This situation points up the principal weakness in American public education: local control of schools.

"Insubordination" is a blanket charge that is generally used to conceal the true reasons for action against a teacher. In this case, those reasons are ignorance and intolerance.

Public education in the US is bad and getting worse because good teachers - those for whom their students' education is the most important factor in their teaching - are constantly being fired for standing up to the stupidity and narrowmindedness of local school board members.

As a former teacher myself, I can testify that the teaching of writing is one of the most difficult tasks in the classroom. Anything that gets students motivated is worth trying.

No teacher's career should be subject to the whims of local politics which are virtually never driven by concerns for educational quality.

jj

The Writers Diary, a series of true stories written by inner-city teenagers, must never be read by other inner-city teenagers.

stupid pro-lifers.

Yep... Can't teach those kids anything that'll help them grow... gotta keep em dumb so they can be good little consumers and fodder for the military machine. God forbid that you teach them to THINK. The board member who objected to the book because of "swearing" should come down out of their ivory tower and listen to how the kids speak. I'm sure they'd come away with a whole new outlook on swearing... that the kids already know all those naughty words and it's not gonna hurt them any to see them in print.

The other thing that I find ridiculous, and this a bit off topic, is this... At the local video store, I'm looking at movies to rent... there's one that bills itself as "Disgustingly Graphic Violence", pretty much violence porn... and it's rated 14A (have to be 14 or older to rent it)... now, on the same shelf is a movie that has some nudity and sexual scenes, but no violence and it's rated 18A (have to be 18 or older to rent it)... so what message does that send? Violence and murder are ok but sex and the human body are bad? Talk about mixed messages! No wonder this generation of kids are growing up much more screwed up than ever!

Fucking stupid shit jackasses getting upset about some bad words in a book that can fucking help kids grow up into better people.

Fucking retarded.

Reading for me is like swimming in an ocean of thought, it feeds when nothing else can, it loves when all else is lost.

The more I read, the less I need. It's a good antidote to the poison of materialism and power.

Here, where I live, we have a radio talk show host who is similar (but not nearly as well paid) to Aerica's Rush Limbaugh. One day, this guy asked the question, "In this day and age of easy accessability to books, do we still need public libraries? When I heard that, the image of a bloated, ignorant, hateful fool popped into my head. Man I was pissed.

Read til you bleed!

Forgive Forgiveness for he knows to not

Not sure of the point of not saying ok to the school board. Try to stop anyone from doing anything they really want to do. She could have simply stated that the school board said this book can not be read in school and told the students they would have to read it at home. As to the school board. What do expect, we live in America were the youth can view and participate in the obcenity of war but nothing else.

One board member?!! A personal friend of Bush or Cheney? This is disgusting that her firing was allowed to happen! Those poor students. I indeed worry about kids these days when this kind of thing happens to someone legitimately trying to help and inspire some troubled kids. ..the book. It remains available in school libraries. Whatsup with the fascist rubbish in Indiana?!

I don't see it as "local" being the problem I see it as the "school board " attempting to censor education.

Public education is a sick joke.

I am bartering with a friend of mine to educate my 12 year old son .

She just took a portfolio of my sons work up to the school district to show them what he had learned . The superintendent was amazed at what they had accomplished.

I'll be getting a copy of "The Freedom Writers Diary" .I don't intend on allowing a bunch of brainwashed morons to tell me what my child needs.

By the way I don't believe in religious fairy tales either .

I just think that children should understand that education isn't going to a building and having shit jammed into their brain, rather a life time of intellectual evolution.

Government education is called Indoctrination.

Indiana, is the Klan still 6 deep? Beyond that, inner city kids are supposed to fail. They are universally chosen as our de-humanized scapegoats and cannot be allowed to rise in any way. America drinks their blood and likes having a steady supply. A teacher, holding these children up, NOT as creatures to sneer at, mangle, or to spit on, BUT presented as humans who grow and change - THAT WILL NOT BE ALLOWED. Our collective Cruelty demands our victims receive no aid.

