Nebraska teacher suspended for showing beheading video - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Bill O'Rights · 05-19-2004, 12:19 PM

Quote:

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. - North Platte High School has suspended one of its teachers after he allowed students to watch the video of American Nicholas Berg being beheaded in Iraq.

Parents and students said 19-year teaching veteran Dan Sheesley allowed students in his morning sociology and history classes to view the video Friday.

The school confirmed that a teacher had been suspended with pay the same day. A statement from the school, which would not identify the teacher involved, said the suspension is "not to exceed 30 days."

Sheesley would not comment on the matter. He said the teachers' union has advised him to not talk about the subject.

North Platte High School Principal Dan Twarling said about 30 students saw the video, but no student was forced to watch it.

A student took the video to school on disk Friday, Twarling said, and he first became aware of the situation when a parent called to ask about the disk.

Twarling said no formal rules were broken, but that he made "an administrative judgment call."

In the video, Nicholas Berg is seated on the ground and five armed men disguised by head scarves and masks are behind him. Standing in the middle, a man identified as terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi decapitates Berg. It is unclear when and how Berg, a self-employed telecommunications businessman, was captured. The video has not been shown on U.S. television but is available on the Internet.

Teachers in California, Arkansas and Texas have been suspended or placed on leave in the last two weeks for allowing students to see the video in class.

Twarling, who made the suspension decision in consultation with Superintendent Jim Merritt, said he believes the video was simply too much for high school students.

The school's statement reads: "The showing of such an act was determined to be inappropriate considering the potential psychological and emotional effects of such a graphic and horrifying image on adolescents."

Julie Creel said she did not have a problem with her 18-year-old son Luke Perez watching the video in Sheesley's class.

"I think they're babying a lot of these high-school students," Creel told the North Platte Bulletin. "Had Luke been 5 and in preschool, that would have been different. But he's 18. If he decided to join the Army, he'd be right over there."

Creel said since President George Bush has predicted the nation's war on terror could last as long as 25 or 30 years, that means it will span throughout her son's adult life.

"We'd better get our kids used to it, because it looks like they're going to be dealing with it long after we're gone," she said.

Well, I'm not sure how I feel about this. On one hand, I've seen the video...and wished that I had not. On the other hand, these kids are old enough to decide for themselves whether, or not, to view it. I guess in the end, I have to agree with Julie Creel...if the kid's old enough to be over there, then the kid's old enough to see life's horrors.

Redjake · 05-19-2004, 12:33 PM

The kids are able to choose if they want to see it or not. it's not any different than us disecting a pig in sixth grade. (the choice part). we could leave, or do it. whichever we see fit. no penalties against either decision.

he should not be suspended or fired.

lurkette · 05-19-2004, 12:36 PM

1. They weren't forced/required to watch the video.
2. It's readily available on the internet anyhow.
3. I agree completely with the parent about the students being old enough to fight, and old enough to see what's going on in Iraq.

That said, the teacher did display poor judgment - he probably should have consulted with administration first and notified parents that he was going to show the video, included justification of why he thought it was relevant to the class, and given parents an option to request that their kids not watch it. It is graphic, and they should have at least been warned.

Rubyee · 05-19-2004, 12:47 PM

I was the first to answer "let me think about it" only because with the way the question was presented, "Should a teacher be suspended for showing students the beheading video?" it leaves it open for students of all ages. I believe that if a teacher in a elementary school, or even a middle school showed this to their students, it would be very innapropriate. But I believe that in this situation, this teacher was not in the wrong.

Lebell · 05-19-2004, 01:03 PM

I saw black and white movies of the horrors of the Nazi concentration camps in school when I was 13.

No, I don't think this is too much; this is the REALITY of what we face.

water_boy1999 · 05-19-2004, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by lurkette
1. They weren't forced/required to watch the video.
2. It's readily available on the internet anyhow.
3. I agree completely with the parent about the students being old enough to fight, and old enough to see what's going on in Iraq.

That said, the teacher did display poor judgment - he probably should have consulted with administration first and notified parents that he was going to show the video, included justification of why he thought it was relevant to the class, and given parents an option to request that their kids not watch it. It is graphic, and they should have at least been warned.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

Zello · 05-19-2004, 02:43 PM

I'm going to go against the flow. First I have to say that yes, they should be allowed to watch the video. As long as it's on their own time. I simply can't see how anyone would think it's appropriate to load up a video of someones head getting removed in the middle of class.

