Is this right?

[whoops1995]

I was in Langauge Arts class the other day and for some reason the topic of politics came up and my teacher said, "Obama has more inteligence that McCain and Palin put together" and (being in New Jersey-a blue state) everyone laughed. What I want to know is whether he should be allowed to express his political views to the class? I personally took some offense to this becuase i support McCain, but i just don't think he should be allowed to say this to the class.
When i say "is this right?" I don't mean is he right that obama is smarter than mccain and palin.

 

[cleverlymadeup]

well the answer is yes it is

considering america is all about freedom of speech, which means they are free to express their thoughts on things. frankly your teacher was correct, McCain is basically Bush mark 2, i mean when fox news makes comments about how he's falling off the mark, there's something not right

 

[Jobz]

Well being a strong believer in freedom of speech I don't think it's necessarily wrong for him to voice his opinion to anyone. If you disagree with him and take offense to it, speak up. Engage your teacher in a debate, just because he's got some amount of authority over you doesn't mean you have to shut up. I had a teacher once who was what some would describe as a "Jesus freak" and even though she didn't teach a religion class (She taught math) she always somehow brought God or Jesus into the discussion.

So I, being an atheist, always challenged her on her views. Sad thing is I normally won, plus I aced the class. Which pissed her off further.

Everyone should be allowed to voice their views, anywhere, anytime and to anyone. There is a line to be drawn on what should and shouldn't be said (Lookup Wesborough(sp?) Baptist Church for an example of what should not be said.) because there's a difference between opinion and hate speech. As Voltaire so brilliantly put it:

"I may not agree with what you have to say. But I will defend, to the death, your right to say it."

 

[SnowCold]

frankly your teacher was correct, McCain is basically Bush mark 2, i mean when fox news makes comments about how he's falling off the mark, there's something not right

Now now, lets NOT make this a political topic of pain and sufferring.

but on topic: I think not.
Here in Israel, teachers aren't allowed to talk about their personal political stands (when teaching), and I think it makes sense, I mean... freedom of speech is important, but political stands can offend people (especily if said like in whoops1995's case).

 

[Lvl 64 Klutz]

Well being a strong believer in freedom of speech I don't think it's necessarily wrong for him to voice his opinion to anyone. If you disagree with him and take offense to it, speak up. Engage your teacher in a debate, just because he's got some amount of authority over you doesn't mean you have to shut up. I had a teacher once who was what some would describe as a "Jesus freak" and even though she didn't teach a religion class (She taught math) she always somehow brought God or Jesus into the discussion.

So I, being an atheist, always challenged her on her views. Sad thing is I normally one, plus I aced the class. Which pissed her off further.

Anyone who loses an argument about religion, no matter what side they stand on, fails at debating.

 

[whoops1995]

the thing is if i stood up and said something my whole class would have been pissed at me because seriously, everyone in the school i go to is democratic except me.

As for the right of free speech, yes i know you have the right to speak your mind,but one, it was in school where your really not supposed to talk about religion or your political views because it doesn't have anything to do with the lesson and offends people like me(also being a jew). 2, it was just a flat-out insult, really, does that have to do with annotating a story?

 

[Imitation Saccharin]

I was in Langauge Arts class the other day and for some reason the topic of politics came up and my teacher said, "Obama has more inteligence that McCain and Palin put together" and (being in New Jersey-a blue state) everyone laughed. What I want to know is whether he should be allowed to express his political views to the class?

He's not trying to make you believe as such, so I don't see why he can't tell you what he thinks on the matter.
I had a physics teacher tell the class you needed a penis to succeed in the sciences.

I personally took some offense to this becuase i support McCain, but i just don't think he should be allowed to say this to the class.

I'm offended by beverly hills. Your point?

 

[Jobz]

Anyone who loses an argument about religion, no matter what side they stand on, fails at debating.

I agree with you, hence me saying it was sort of sad that I did win. Not that I changed her mind or anything, she just eventually got tired of me countering each point she had with something that proved it wrong or at least challenged it's validity, and shut up. To me that's winning *Shrug*

 

[Rankao]

McCain is basically Bush mark 2

I'm not that familiar with U.S. politics, but how so?

Because that's what Oboma and the Media says! You have to believe them!! You don't need proof just believe! Like in Santa Claws!

 

[black lincon]

I would have called the teacher out on it but then again I'm more outspoken in school. however on topic, is he young because if so he most likely doesn't have tenure. I have from experience learned that younger teachers generally don't like to get in trouble because they can be fired for very little reason. so simply tell(in private if you timid) him that comments like that offend you and ask him not to say it again, if hes young he'll stop immediately. however if hes older ask your parents to complain to the school board and his bosses will tel him to shut up or he loses his job.

