In another example of the depths of anti-Muslim sentiment in this country, a Texas high school teacher has been placed on administrative allegedly telling a 9th grade Muslim girl in his algebra class “I heard about your uncle’s death” and “I bet that you’re grieving” the death of Osama bin Laden.
The shocking incident occurred at Clear Brook High School in Houston and involved an “American-born girl of Muslim faith.” The mother says that, when the teacher saw the girl crying, he was told by another student that it was due to what he had said and the teacher showed no remorse and simply smirked. We have not heard the account from the teacher.
As various politicians pick up increasingly anti-Muslim rhetoric to play to the lowest common denominator, we will see more of these incidents. It is a measure of such prejudice that a teacher would allegedly taunt a child.
Source: Chronicle
He should hear the one about his own ‘uncle’, Dubya…
rafflaw,
The teacher was a man–not a woman.
Swarthmore,
Good news! She should be looking for a different profession.
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/05/tx-teacher-who-accused-muslim-of-missing-bin-laden-not-returning-to-work.php?ref=fpblg
Gyges 1, May 6, 2011 at 4:58 pm
Anon Nurse,
“Aziz Siddiqi, president of the Islamic Society of Greater Houston, said he believes the remark was an isolated incident, but is encouraged by reports that other students helped comfort the girl and reported the incident.”
Bigotry tends to be learned young, and it’s always encouraging when you see signs that some people are just bad students.
###########################
Having done substitute teaching in the Chicago Public Schools and in public schools in Door County, Wisconsin, and having worked with families doing home schooling because their children could not function as “required” in public school settings, and having adopted an eleven year old boy who could not function as “required” in public schools, I have observed that there are no bad students.
There are unrealistic expectations for some students, unrealistic because educational norms disrespect the outlying fringes of frequentist-statistical models of normalcy.
I have never seen any signs of any bad student nor any bad person. I have seen many signs of tragic (and sometimes atrocious) misunderstanding of the nature of biological (genotypic and phenotypic) diversity.
I have seen signs of shattering abuse done in the name of statistical measures of central tendency being deemed indicators of optimality.
The notion that a person can be a bad student is a traditional form of the fundamental attribution error (which I find to not be the same as correspondence bias).
Tootie said, “OH! those “liberals” did such and so (evil or stupid thing), but we are not liberals. We are progressives and are innocent of it (abortion slaughter, war-mongering for decades, genocide, treason, Marxism, large scale thievery, or whatever might prove evil of them in the days or years to come).”
Dear Tootie,
Um….., well….., without conceding any of those things as being aptly applied to Liberals, I would like to overlook that point and ask the question that is nagging at my brain after reading that drivel. With the exception of lets say Marxism, which of those things is Religion, and specifically Christianity, not guilty of?
“Jesus Christ had sex with a nine year old”
Tootie,
This is shocking! How could you say such a thing? It’s blasphemy!
We all though all along that you were religious. Very disappointing to see you spreading such lies. I’m speechless…..
Anon Nurse,
“Aziz Siddiqi, president of the Islamic Society of Greater Houston, said he believes the remark was an isolated incident, but is encouraged by reports that other students helped comfort the girl and reported the incident.”
Bigotry tends to be learned young, and it’s always encouraging when you see signs that some people are just bad students.
“DL
1, May 6, 2011 at 10:09 am
Ironic that the teacher taught algebra, a branch of mathematics largely developed in the ancient Islamic world.”
Ironic as in passing a bill in congress to limit personal liberty and calling it The Patriot Act.
“Frank
1, May 6, 2011 at 8:39 am
The teachers name wasn’t “Tootie” was it?”
It would seem an invitation was issued.
D’oh! Should be “SUCH slackers we are …”
“The US has produced from its pathetic public (and some private) schools 320 Nobel Prize winners. The next in line, the UK, has produced 116.”
Suck slackers we are …
The left has controlled the public schools for decades. That is why they are a mess.
~Tootie
The US has produced from its pathetic public (and some private) schools 320 Nobel Prize winners. The next in line, the UK, has produced 116.
Tootie:
You wasted a great deal of time responding to a point I didn’t make. So let me explain it more clearly.
In your initial post on this thread, you used the phrase “Democrat thug.” I noted in my response that that was a Limbaughism, referring to his practice of referring to the Democratic Party as the “Democrat Party.” He also frequently uses the word “Democrat” as an adjective, as you did.
I object to arguments in which one misdescribes, or uses a pejorative term to describe, an opponent because it is disrespectful and is intended to redirect attention from the substance of the discussion to the personal qualities, appearance or attributes of the opponent. The following is an example of what I mean, based upon a fictitious conversation between me and Rush Limbaugh:
Mr. Limbaugh: “Once again the Democrat Party is trying to shove its socialist agenda down our throats.” (Here the use of “Democrat Party” instead of “Democratic Party” is intended as a gratuitous insult without relevance to the subject matter of the discussion.)
Me: “Listen, you Fat Slob, your comment reflects a misunderstanding of the meaning of socialism.” (Here the use of the phrase “Fat Slob” improperly redirects attention from the subject matter of the discussion, socialism, by pointing out the irrelevant fact that Rush Limbaugh is a fat slob.)
In short, you should have said “Democratic thug.”
“Jerry Falwell’s God” by Roy Zimmerman
T: “Answer the question James. Don’t be a weak-kneed cry-baby. Would you or would you not ignore it if Christ had had sex with a nine year old (when he was an old geezer)? And would you or would you not confront Christians about it or suggest that it would be impossible (if not utterly horrifying) that a just or true god would condone such conduct?”
Do you get a high from name-calling? Just curious. You seem to justify your verbal bullying simply because “you were raised that way.” That probably worked for you during 3rd grade recess, but your screeds here indicate it has not worked since.
Not well at ALL.
As to your vacuous hypothetical, you want me to go back thousands of years to single out the acts of those you deem important, make them relevant in the present, and use that as the basis to “confront” the behavior of others. My answer can only be, who cares?
I will only confront irrational behavior when it appears in our shared public square, and only in the present. If you want to hold hands in ‘turch and call for the death of whomever you like, fine by me.
And when you drag it into our shared debate, and demand to be taken seriously, you can expect my tacit confrontation today, and every day.
You are a divider, Tootie, and a hater. The truth is often unpleasant, though less in time so when embraced.
Taliban Trash,
“And please direct your hateful comments elsewhere.”
You first, bigot.
T: You are being hysterical and irrational.
This is classic projection. I rest my case.
Wow! I usually don’t respond to Tootie because it usually just gets my blood boiling, but the stuff that you are pawning off as true is amazing.
With all due respect Tootie, We have a story here of an insensitive and idiotic teacher who will pay the price for her lack of knowledge and understanding. The Muslim cleric that was quoted in the story, as provided by anon nurse, had it correct. There are bad apples in every religion and there are bad apples in those who do not follow any religion. As Buddha correctly suggested, it isn’t the religion that is the problem, it is how far people take their respective religious beliefs that is the problem.
Tootles,
Your adeptness at projection is truly a wonder of the world.
I love my Christian, Jewish and Muslim brothers and sisters.
It’s too bad for you that the corruption that is the mental illness of Fundamentalism makes Fundamentalists of any stripe neither true Christians, Jews or Muslims.
God is either love, a uniter, or God isn’t, a divider.
Fundamentalists do lip service to God is love, but their actions are pure God is hate.
As evidenced by your postings, Tootles.
To be clear: I love my Christian, Jewish and Muslim brothers and sisters. I hate Fundamentalism no matter which religious tradition it is being used to distort and abuse. For the same reason I hate sociopathy: it’s inherently destructive to society.