If he took lurkette's approach, and got permission/notified the parents then I would not have a problem with it. But still, what good does it serve to watch the video?

rsl12 · 05-19-2004, 03:19 PM

In THEORY, I think it was ok, but consider this:

If, in a movie, they had shown an actual clip on someone being beheaded, it would certainly have garnered an NC-17 rating. While the majority of high-school seniors are 17 and older, a few are not (I was 16 and a senior). Therefore, it's the moral equivalent of showing a rated R movie to a 8th grade class, but giving the kids the option of watching or not.

Still, if you don't have a stick up your behind about these technicalities, I thinki it's ok. seniors ought to be old enough to make that kind of decision. Watching it certainly would make kids more concerned about american history and what's going on in the world.

gondath · 05-19-2004, 03:25 PM

The things these kids do in their free time is worse than anything they could see in a video, probably. Censorship is a feeble attempt to make minors believe what we want them too about the world. It's a violent and cruel place out there. It's better to find out from a video than firsthand. The teacher did nothing wrong.

Aletheia · 05-19-2004, 03:43 PM

Showing the video also shapes how they view the world. It works both ways. It would be intresting to see the context in which the teacher showed the video. What I mean is, if the students had to write about it, if it was an experiment of their reaction, was shown as a discussion item, or if the teacher just did it to scare the hell out of them.

KWSN · 05-19-2004, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Lebell
I saw black and white movies of the horrors of the Nazi concentration camps in school when I was 13.

No, I don't think this is too much; this is the REALITY of what we face.

Exactly what I was thinking. They started us on a Holocaust unit in 6th grade, so that's when I was (iirc) 11-12.

The students can find the video just about anywhere anyway, this is just cutting out the middleman. If the students wanted to see it on the internet they'd have downloaded it. If they wanted to see it in class, they'd have opted into it.

I think the teacher perhaps had poor judgement for stepping outside the curriculum with anything unapproved, they're very stringent about that in places. But aside from that, I see nothing wrong with his actions and I think the suspension is overblown.

H12 · 05-19-2004, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by gondath
The things these kids do in their free time is worse than anything they could see in a video, probably. Censorship is a feeble attempt to make minors believe what we want them too about the world. It's a violent and cruel place out there. It's better to find out from a video than firsthand.

I don't think that's justification for the teacher to show it (though I do think that it is okay that the teacher showed it), but I still agree with all the points you made except for one thing: it's not fair to categorize "these kids" as being your average teens who do worse things than beheading the innocent.

Quote:

Originally posted by Aletheia
Showing the video also shapes how they view the world. It works both ways. It would be intresting to see the context in which the teacher showed the video. What I mean is, if the students had to write about it, if it was an experiment of their reaction, was shown as a discussion item, or if the teacher just did it to scare the hell out of them.

If it was something they had to write about afterwards, then the teacher almost forced them to watch it. Grades can make some students do anything.

ARTelevision · 05-19-2004, 06:24 PM

The schools in this country are a mass of contradictions and an unreality show. Things that happen there - or do not happen there - are arbitrary and irrational. They are a vast wasteland of insignificant experience. They are unimprovable and hopeless, gutless and spiritless places where actual education is only an occasional and incidental by-product of what occurs within their institutionalized shells.

billege · 05-19-2004, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by lurkette
1. They weren't forced/required to watch the video.
2. It's readily available on the internet anyhow.
3. I agree completely with the parent about the students being old enough to fight, and old enough to see what's going on in Iraq.

That said, the teacher did display poor judgment - he probably should have consulted with administration first and notified parents that he was going to show the video, included justification of why he thought it was relevant to the class, and given parents an option to request that their kids not watch it. It is graphic, and they should have at least been warned.

Works for me too.

basmoq · 05-19-2004, 06:46 PM

I'd say I agree with Lurkette, he should have warned parents first, but I don't believe suspending him will help the school in any way.

forseti-6 · 05-19-2004, 06:49 PM

I actually voted yes. Why? Well a few people already mentioned some of my points being that perhaps some of the viewers were under 18 - thus should have required a parental permission to watch "NC-17" material. However, my big point supporting his suspension is that he did it on school time. I don't believe this material should be shown in high school class. Had he shown it after or before school, I don't think I would have supported his suspension. By showing the video on school time he was basically implying he had the administration's approval to show it - which is the main reason, I believe, he got in trouble.

sexymama · 05-19-2004, 07:11 PM

I'm one of the few that voted yes. I think it would have been okay to tell his students where to find it on the net; but there is too much peer pressure to stay, even if one didn't truly want to view the beheading.

