Thread: Teacher put on leave over student comments in school paper

Teacher put on leave over student comments in school paper
http://www.txcn.com/sharedcontent/dws/n ... a8f22.html
11:29 PM CDT on Tuesday, May 24, 2005


By BRAD WATSON / WFAA-TV



A Fort Worth high school's journalism teacher is on leave because of a survey published in the school newspaper's latest edition.

The diversity survey in the Scorpion Voice newspaper at South Hills High School asked what students thought of the school's 64 percent Hispanic enrollment.

One student said there were "too many" Hispanics at South Hills; yet another said Hispanics have a high dropout rate and it's making the school look bad.

The reaction to the survey has been strongly negative.

"I think it was wrong what he said," said student Rachel Stovall.

"I think the comment was inappropriate," said student Steven Guerrero.

One student is worried about the school's image after the survey was published.

"So now, people definitely know our name, but not exactly what we want them to know us by," said student Brittany Ortega.

Fort Worth ISD officials said the controversy marks an isolated incident, and isn't indicative of what the school should be known for.

"We do diversity training so everybody - staff, students, everybody - we teach tolerance," said district spokeswoman Valerie Robertson. "This just does not fall into those lines."

The district put journalism teacher Amy Nelson on administrative leave pending an investigation. Calls by News 8 to Nelson's attorney were not returned.

Nelson did edit one student response that Hispanics should "head to the border" before distributing copies of the paper.

Additionally, some students defended her.

"I don't think she should've been suspended," one student said. "It's just wrong."
"I think it was wrong what he said, but I think there's a freedom to speech and and freedom to press," Stovall said.

However, courts have held that school districts have authority over school papers and who edits and writes for them.

Nelson has apologized for the survey; discipline for the teacher could range from suspension to dismissal.
Some students said regardless of the hurt feelings, they still hope everyone can come together in unity for graduation on Saturday.

Sixx says: These kids are not going to be as PC as the adults are. They see how this issue is hitting them in high school.

First of all, "diversity" is not a public or educational agenda. Diversity is something that refers to illegal immigration. Diversity is not something that needs to take up the time of the THREE R's in our educational system. So, can it with "diversity". We are, what we are. We should neither strive for or impede diversity. Diversity or the lack thereof is simply the result of a free society. No one needs to be spending tax payer money on "diversity". It is not "appropriate".

Second of all, these students are expressing themselves, in perhaps an "insensitive" manner, but the expressions are from the heart in the words they thought represented it and that is "freedom of expression". The first time our society starts telling us what is appropriate with "words" chosen to express a view, to express a feeling, to express an opinion with consequences, penalties, suspensions, reprimands....then the right of free speech is no longer.

Third, if GROW UPS were doing their JOB and enforcing the LAW, then these students, who are still children in many regards, would not feel the way they do about the growing number of Hispanics in their school, that are here illegally and the children know it. This creates conflict, uneasiness, a discomfort, a sense of chaos, a feeling of being squeezed, a sense that things are "out of control" and something bad lays on the horizon.

Fourth, unless the teacher broke a rule as part of her contract, she should be immediately restored to her position with apologies. These are judgment calls about a controversial matter that is tearing this country apart. The teacher should have the "issue" to deal with in her school; no school agenda should be pushing "diversity issues" one way or the other; no school newspaper should be assigned to write articles or conduct interviews on the topic of "diversity".

Fifth, the school established the "diversity" agenda....and that is the SOLE SOURCE of the problem. They should instead establish an "education" agenda and make sure all American children learn to read, write and do their math at each grade level so that when they are ready to graduate they can go to college or be prepared to serve the nation by getting and holding down a JOB.

Diversity.....what a bunch of commie "bunk".

WE are what we are, through the natural and legal course of our legal society.

When it becomes OBVIOUS to children that the grown ups aren't providing them with a legal society--all heck is gonna break loose--it's called chaos and anarchy.

Get the teacher back in the class room; send aliens home; and TEACH OUR CHILDREN....that is what you are being paid to do....not poke around in diversity ideologies precipitated by illegal immigration, excessive legal immigration, and a flood the US with Aliens Agenda.