Liberal educators ...

[Noelle Lorraine]

Thoughts on how to handle a so called educator who shoves their liberal values in your middle schoolers mind, and drags your values through the mud. This took place in class. I'm wondering how to keep my cool & handle it like a classy republican. Thoughts? What would you do?

[Candi Goldman]

First of all, I've been following the liberalization of our children across the country.  I cannot stress enough that parents attend school board meetings and other local events. 

Next, I check out the textbooks and I check out the teachers themselves.  If I catch any unnecessary liberal ideology being slipped into the classroom, I take action.  I first go to the teacher and Principal together.  If that doesn't work, I go to the superintendent and the school board.  As a last resort, I contact every parent of every child in the school and start "educating" them on how their children are educated.

I will tell you this, I even went so far as to go to the top 3 textbook publishers to find out where they get their material.  This isn't just happening in your school...it's happening across the country.

[Shannon Stanislewski]

I do not see the problem with my children learning both sides of the issue. This will help them make informed political decisions - isn't that more important? You will get farther offering support than you will "laying down the law." Consider that for a moment. It is not classy to strong-arm or destroy any relationships. You don't want to make a name for yourself in a negative way. 

[HM]

Shannon, are you a teacher's union rep?

[Shannon Stanislewski]

I can see where you get that, but absolutely not!

[Candi Goldman]

Shannon, it would be different if our educators were teaching both sides of the issue.  Unfortunately, they aren't.  I know this because of extensive research into it.  And I have no problem with any liberal thinking of me in a negative way.  My fight for education is to make sure that BOTH sides are given equal time.  I would suggest YOU start researching what is going on in your child's school.  I think you may walk away with a few surprises.

[Shannon Stanislewski]

Hi Candi. I do agree with you to some extent. However, I am very much involved in my child's school and am pleased with his education and teachers. Talking to my child's teacher last year, he is a devout republican. His other teacher last year, I am not sure but not one word of politics was spoken during Gov. Walkers necessary change. I appreciated that. This year, his teacher seems to present a well-balanced approach as well. My husband is a school board member, and I serve on several committees. I am very involved and informed, or I would not say otherwise. I know that there are educators who do not handle themselves as professionally, but I am happy and proud of my child's district. I am just saying get to know them. I was against this, but have been pleasantly surprised. 

[Candi Goldman]

Unfortunately Shannon, most parents aren't as involved in the education of their children.  You are most fortunate to be in the situation you are in.  Where I live, which is supposedly a "red state", I have to be ever vigilant.  I am always respectful when dealing with the teachers, principals and school board...but I will NOT be ignored.  If they are going to discuss politics, it WILL be done in a neutral way.  Congratulations on being in the district your in and I hope you remain vigilant.

[HM]

Noelle, public education in this country is designed to indoctrinate children from preschool to college in anti-American and anti-Judeo-Christian values. Parental authority is belittled and mocked. The public school indoctrinators sincerely believe that your child is theirs to mold, and if your values conflict with theirs, that it is their duty to instill their values and undermine/destroy yours. They see you only as someone who has produced something (a child in public school) that enables them to have a job, really neat benefits, summers off, and a retirement to die for (all paid for by you and me). That is the extent of the regard they have for you, although they have been carefully taught how to pretend that they care and that they respect you. I can assure you, they do not respect you or your values, and they never will. As your child gets older in middle and then in high school, I can assure you the aggressive indoctrination will only get worse. Homeschooling is legal in all 50 states, and we have a great homeschool group right here on SGP that can help get you started.

You don't have any do-overs as a parent. Once they poison your child's mind, it is very hard to un-ring the bell. Assure your child that he or she can still have their friends, play sports, and do all sorts of extracurricular activities, he or she will just not be in public school classes anymore. Then, after you go to the front office and withdraw your child from the school, make sure you stop by the Marxist indoctrinator's classroom and thank him or her for being the catalyst for the best decision you've made in quite some time, smile, turn on your heel, and walk out.

Please friend me and email me if I can be of service in any way. I'm remarkably resourceful, and would consider it an honor to help you save your child from public school.

[Kinsey Williams]

Could you give an example of the liberal ideology being presented to your children? I feel like I would really like to be aware of what you're talking about, but I'm not sure what you mean. 

[Sarah Horan]

*I know this is a year late, but in the event that it is still useful!

Personally, I do not have children (yet!). However, as a graduate from a New York Public School (very liberal biased teaching), a graduate with my bachelors and soon to be graduate degree from a State University of New York (ridiculously, unbelievably liberal biased) – I have a few suggestions that my father did, an Independent leaning Conservative voter.

First, while I’m sure you do this already, it is really important to talk to your student. In high school, I was quite the liberal. I owned everything by Michael Moore and would constantly pretend I was smarter than any Conservative who would debate me. I mean, if my teachers are clearly Democrats, you’re not, and the teachers are supposed to be “smarter than the students” – then you must be an idiot to not be a Democrat. My father constantly asked me what kinds of things my teachers were teaching me and asked me about how I viewed things. He listened to everything I said. Thinking back now I can see where my rambling probably added a few gray hairs on his head. He would tell me he was excited that I was learning but to remember there are two sides to every position. He never told me my teacher was wrong, but just that they, like everyone else in the world, has their own opinion and they want me to share it with them. This is fine, but being smart means knowing how to research and inquire before committing to anything. He would tell me his information on topics, not in an aggressive way, but information that was contradicting to what I heard in class. He would also take everything I said and research it on his own, and give me any additional information he would find out. He encouraged me to not be “against” the school, but rather to really approach everything I’m taught in an academic way through my own research.

A few times, I had presented my conflicting information in a debate to the teacher. She said the information I gave her was stupid. I then realized that my dad never called my teacher stupid, but she was willing to call him stupid—at that point, I understood that she was probably the one that was wrong. I was also encouraged that if the teacher made me feel like presenting my views “was stupid” to tell the principal immediately. And not for nothing, while teachers are heavily protected in this country, NO teacher can hide from a student who’s willing to report verbal abuse (and according to teaching contracts, trying to attack a student’s views is verbal abuse).

Second, as a person working in government now, I want to second someone else’s earlier recommendation on how important it is to be involved: talk to other parents and be involved in the educational process. It’s difficult for a teacher (especially an arrogant one) to be motivated to change their teaching because of one parent. It is, however, impossible for a teacher to ignore a class of parents. Try to record different things your student is telling you and ask other parents if they’ve had similar experiences. First, all approach the teacher individually about your concerns. If that doesn’t influence their behavior, as a collective group, try to approach the teacher about your concerns. If that doesn’t work, approach the Principal. Last resort – no school wants bad press.

Again, as a Liberal high student turned Conservative, I assure you that once your student starts earning a paycheck and enters the real world their views will be much more dramatically aligned with yours and they will one day be asking others for help with the same problem you are having :)