All your arguments to not suspend make sense. My main point, however, is that this should have been left up to the parents to decide and it wasn't. Something like this can open "Pandora's box" if not addressed.

Hrothgar · 05-19-2004, 07:21 PM

I don't understand what viewing a beheading is supposed to "teach". I'm not going to download the video and see it for myself since I think that's one thing in life I can live without seeing.

BoCo · 05-19-2004, 10:22 PM

No!

It's a teacher's job to teach reading, writing, math, etc., not be a replacement for a parent.

Psycho Dad · 05-22-2004, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by BoCo
It's a teacher's job to teach reading, writing, math, etc., not be a replacement for a parent.

Then more parents should accept the responsibilty of raising their children. But that could be a whole other post.

Instead I'll argue that the sociology and history teacher was better able to explain to those who chose to see the video what they had just seen than most of the parents would have. Instead too many kids have gone home to view the video on the 'net as entertainment rather than understanding what an act of violence this was.

The_wall · 05-22-2004, 01:26 PM

To the people who said its not appropriate for school, the guy teaches history and sociology, he could have had a good reason to show the video, depending on what he was teaching. The war in Iraq is a huge issue right now, and this video has been a big deal on the news latetly.

I was taking an American history class when 9/11 happend, we stopped the decade we were learning about and started lessons about al qaeda and Osama Bin Laden for a few weeks because obviously 9/11 will go down in the history books.

My point is unless we know the context in which the video was shown we shouldn't judge whether is was appropriate or not to show the video.

neddy65 · 05-22-2004, 01:45 PM

I take a very simplistic view to the viewing of this video. We are empowering the people who did the act. By watching the video we are viewing a horror that was filmed for propaganda purposes. I don't want to see this unfortunate lose his life and i believe that it would be rendered powerless by our not watching it. Mr. Berg deserves more respect than we are giving him by watching his grisly death.

my $.02

twotimesadingo · 05-22-2004, 01:53 PM

I think the teacher was well within his limits to show the video. In fact, on some level, I believe that if he really valued his students he was obligated to screen the video.

Why?

What ART said, I tend to believe is at least half-way correct; I'm not so long out of high-school to not remember how arbitrary and unnecessary half the material taught was.
The video of Nick Berg's execution, however, has some real value, both in morality (which is the purview and responsibility of every teacher) and history/sociology. For example, if he was discussing the means to fight a guerilla war, this is certainly one of them. Guerilla war depends on instilling doubt and fear, and dissolving the opponents will to fight (morale), and the execution certainly does that. Moreover, if he was discussing with his class how propoganda doesn't match up with the reality of the situation, this would be a good way to show how the news reports we hear dehumanize the events and distance the audience; the execution tape certainly slams home the human emotions of pity, sympathy, and moral disgust.

Just some thoughts.

*EDIT*
neddy65, I couldn't disagree more. This event should be powerful. I don't think anything could be more affective in dispelling the illusions some segments of the general population have that perpetuate war-mongering. We need to know what happens over there, even the stuff that doesn't sit well with us. Information is always power; you just might disagree with the logical conclusions that having this information engenders...

feelgood · 05-22-2004, 02:08 PM

The article said that the teacher didn't force the student to watch the video. If any student who objects to watching a beheading video could simply have left the room and return until the clip was over.

I agree with some of the poster's opinion and comparsion to the Holocaust.

The beheading video is one of the bigger issues in iraq.

neddy65 · 05-22-2004, 02:48 PM

I don't disagree with the power of the video and any messages it may carry. I don't think we should pander to the people who shot it nor the reasons for it. We dehumanize Nick Berg by making him a media point and not an unfortunate man caught up in an unfortunate situation. He didn't die for a cause, he died in a fucked up game of " Oh Yeah?"

WarWagon · 05-22-2004, 03:32 PM

If they're under 18, get the parents permission. If they're over 18, free game. If you're legally an adult, you watch whatever the hell you want to. I think this one should have been a clear cut issue.

mystmarimatt · 05-22-2004, 04:15 PM

Let those who want to see it, see it. Those who don't, don't force them. But I would want my kids to see it. (At a reasonable age, of course, nothing absurd.)

