Thread: Teachers Who Insult The Military Are The Lowest Of The Low

Teachers Who Insult The Military Are The Lowest Of The Low

by LT. COLONEL JAMES G. ZUMWALT, USMC (RET)

February 23, 2018


Teaching is about as old as civilization itself. Parents start filling this role from day one of a child's birth - supplemented by other adults as the child matures. Teachers help mold a child's thinking and values in life.

The worst thing one can do is undermine that evolving value system, unless a student is embarking upon the wrong moral path.

Enter California's El Rancho High School history teacher Gregory Salcido and one of his senior students, Victor Quinonez.

Recently, as Quinonez walked to the front of the classroom to turn in an assignment, Salcido saw the 17-year old wearing a Marine Corps sweatshirt. His teacher immediately queried Quinonez about his decision to enter the Marine Corps after graduation. Quinonez courteously explained why, triggering a rant by his teacher - one Quinonez surreptitiously taped after returning to his desk. 44" target="_blank">Try watching this video on www.youtube.com</a>, or enable JavaScript if it is disabled in your browser.</div></div>


Proud of his family's military tradition - his father and two uncles having served as Marines - Quinonez wanted to serve as well. All three relatives clearly were role models for the young student. They shared with him the challenges faced in the Marines, the esprit de corps encountered as a band of brothers and the pride of serving one's country. Through his family, Quinonez embraced as life values honor, courage and service to country. For six minutes, Salcido demeaned those values.


Salcido, mocking those now serving overseas as failures, said, "Think about the people who you know are over there - your freaking stupid Uncle Louie or whatever - they're dumbs**ts. They're not high-level thinkers. They're not academic people. They're not intellectual people. They're the freaking lowest of our low."


Alluding to the world's oldest profession, Salcido further added: "I don't understand why we let the military guys come over here and recruit you at school. We don't let pimps come in the school."


Salcido managed to include racial slurs against Asians during his tirade: "We couldn't beat the Vietnamese, they are a bunch of people this big throwing rice at us, and we couldn't beat them."


He then advised Quinonez not to join the Marines and instructed him never to wear the sweatshirt to class again. Salcido exhibited to the entire class every element of teacher incompetency one in the profession could possibly demonstrate.


Asked about Salcido's comments during an interview, White House Chief of Staff, retired Marine General John Kelly, minced no words. He said the teacher "ought to go to Hell." One can understand Kelly's anger: one of his two sons who served in the Marine Corps was killed in 2010 in Afghanistan.


Unfortunately, Salcido also never heard a speech Kelly delivered only days after his son's death, entitled "Six Seconds to Live." Kelly spoke about two sons of other parents - young Marines whose last six seconds of life were caught on security camera footage. They were Corporal Jonathan Yale, 22, and Lance Corporal Jordan Haerter, 20.


The two, along with several Iraqi soldiers, were guarding entry to a compound occupied jointly by US Marines and Iraqi soldiers. Suddenly, a truck raced toward the gate, failing to stop despite commands to do so. Realizing this was a suicide bomber trying to detonate the truck inside the compound, the Iraqi guards ran to seek safety. Yale and Haerter, knowing they remained the last line of defense protecting their comrades, held their ground. Putting out a wall of fire, they killed the driver. However, as the truck exploded outside the compound, both Marines were killed. Their unflinching courage in the face of imminent death to protect those depending on them to do so was incredible. Both were posthumously awarded the Nation's third highest combat medal-the Silver Star.


Salcido's unprofessionalism in demeaning a student's desire to serve his country was despicable. And, this is not first time his behavior has been at issue. In 2010, he was temporarily suspended for allegedly making inappropriate racial comments.


What should be most telling about Salcido's perspective on life is the comment he posted after receiving numerous text messages about his comments gaining national attention.


After stating he just "got out of an excellent musical...I turned my phone back on to unexpectedly see a storm. I don't think it's wise for me to make any specific comments, but I want my friends, family, and students to know we are fine and we respect the rights of free expression for all individuals."
There was not a word of apology for his outrageous comments or for attempting to destroy a young student's life dream. No, for Salcido, it was all about him and how he was doing.


While Salcido's comments reach an all-time low for someone with teaching credentials, there does seem to be a lack of understanding by educators for those choosing to serve in the military. One veteran tells the story of his disappointment with a teacher's response after proudly sharing he had been accepted at West Point. The response was, "You're a smart guy. You don't have to join the military. You should go to college, instead." This veteran added, "What I will say is that when a 16 year-old kid is being told that attending West Point is going to be bad for his future then there is a dangerous disconnect in America, and entirely too many Americans have no idea what kind of burdens our military is bearing."


With only 0.45 percent of our population serving today in the war on terrorism, this is not what our prospective young warriors need to be hearing from those they look up to as teachers.


In his speech, Kelly said of those serving in uniform, "All are heroes for simply stepping forward, and we as a people owe a debt we can never fully pay."


Salcido needs to take a step backward and reassess what he can do to contribute to society. It definitely is not teaching.


A version of this piece also appeared on The Daily Caller.



Lt. Colonel James G. Zumwalt, USMC (Ret.), is a retired Marine infantry officer who served in the Vietnam war, the U.S. invasion of Panama and the first Gulf war. He is the author of "Bare Feet, Iron Will--Stories from the Other Side of Vietnam's Battlefields," "Living the Juche Lie: North Korea's Kim Dynasty" and "Doomsday: Iran--The Clock is Ticking." He frequently writes on foreign policy and defense issues.



http://www.familysecuritymatters.org...est-of-the-low

The remarks are outrageous and he should be fired post haste for speaking this way to any student.

