upon a strong base. Children start school much too late in their lives for teachers to be able to create that base for the parents. If anybody needs to be fired, don't look at the teachers... (In general, there situations where the teachers could be doing a better job)

As for this incident which the teacher has created. This teacher has way overstepped the line. This was uncalled for, and will do nothing to help the situation.

The media is going to cover this story because they know people will be attracted to it. Also, anytime there is an issue with a black person hanging from any sort of body part, the race issue is going to come up. I may be crazy; but, I am fairly certain that's just the way things work.

reply to post by Styki


I agree with your assesment of how teachers are not solely to blame for failing students. We need to look at the parents of failing children and see if they are taking a role in their children's education. My wife and I have discussed many times about how when we have children we need to take a big role in making sure that the education they get from home is just as much as they get in school.

If the parents in these cases are doing their best then yes, look harder at the teachers. If the students don't care, then their is a good chance that comes from the home.

To all saying the man should silence his views and teach:

First of all, he's being fired - along with all the other teachers in the school. So, consider context.

Secondly, he's a human being, and he has a right to do it.

Thirdly, Obama is dead wrong supporting this firing. Horrible move it was.

Wanna change education in America?

Blame the parents. We're an anti-intellectual culture. Anyone else here ever been a teacher, and seen maybe....2 sets of parents show up when you've got a class of 30?

Studies show again and again - the parents are the deciding factor in how a student does - and there's not close second.

This is classic scapegoating, and it's stupid.

I don't understand how anyone can possibly feel that lynching an effigy of a living human being, much less a sitting president, would be acceptable in a public school.

Seriously. How is lynching -- undoubtedly a barbaric, tortuous, cowardly action usually associated with a rabid mob mentality -- considered a form of free speech.

If this teacher had posted a sign detailing his thoughts, that would be one thing. Using an ugly, violent reminder of the horrors a vindictive mob is quite another. There is no way to justify this person's actions.

reply to post by maria_stardust


Technically the effigy was hung by it's feet at least.

Second line.

Originally posted by Finn1916
Technically the effigy was hung by it's feet at least.

I sincerely doubt the message this person was trying to convey is that Obama should take up bungee jumping. The image of anyone (effigy or not) dangling from the end of a rope sends a strong message of a death threat and not-so-subtle intimidation.

[edit on 3/19/2010 by maria_stardust]

They should fire social workers. It is the social worker who force parents not to teach their kids right from wrong. they force the parents and these kids go to school though metal detectors. not needed in a time when you could trust your children. Teacher used to have it bad. not great pay and little benefits. But they strived on kid becoming strong inteligent and their learning. now they get worse pay little benifits and they are worried their students might shoot them. Bah if i was a teacher i would have given up. they need to be brave and push beyond limits to make these kids learn. thats right make them. cus they want it less half the kids are scared to go to school.

if this was gwb noone would care they'd even cheer.

im dislike flag burning and ephigys but

we do have freedom of speech and expression is this country for how much longer who knows.

i personally wouldnt do it no matter how much i dislike obama and the current adminstration there are other avenues for making our opinions heard.

Originally posted by TrueTruth

Secondly, he's a human being, and he has a right to do it.

He does have the right to his views and his feelings. He does not have the right to set an example of violence as a way of dealing with one's emotions in a public school setting.

I don't think Obama was personally involved in the school firings. They may have occurred in response to new educational initiatives by the government, and these guidelines may not be the most effective ones possible. President's Bush's "no child left behind" policy has also been less than totally effective. The teacher may have good reasons for feeling as he did.

I want to emphasize that, unless further evidence proves me wrong, I do not think it was a racially-motivated act. IMO it was an act in response to a policy that was hurting the teacher personally.

As a teacher, I can say I have personally known some who started out on fire with enthusiasm for teaching and then, when it seemed they couldn't make a positive impact no matter what they did, gave up on themselves and their students and just coasted along. I think I can understand how someone could get overwhelmed or disillusioned in some of our worst public schools.

I don't think everything is the teacher's fault. But it's true that some people are just better at it than others, and we need to keep our best and weed out the worst. However this happens, though, some good, well-meaning people are going to get hurt.

Hanging someone in effigy, however, only delivers the message that violence is an acceptable way to right wrongs. That's not effective teaching.

[edit on 20-3-2010 by Sestias]