Although I was disgusted by it, i watched it, because i felt a moral obligation to watch the repercussions of our actions within the world, and just as a testament to the world scope these days.

mattevil · 05-22-2004, 09:48 PM

The Teacher used poor judgement.There was really no reason to show it and waste time doing it. If the kids wanted to see it they could look at it at home on their own time.

Fearless_Hyena · 05-22-2004, 10:09 PM

I'll keep it very simple and say I voted YES because I think the teacher showed (an almost reckless level) of very very
Poor Judgment.

Teachers are meant to be educators leading our children into the future. When a teacher can't even have enough forethought to recognize the ramifications of his actions, he is a jackass who shouldn't be teaching, plain and simple.

There's tons of ways he could have done it better, and perhaps I may have even supported him in that case -- but that's beyond the scope of what I'm trying to say.

View Poll Results: Should a teacher be suspended for showing students the beheading video?
Hell yes!	30	35.71%
Absolutely not!	39	46.43%
Well, I don't know...let me think about it.	12	14.29%
Who cares? They're not my kids.	3	3.57%
Voters: 84. You may not vote on this poll

05-19-2004, 12:33 PM	#2 (permalink)
Redjake I'm a family man - I run a family business. Location: Wilson, NC	The kids are able to choose if they want to see it or not. it's not any different than us disecting a pig in sixth grade. (the choice part). we could leave, or do it. whichever we see fit. no penalties against either decision. he should not be suspended or fired. __________________ Off the record, on the q.t., and very hush-hush.

05-19-2004, 12:36 PM	#3 (permalink)
lurkette My future is coming on Moderator Emeritus Location: east of the sun and west of the moon	1. They weren't forced/required to watch the video. 2. It's readily available on the internet anyhow. 3. I agree completely with the parent about the students being old enough to fight, and old enough to see what's going on in Iraq. That said, the teacher did display poor judgment - he probably should have consulted with administration first and notified parents that he was going to show the video, included justification of why he thought it was relevant to the class, and given parents an option to request that their kids not watch it. It is graphic, and they should have at least been warned. __________________ "If ten million people believe a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing." - Anatole France

05-19-2004, 12:47 PM	#4 (permalink)
Rubyee I'm baaaaack!	I was the first to answer "let me think about it" only because with the way the question was presented, "Should a teacher be suspended for showing students the beheading video?" it leaves it open for students of all ages. I believe that if a teacher in a elementary school, or even a middle school showed this to their students, it would be very innapropriate. But I believe that in this situation, this teacher was not in the wrong. __________________ You don't know from fun.

05-19-2004, 01:03 PM	#5 (permalink)
Lebell Cracking the Whip Location: Sexymama's arms...	I saw black and white movies of the horrors of the Nazi concentration camps in school when I was 13. No, I don't think this is too much; this is the REALITY of what we face. __________________ "Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience." – C. S. Lewis The ONLY sponsors we have are YOU! Please Donate!

05-19-2004, 02:43 PM	#7 (permalink)
Zello Crazy Location: Vincennes, IN	I'm going to go against the flow. First I have to say that yes, they should be allowed to watch the video. As long as it's on their own time. I simply can't see how anyone would think it's appropriate to load up a video of someones head getting removed in the middle of class. If he took lurkette's approach, and got permission/notified the parents then I would not have a problem with it. But still, what good does it serve to watch the video? __________________ Sorry, you can not add yourself to your own list.

05-19-2004, 03:19 PM	#8 (permalink)
rsl12 On the lam Location: northern va	In THEORY, I think it was ok, but consider this: If, in a movie, they had shown an actual clip on someone being beheaded, it would certainly have garnered an NC-17 rating. While the majority of high-school seniors are 17 and older, a few are not (I was 16 and a senior). Therefore, it's the moral equivalent of showing a rated R movie to a 8th grade class, but giving the kids the option of watching or not. Still, if you don't have a stick up your behind about these technicalities, I thinki it's ok. seniors ought to be old enough to make that kind of decision. Watching it certainly would make kids more concerned about american history and what's going on in the world. __________________ oh baby oh baby, i like gravy. Last edited by rsl12; 05-19-2004 at 03:21 PM..

05-19-2004, 03:25 PM	#9 (permalink)
gondath Insane Location: Alton, IL	The things these kids do in their free time is worse than anything they could see in a video, probably. Censorship is a feeble attempt to make minors believe what we want them too about the world. It's a violent and cruel place out there. It's better to find out from a video than firsthand. The teacher did nothing wrong.