California teacher fired after saying military members are ‘lowest of our low’

• Kelcie Willis, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

9:59 a.m. Wednesday, March 21, 2018 Nation & World

NATION & WORLD

Gregory Salcido has bee fired from his position as a history teacher at El Rancho High School in Pico Rivera, California, after video surfaced of him making disparaging remarks about members of the military.

PICO RIVERA, Calif.A California history teacher who was seen on video making disparaging remarks about members of the military has been fired.

The Los Angles Times reported that the El Rancho Unified School District unanimously voted on Tuesday to remove Gregory Salcido from his post at El Rancho High School in Pico Rivera, California.

The San Gabriel Valley Tribune reported that, pending any appeals, Salcido will stay on unpaid leave.

In January, Salcido was investigated by the board after video was released of him telling a class of students that people in the military are “not intellectual people” and “the freaking lowest of our low.” The video, in which Salcido appeared to be reacting to a student wearing a Marines shirt, surfaced on Jan. 26.


“We’ve got a bunch of dumb (expletive) over there,” Salcido says in the video. “Think about the people who you know who are over there – your freaking stupid Uncle Louie or whatever – they’re dumb (expletive). They’re not like high-level thinkers, they’re not academic people, they're not intellectual people; they’re the freaking lowest of our low.”

The history teacher also appeared to make insensitive remarks about people in Asia.

“We couldn’t beat the Vietnamese – they’re a bunch of people this freaking big throwing rice at us.”

KCBS reported that Salcido defended his comments at a Feb. 13 city council meeting.

“My goal, as it relates to my students, related to the military, is to get them to do everything to get to college,” Salcido said. “It’s not just the military, I don’t want them working at a fast food restaurant either. And any comment related to, is out of context. I’m talking about their academic standing. I don’t think it’s at all a revelation to anybody that those who aren’t stellar students usually find the military a better option.”

The video prompted White House Chief Of Staff John Kelly, a former Marine Corps general, to say, “I think the guy ought to go to hell.”

The Los Angeles Times reported that Salcido, 49, was with his wife visiting family in New York and headed home “under the circumstances,” according to an email from Salcido.

“Because of the many vulgar and violent threats against my family, I do not have any comment on the situation at this time,” Salcido told the LA Times.

Salcido has 30 days to appeal the board’s decision.

https://www.statesman.com/news/natio...ESPjK6rcthPKL/

From 2010. Looks like Salcito was the Mayor.

Parent’s complaints send mayor and El Rancho High teacher Salcido on administrative leave





Teacher Gregory Salcido stands in front of El Rancho High School in Pico Rivera after a complaint has been filed against him on Wednesday July 21, 2010. A parent has filed a complaint with the school board over his classroom conduct and Salcido has been placed on paid administrative leave.16 COMMENTSBy THE WHITTIER DAILY NEWS | whittierdailynews@dfmdev.com |

PUBLISHED: July 21, 2010 at 12:00 am | UPDATED: January 30, 2018 at 12:52 pm

PICO RIVERA – Mayor Gregory Salcido, a history teacher at El Rancho High School, has been placed on administrative leave by the school district after a parent complained about Salcido’s classroom conduct.

Salcido said he is being targeted because of his unconventional world views.

Parent Gerald Kelly, 42, said he complained to the El Rancho Unified School District Tuesday. He said his daughter Savanah, 16, told him Salcido threatened her, made inappropriate comments about race and insulted other students and parents.

Salcido denied making threats or derogatory comments toward students or parents, and said some of his remarks to his 54-student world history class were taken out of context and exaggerated.

“There’s no way this individual can truthfully say she was threatened, discriminated against or harmed,” said Salcido, who has taught for 14 years. “The examples (used in class) offended her father’s political sensibilities and now we’re in this situation. It’s a matter of conveniently altering semantics.”

John Lopez, assistant superintendent of human resources for El Rancho Unified, said he couldn’t comment on personnel matters. Salcido said he was placed on leave Tuesday afternoon.

“This is a positive thing for everybody involved, and we’re not treating Mr. Salcido any different because he’s the mayor,” said El Rancho School Board member Rachel Canchola. “This tells the student we’re taking the allegations seriously and tells the teacher we’re going to investigate it and go from there.”

Savanah Kelly said she was talking to a classmate when Salcido said, “shut up Kelly before I kill you.”

Salcido said he keeps discipline lighthearted by making over-the-top statements meant to be humorous.

“I can understand how that would bother a third party, but it’s out of context. That’s not at all what I meant and at no time did this individual feel threatened,” he said.

Students at El Rancho on Wednesday described Salcido as a popular, effective teacher who often jokes with students.

“He’s like one of the best teachers I’ve ever had,” said student Oscar Navarrete, 17. “He actually teaches. He doesn’t just go from the book.”

Gerald Kelly, a former Marine, said he was angered by his daughter’s recanting of Salcido’s classroom lecture content about topics like religion, the military and gay marriage.
“This is the mayor and he’s out here destroying these kids’ minds,” Kelly said. “Why allow him to lead this city when he stands for non-religious beliefs and that it’s OK to be against the Bible, (says it’s OK to be) homosexual and defames people in the military?”

Salcido, 41, said he blends traditional teaching methods with unconventional ones and called his lessons “intense.” He said he teaches students history by making parallels between the past and present.

His classroom discussions have brought up examples of religion shaping public policy and exploitation by governments of their fighting forces, he said.

Salcido said he believes gay marriage is a civil right and has been unabashed about his unorthodox views about institutional religion. In February, Salcido was criticized by local pastors for removing a Bible from the City Council dais, saying it violated the U.S. Constitution’s establishment clause.

“As a public figure I understand I’ve got to be able to take it, but that’s not going to make me back down from what I know is right,” Salcido said. “I’m not happy about the situation, however I support the school district’s desire to proceed with due diligence.”

https://www.whittierdailynews.com/20...trative-leave/