 

[cleverlymadeup]

McCain is basically Bush mark 2

I'm not that familiar with U.S. politics, but how so?

Because that's what Oboma and the Media says! You have to believe them!! You don't need proof just believe! Like in Santa Claws!

actually the Daily Show did a bit on the speech by McCain and Bush a couple years previous, the only difference really was the ppl they thanked at the end and it happened to be the other.

McCain USED to be different and a real maverick, now he's just Bush in a bit older body. when Fox News picks up on him not acting like he used to there is something going on.

 

[OuroborosChoked]

The teacher's statement was probably out of place (though he still had the right to say it, language class time is hardly politics time), but since he brought it up, you were within your rights to rebut... as long as you weren't just whining about how unfair it is that people have different opinions than you and state them, too (that is to say, as long as you could clearly prove that his statement was false or unfair). Otherwise you'd just be complaining.

Speaking of speaking one's mind, I can only hope you're not registered to vote, because anyone confused about whether or not people have "the right to say" things is going to pick someone who suffers from the same confusion. In this case, as you stated, your pick is McCain. I rest my case.

 

[OuroborosChoked]

McCain is basically Bush mark 2

I'm not that familiar with U.S. politics, but how so?

Because that's what Oboma and the Media says! You have to believe them!! You don't need proof just believe! Like in Santa Claws!

Proof?

http://video.google.com

Take a look around.

 

[Burld]

Hmm, maybe you should lighten up. I'm not trying to be aggressive or argumentative here, but it seems like the teacher was cracking a joke, and the class laughed. Therefore they are happy. I see no harm done. The problem is that America, even more so than Britain, has become obsessed with this kind of rigid system of do's and dont's. Frankly, I think it's rude, if someone makes a joke, to be visibly offended by it unless the general consensus of everyone present is that the speaker was out of line. It's socially disruptive. Just imagine if that teacher was in any way punished for what he thought was just an innocent, throw-away remark. Now if he was telling you all about Obama, or to vote for Obama, you know, going on about it, I'm sure everyone would complain about that. But that's not what this sounds like.

 

[black lincon]

McCain is basically Bush mark 2

I'm not that familiar with U.S. politics, but how so?

Because that's what Oboma and the Media says! You have to believe them!! You don't need proof just believe! Like in Santa Claws!

actually the Daily Show did a bit on the speech by McCain and Bush a couple years previous, the only difference really was the ppl they thanked at the end and it happened to be the other.

McCain USED to be different and a real maverick, now he's just Bush in a bit older body. when Fox News picks up on him not acting like he used to there is something going on.

Could you be more specific, like what were their similarities?

aside from being W.A.S.P.s, conservatives, and sharing the same view on almost everything?

 

[whoops1995]

I would have called the teacher out on it but then again I'm more outspoken in school. however on topic, is he young because if so he most likely doesn't have tenure. I have from experience learned that younger teachers generally don't like to get in trouble because they can be fired for very little reason. so simply tell(in private if you timid) him that comments like that offend you and ask him not to say it again, if hes young he'll stop immediately. however if hes older ask your parents to complain to the school board and his bosses will tel him to shut up or he loses his job.

he is old and I'm not a whiny snitch who'd go to there parents to get someone in trouble, plus he's a pretty cool guy and i like his class so i really don't want him angry at me or to get him fired.

 

[whoops1995]

guys stay on focus this isn't about politics it's about the face he said it.

 

[Lvl 64 Klutz]

Anyone who loses an argument about religion, no matter what side they stand on, fails at debating.

I agree with you, hence me saying it was sort of sad that I did win. Not that I changed her mind or anything, she just eventually got tired of me countering each point she had with something that proved it wrong or at least challenged it's validity, and shut up. To me that's winning *Shrug*

I kind of assumed that. You can't prove either viewpoint, so it all comes down to who gives up first or who can't think of the right counterexample first. That being said, perhaps "fails at debating" is too strong a term. There's nothing wrong with being bad at debating, but religion, particularly the existence of a higher power, is one of the easier things to debate since it's based less on facts and more on principles and worldviews.

 

[Space Spoons]

I'd say not. Discussion of religion is outlawed in schools, with the exception of strictly academic historical examinations, as well it should be; it's a very personal subject for most people. I see politics in the same vein as religion; personal, private, and important to be discussed objectively in the interest of education.

If schools want to get their students involved in politics, they should set up extracurricular clubs for it. My school does, and it's not some fancy private school; it's just a normal public high school, with no fewer financial problems than the next. If Parkview High can support Republican and Democratic clubs, so can other schools.

 

[whoops1995]

you know hardly any of you have answered my question, instead most of you have thrown your political beliefs at me or someone else(or talked about debating ) maybe i should add a poll to this.