05-19-2004, 03:43 PM	#10 (permalink)
Aletheia Psycho	Showing the video also shapes how they view the world. It works both ways. It would be intresting to see the context in which the teacher showed the video. What I mean is, if the students had to write about it, if it was an experiment of their reaction, was shown as a discussion item, or if the teacher just did it to scare the hell out of them.

05-19-2004, 06:24 PM	#13 (permalink)
ARTelevision I change Location: USA	The schools in this country are a mass of contradictions and an unreality show. Things that happen there - or do not happen there - are arbitrary and irrational. They are a vast wasteland of insignificant experience. They are unimprovable and hopeless, gutless and spiritless places where actual education is only an occasional and incidental by-product of what occurs within their institutionalized shells. __________________ create evolution

05-19-2004, 06:46 PM	#15 (permalink)
basmoq It's a girly girl! Location: OH, USA	I'd say I agree with Lurkette, he should have warned parents first, but I don't believe suspending him will help the school in any way. __________________ "There's someone out there for everyone - even if you need a pickaxe, a compass, and night goggles to find them."

05-19-2004, 06:49 PM	#16 (permalink)
forseti-6 Existentialist Location: New York City	I actually voted yes. Why? Well a few people already mentioned some of my points being that perhaps some of the viewers were under 18 - thus should have required a parental permission to watch "NC-17" material. However, my big point supporting his suspension is that he did it on school time. I don't believe this material should be shown in high school class. Had he shown it after or before school, I don't think I would have supported his suspension. By showing the video on school time he was basically implying he had the administration's approval to show it - which is the main reason, I believe, he got in trouble. __________________ "Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened." - Dr. Seuss

05-19-2004, 07:11 PM	#17 (permalink)
sexymama My own person -- his by choice Location: Lebell's arms	I'm one of the few that voted yes. I think it would have been okay to tell his students where to find it on the net; but there is too much peer pressure to stay, even if one didn't truly want to view the beheading. All your arguments to not suspend make sense. My main point, however, is that this should have been left up to the parents to decide and it wasn't. Something like this can open "Pandora's box" if not addressed. __________________ If you can go deeply into lovemaking, the ego disappears. That is the beauty of lovemaking, that it is another source of a glimpse of god It's not about being perfect; it's about developing some skill at managing imperfection.

05-19-2004, 07:21 PM	#18 (permalink)
Hrothgar He's My Girl Location: The Champagne Douche	I don't understand what viewing a beheading is supposed to "teach". I'm not going to download the video and see it for myself since I think that's one thing in life I can live without seeing. __________________ The fortunes of war favored Hrothgar.

05-19-2004, 10:22 PM	#19 (permalink)
BoCo Fear the bunny Location: Hanging off the tip of the Right Wing	No! It's a teacher's job to teach reading, writing, math, etc., not be a replacement for a parent. __________________ Activism is a way for useless people to feel important.

05-22-2004, 01:26 PM	#21 (permalink)
The_wall Psycho Location: Rhode Island biatches!	To the people who said its not appropriate for school, the guy teaches history and sociology, he could have had a good reason to show the video, depending on what he was teaching. The war in Iraq is a huge issue right now, and this video has been a big deal on the news latetly. I was taking an American history class when 9/11 happend, we stopped the decade we were learning about and started lessons about al qaeda and Osama Bin Laden for a few weeks because obviously 9/11 will go down in the history books. My point is unless we know the context in which the video was shown we shouldn't judge whether is was appropriate or not to show the video. __________________ "We do what we like and we like what we do!"~andrew Wk Procrastinate now, don't put off to the last minute.

05-22-2004, 01:45 PM	#22 (permalink)
neddy65 Loves green eggs and ham Location: I'm just sittin' here watching the world go round and round	I take a very simplistic view to the viewing of this video. We are empowering the people who did the act. By watching the video we are viewing a horror that was filmed for propaganda purposes. I don't want to see this unfortunate lose his life and i believe that it would be rendered powerless by our not watching it. Mr. Berg deserves more respect than we are giving him by watching his grisly death. my $.02 __________________ If you're travelling at the speed of light, and you turn the headlights on, do they do anything? My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father, prepare to die! Drink Dickens' Hard Cider because nothing makes a girl smile like a Hard DIckens' Cider!