And ONE guy got everybody else to go along? Very persuasive fellow. I'll bet he looks like Karl Rove and shares several of his 'higher' attributes. Americans always see the truth and sincerity of fist pounding and snarling.

You may rest assured that defenders of this punitive action will confine themselves to self-righteous letter-of-the-law arguments:

Teacher Broke the Rules; violated duty to the employer to serve, in part, as Role Model to define and enforce Respect for Authority, Taking Personal Responsibility, Coloring Inside the Lines, Not Rocking the Boat...

There are other variations on a theme of blaming the victim and avoiding the larger and more profound implications of this sort of petty repression-- but why make their case for them, eh?

"Teachers' union officials say that a single board member objected to swearing in the book. The school board member allegedly persuaded the other six officials to ban Heermann from teaching the book. It remains available in school libraries."--

The language that teens use in high schools around the country is a real hard pill to swallow. Educators must override their squeamishness in order to educate youth about language. Did that board member think the students had not heard or said them before? Why even the VP has been quoted extensively using the F word.

Here is where the compassionate genius of the late George Carlin can teach us a thing or two about neutralizing the affect that words have on us, to get down to the business about exploring our humanity.

"neglect of duty"

A teacher's "duty" should be to the students that have been forced to be there and to No one else.

A+ for workreno - Government education is called Indoctrination.

It is not at all surprising that this article is found in a foreign newspaper, because most people, including most ignorant and/or indoctrinated Americans, would find this to be just plain wrong.

Here in Indiana, this is rather old news. The events that led to Ms. Heerman's suspension occurred last November, and the suspension itself was imposed last March. Sort of odd that the Guardian is just picking up on this now . . . For a bit more detail, you can go here http://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp?S=8060931.

What's truly bizarre is that, according to press reports, the high school where Ms. Heerman taught had not just one, but ten, copies of the book in its library at the time she was being "insubordinate."

I saw the interview. There is one important detail. 149 out of 150 parents signed the permission slip!

Makes me think of "...Harper Valley PTA..."

For more information:

http://www.takebackperryschools.com

Anyone who would punish a teacher for teaching such a good book does not deserve to be on the school board. The politics of reading books in school is out of control and is unamerican. Maybe that is why our kids are so cynical about everything. They are denied factual info on their bodies and its processes, they are denied a proper scientific education and now, they are denied an experience in learning from others on how to deal with problems. How sad is this? Thank god, I went to a Catholic school in the 1960's and the nuns taught us much; more than that, a lot of it was not politically correct at the time; very valuable lessons were taught and I have benefited from those lessons well over the years. My best to Ms. Heerman.

I'm a teacher who taught the Freedom Writers Diary in my class. I'm sure glad I live in Massachussets and didn't get fired. I shudder to think what would happen if I taught a truly progressive book (oh wait I'm teaching Zinn's People's History too)

My students chose the book. I wouldn't have chosen it because I didn't like it and didn't find Ms. Gruwell's teaching style somewhat less than progressive. Gruwell did empower her children to confront their realities using literacy skills, however she did not seem to question her own elitism and inherent prejudices. She was the rich white teacher who saw her work as a kind of charity. She doesn't ask the students to question the power structures that hinder them. Racism for example seems to be understood as a personal vice and not a systematic problem.

If you watch the movie with even a slightly critical eye, I think that racist viewpoints are reinforced under the guise of anti-racism. It really is a disturbing film.

In any case my students had a good experience with the book and really enjoyed reading a book that was by students with whom they could relate.

Unfortunately the Teacher in this story was controlled by a "conservative education bloc" where the Tax payers money is used to promote the same faulty approach that has made the American people some of the most ignorant people of power ------in history.