05-22-2004, 01:53 PM	#23 (permalink)
twotimesadingo Psycho Location: that place with the thing	I think the teacher was well within his limits to show the video. In fact, on some level, I believe that if he really valued his students he was obligated to screen the video. Why? What ART said, I tend to believe is at least half-way correct; I'm not so long out of high-school to not remember how arbitrary and unnecessary half the material taught was. The video of Nick Berg's execution, however, has some real value, both in morality (which is the purview and responsibility of every teacher) and history/sociology. For example, if he was discussing the means to fight a guerilla war, this is certainly one of them. Guerilla war depends on instilling doubt and fear, and dissolving the opponents will to fight (morale), and the execution certainly does that. Moreover, if he was discussing with his class how propoganda doesn't match up with the reality of the situation, this would be a good way to show how the news reports we hear dehumanize the events and distance the audience; the execution tape certainly slams home the human emotions of pity, sympathy, and moral disgust. Just some thoughts. EDIT neddy65, I couldn't disagree more. This event should be powerful. I don't think anything could be more affective in dispelling the illusions some segments of the general population have that perpetuate war-mongering. We need to know what happens over there, even the stuff that doesn't sit well with us. Information is always power; you just might disagree with the logical conclusions that having this information engenders... __________________ I'll be the one to protect you from your enemies and all your demons. I'll be the one to protect you from a will to survive and voice of reason. I'll be the one to protect you from your enemies and your choices, son. They're one and the same I must isolate you, isolate and save you from yourself." - A Perfect Circle Last edited by twotimesadingo; 05-22-2004 at 01:57 PM..

05-22-2004, 02:08 PM	#24 (permalink)
feelgood Free Mars! Location: I dunno, there's white people around me saying "eh" all the time	The article said that the teacher didn't force the student to watch the video. If any student who objects to watching a beheading video could simply have left the room and return until the clip was over. I agree with some of the poster's opinion and comparsion to the Holocaust. The beheading video is one of the bigger issues in iraq. __________________ Looking out the window, that's an act of war. Staring at my shoes, that's an act of war. Committing an act of war? Oh you better believe that's an act of war

05-22-2004, 02:48 PM	#25 (permalink)
neddy65 Loves green eggs and ham Location: I'm just sittin' here watching the world go round and round	I don't disagree with the power of the video and any messages it may carry. I don't think we should pander to the people who shot it nor the reasons for it. We dehumanize Nick Berg by making him a media point and not an unfortunate man caught up in an unfortunate situation. He didn't die for a cause, he died in a fucked up game of " Oh Yeah?" __________________ If you're travelling at the speed of light, and you turn the headlights on, do they do anything? My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father, prepare to die! Drink Dickens' Hard Cider because nothing makes a girl smile like a Hard DIckens' Cider!

05-22-2004, 03:32 PM	#26 (permalink)
WarWagon Loser	If they're under 18, get the parents permission. If they're over 18, free game. If you're legally an adult, you watch whatever the hell you want to. I think this one should have been a clear cut issue.

05-22-2004, 04:15 PM	#27 (permalink)
mystmarimatt Omnipotent Ruler Of The Tiny Universe In My Mind Location: Oreegawn	Let those who want to see it, see it. Those who don't, don't force them. But I would want my kids to see it. (At a reasonable age, of course, nothing absurd.) Although I was disgusted by it, i watched it, because i felt a moral obligation to watch the repercussions of our actions within the world, and just as a testament to the world scope these days. __________________ Words of Wisdom: If you could really get to know someone and know that they weren't lying to you, then you would know the world was real. Because you could agree on things, you could compare notes. That must be why people get married or make Art. So they'll be able to really know something and not go insane.

05-22-2004, 09:48 PM	#28 (permalink)
mattevil Addict Location: Virginia	The Teacher used poor judgement.There was really no reason to show it and waste time doing it. If the kids wanted to see it they could look at it at home on their own time.

05-22-2004, 10:09 PM	#29 (permalink)
Fearless_Hyena Hello, good evening, and bollocks. Location: near DC	I'll keep it very simple and say I voted YES because I think the teacher showed (an almost reckless level) of very very Poor Judgment. Teachers are meant to be educators leading our children into the future. When a teacher can't even have enough forethought to recognize the ramifications of his actions, he is a jackass who shouldn't be teaching, plain and simple. There's tons of ways he could have done it better, and perhaps I may have even supported him in that case -- but that's beyond the scope of what I'm trying to say.