Had she been better represented by her "union" she would have either been prepared for a conflict or prepared to pass off the conflict to other better organized "Union" teacher representatives. She is a member of a Teachers Union that no matter how powerful, is not allowed to follow directions from anyone other that the school board----all of which are elected officials---beholden to the "voters", who most often are under educated themselves ..........
Her Union could have been prepared to take the system to task. Instead under the Bush administration's (and the voters on a National level) "No Child Left Behind" program------those teachers , Union members, are forced to spend an inordinate amount of time preparing students to take tests, the material of which is comprised by very few educators, and provided by "friends and associates of the Bushs" for millions of tax payer $$$$$$$$(don't take my word for it---research it yourself).
The "education system" has always been under the control of the politicos-----or the religious organizations *, and for very good reason. From the conservative stand point of view---and they have been in control for several generations now----an " educated mass" is easier to control, easier to convince ( of even the most mind numbing philosophy), and much easier to manipulate---when that "education" is "selectively applied" and "controlled" by them---the conservatives.
Being a former educator (former because I could not fit in well with the politics, and believed that the only future human kind has is with a LIBERAL EDUCATION---since a CONSERVATIVE EDUCATION is ineffective, and contrary to an intelligent approach and hazardous to the future)---------
Since the "Conservatives" under the "Great Communicator" (Reagan) broke the back of organized labor, teachers who should be considered the first most important profession in our society, even the medical (who teaches the Doctors), are powerless to intervene in the stupidity they are forced to promote---because their union is only a union in name---it has no power that is effective, or can be used to better the profession or
the product, i.e, educated people.........
They cannot strike for better working conditions, so that they can deliver a better product. The Labor Unions were and are the only true representatives of a Democratic Society---they are in the hands and control of the PEOPLE.....not big business, not religions, no "special interests"---the PEOPLE. But now they have no POWER excepty in a limited capacity----for limited purposes.

This approach has been very successful for the conservative element, since the people who vote the school board members into power, are under educated themselves.

Even though the conservative element is under educated and in many cases just outright ignorant, the approach they have taken thus far has been exactly what they wanted........

*In most parts of the Country, people who can afford the expense send their children to "private schools" most of which are "religious schools". For the fundamentalist Christians/Jewish schools there are not as many people who send their children to them as the Catholic schools-----my question is simple---how can the Catholics develop more desirable schools than the public arena? The answer is simple. They are not subject to the same political influences as the "public" schools..............
Which is amazingly contradictory given the Catholic doctrine----or any "religious doctrine" in general.............go figure.

Then one must consider that Mr. Bush, (just one example) attended private grade school, then private "prep" school, then TWO highly regarded Universities, Harvard and Yale, and still is as dumb as a door nob.......he can barely speak his own language "Englush" and his Spanish is laughable and insulting to the Hispanic world--------yet he will spend this his last 4th of July----in office, still the most powerful moron in history..........go figure that one!

Excuse me please, a sore finger made me do it----
that should read above---Dumb as a door KNOB.

Thanks

First of all I disagree that Catholic schools are better than public schools. I have attended both and found much more open-mindedness in public schools.

On the other hand, NativeSon's observation that sometimes Catholic schools are paradoxically less-repressive for a different set of political standards.

Sure the Catholic church is repressive but it's CLASS INTERESTS are nto the same as the government's.

I always find it ironic when schools try to censor 'bad language'. Yet, they don't care when students go home and hear more cussing from their own parents than they'll ever read in a single book.

I'd rather my kid learn English from a book with a few bad words than by listening to some of our public officials.

Is our children learning?

TAKE IT TO COURT! What should they be reading---"My Pet Goat"?

As a beginner, teaching college-bound high school seniors in Florida many years ago, I included LADY CHATTERLY'S LOVER on a list of recommended books--not required. The local paper "found out" and ran a strong editorial condemning the book and me. But I wasn't suspended or fired, even though I did not have tenure. I was asked to write an explanation of why I had LADY CHATTERLY on the list; I did. Copies went to the board, the principal, and the paper that day. I heard no more of it.

But I must add, even though the principal whom I deeply respected was himself caught in accusations, I have to assume, though he never told me, that he was the one who persuaded the others that I was not a pervert, trying to push "dirty" books on innocent youngster.

As a matter of fact, in spite of the nasty publicity, most of my students did read the book, and exclaimed that it should have been required after all.

There must be a message in this for those who want to protect our students from the tree of knowledge--which most of them know about anyway. But for educational "leaders," principals, superintendents, and school boards to savage a teacher, with lengthy experience in the classroom who probably knows a lot more about learning than they do!...

sizzling logic

A) the book is not banned
B) the charge is insubordination (teaching the book)

see A)

the Board isn't fooling anybody

Simple minded self serving busy-bodies, the same morons who wave the flag for an illegal war in Iraq, and give willing assent to the war on drugs and the building of more prisons. Yuck! This culture thrives on ignorance and enemies. Yuck!

I don't know if it is true today. I graduated from high school in 1947. But in those days the Blacks in my school were adamant that Huckleberry Finn was a racist book that belittled Blacks and they avoided it like the plague. I don't know if they still do, but reasonably well-read people understand that Mark Twain's masterpiece was a complete put-down of the American Whites' prejudices against Blacks, exactly the opposite of the general Black feeling.

School Superintendents and Board Members are good at taking the bulk of the money available for employment in their school districts. The teachers, the ones in whose custody we place our children, are poorly paid, poorly treated and tortured by having to listen to the drivel put out by the "leaders."

This is simply another case of Ignorance over Learning. Most of our schools won't let the students learn. Too bad.

And too bad Mark Twain isn't here to write a book about the stupid shit-heads. But then, they wouldn't read it anyway. It would have words with more than five letters in them.

I support subversive teaching. The trick is to do it without being noticed. Always appear to be teaching the curriculum, and make sure you can support everything you do by citing specific objectives.

My comments are based on 22 years of teaching English in an Oklahoma high school.

Amazing... The teacher's union has to take time to "decide" whether to pursue this in court. One thing that should be universal in all of our nations schools, pubic and private, is teaching the Bill of Rights. I only went to public school and there was only a brief overview of the entire Constitution and scant attention to the amendments, Bill included. How can the powers that we "elect" expect to encourage REAL patriotism when they themselves don't much about the founding documents of our country? Real patriotism, for this country, is about questioning authority. The teacher did the right thing in going forward with the book and the fact that the "union" behind didn't immediately jump to her defense and immediately file court papers says a lot about what pathetic sheep We the People have become.

Well, this IS Indiana we're talking about. So we can be outraged--but not surprised.

I think the school board should be removed and a new board set up. I find a huge lack of confidence in a group of six who allowed ONE person to persuade them to go against their own beliefs. Parents & educators in this school system should be raising their own voices in support of this teacher and against a whimpy school board who could not find within themselves to stand on their own convictions and instead capitulated to one lone board member. The school board itself was and is insubordinate to the needs of it's students and it's educators......fire em all and get those on "board" who can be strong leaders who truely care about the students and their educators.

This is what happens when small minded people are given a bit of power. It would be funny if it wasn't so scary that these small people who probably haven't even read the book decide to ban it and then blame the teacher.

It's because the idiots are running things in this country, and they want us all to be as stupid as they are. My father was a Republican misogynist and never attended college because there wasn't the money. Then he actively stood in my way to attend college because he couldn't stand the thought of his daughter being more educated than he was. That kind of backward thinking is sick and demented.

It's about time we pull the idiots up by their extra-long boot straps and tell them we're not gonna take it anymore. We're going to read what we want when we want it and they can stay stupid.

Kudos to this teacher for wanting to better the chances in life for her students. She should be given an award instead of a suspension.

Is book burninng the next "logical" step for the stamper-outers of free expression? Isn't there great benefit from learning from one's peers? One has to wonder if these Board Member's and their spokerperson are trying to keep their children from hearing words they probably already use when gathered together amongst themselves. Certainly these kids have heard the language before.

By the way, an act of "subordination", you will find, has a whole different meaning than the one applied by the Board Members. Hopefully the Union will serve that spokerperson and the Board a good lesson in that definition. In the meantime one has to wonder at their (the Board's) response to a tenured teacher with 27 years of service. Surely this community can elect better representaion than what they presently have.

Wise comment, irma.

Insubordination is a vague term that can be applied to any resistance to orders, legal or illegal, moral or immoral, sensible or silly, reasoned or arbitrary. The charge of insubordination should be used sparingly if ever.

The teacher is a trained professional who obviously thinks and cares about her students. She chose a book that she thought would serve the purposes of developing literacy and developing the students as people.

The union should back this teacher up. (I know, a preposition at the end of the sentence.)

Just wait until I start teaching James Loewen's "Lies My Teacher Told Me". I can't wait to get fired.

The problem is not local school boards, and schools should be able to evaluate teaching materials. The real problem is A SINGLE ZEALOUS MEMBER who cannot see the value in the materials simply because they can't relate to the material. One zealous member convinced the rest of the board that these materials were objectionable to that member and therefore should be banned.

The problem is that the teacher was never given the access to pleas her case before this board. They never gave the materials or the teacher a hearing. Especially after all the parents have given their permission.

I've taught this material in the past, and without exception, it engages at risk students unlike anything else I've seen with the possible exception of The Diary of Anne Frank.

Yes, this teacher should get full backing of her union, but she may be forced to relocate to another district eventually.

Seems to me that this teacher has been handed a rare opportunity.

She has been shown that public education is about the dumbing down of the sheeple by a constant barrage of left brain indoctrination. Including "higher education".

Teacher pounds information into students head.

Student is tested to insure that information stuck.

If info. stuck student becomes teacher or leader in dumbed down society.

Repeat proccess.

DO NOT USE THE CREATIVE SIDE OF YOUR BRAIN .

IT MAY SET YOU FREE FROM THE BULLSHIT.

So to the teacher in question I say run away as fast as you can and become a true teacher .One that helps others to learn their potential.

When I was a beginning teacher and taking grad classes at night, a linguistis prof introduced me to Noam Chomsky and Neil Postman. I think that Postman's TEACHING AS A SUBVERSIVE ACTIVITY was the most influential book of my career. (I did get punished for it too!) So you active teachers out there, keep up the good work. You are the real heros in the fight against Holy Ignorance!

bizona July 3rd, 2008 4:23 pm

"Is our children learning?"

Are they?

The hidden curriculum is always indoctrination and conformism. When people begin to think the kingdom of the crooks begins to fall.

"In the first place God made idiots. This was for practice. Then he made School Boards."

- Following the Equator; Pudd'nhead Wilson's New Calendar
by Mark Twain

Another sad day in America's Institutional Learning Facilities!

Let Ms. Barbara Thompson know how you may feel about this decision to suspend a teacher for teaching.

Barbara Thompson Contact Information:
227 Huddleston Dr. South
Indianapolis, IN 46217
Phone: 317-888-0073
E-mail: bjthompson@msdpt.k12.in.us

Irma and GKL, Thanks. I too loved "Teaching as a Subversive Activity."

I'm not pushing an ideology, but teachers are not in the army. One shouldn't be "punished" for "insubordination."

I speak as one who has spent a lifetime in schools
as either student, teacher, or administrator.

I think a teacher should be given the syllabus on the things a student should learn in his/her class and the time to teach them free from micro management.

Gather all the people in Perry, Indiana in a single place. Ensure that they have brought their checkbooks. Each person to empty one bank account and give the proceeds to the good teacher.

Why aren't there 18 and 19-year olds on these school boards, if it's just a matter of getting elected?

I regularly go against the grain and speak truth to the principal's power. He can't do anything about it. But when he gives a directive you must comply or they can get you for insubordination. It's better to find a way of complying but still be a thorn in the side.

If a violation of the teachers' contract is committed then you can file a grievance. In my district insubordination is grounds for termination so better not go there or you'll get permanently neutralized. Better to lose a battle but live to fight again than go down for good.

Sounds like she did it but she can still make a good case in court because it sounds like McCarthyism.

Why is failure an option for our kids? Because some want it to be so. What other reasonable explanation can there be for allowing a single board member voice his or her displeasure and then having the "weight" to convince 6 other miscreants on the board that he/she is right and the book shouldn't be used.

Education, the public variety at least, in America is doomed.