I'm ticked about an incident this week, in which I returned to teach at a school I hadn't been to since last November. The principal entered the room twice to sit and observe, which was confusing, but not unprecedented. At break she came in and broached the subject with me that on my previous appearance I had made statements and/or done something that made them 'uncomfortable' with having me teach at the school. Yeah, thanks for being adult about it and letting me know at the time.
Apaprently, they perceived me as having said something about the election. Now, I know exactly what I said.
I took the 4th grade class to the library to 'vote'. This was a program the entire district did, in which classes went to monitors set up in the IMCs to 'vote' by simply choosing a picture of either McCain or Obama with a mouse click. I had a number of problems with this, firstly being that there are more than two political parties in the US, but my big issue was that the 'voting' was done in clear view of all the other students. It wasn't private or secret. As a result, due to the racial politics of the district, and the unbelievably blatant political proslytizing of the teachers (sample: "Kids, go home and tell your parents to vote for Barack Obama! We have to have CHANGE!"), anyone witnessed voting for McCain was subjected to harrassment and bullying, which I personally witnessed in more than one school.
After the 'voting', during which, as each student took their turn at the monitors, the entire class shouted at them to 'Vote for Obama! Vote for Obama!' under the beaming countenances of their teachers, who were also watching them 'vote', I gave them a little talk.
I told them voting was a vital, important part of citizenship; that it was a critical exercise of a precious right. I also expressed my disagreement with how the 'voting' was handled, with everyone screaming at classmates to vote for a particular person, as voting had to be secret. I told them secret ballots were a critical part of the voting process, and that voting was to be done with their conscience, not as the result of mob pressure. During this statement, a teacher was in the doorway, and as I spoke her face went from beaming happily to very angry.
After that, I discussed voting fraud, and how people could not buy or sell their votes; and discussed the Starbucks, Ben and Jerry's, and Krispy Kreme promotions giving away product to voters on Election Day, and whether that was legal or not.
Okay, back to the present. This administrator tells me I had been reported as telling the kids that people who vote are given free stuff, which had resulted in them not wanting me teaching at their school again. Shocked, I informed the administrator that I had merely discussed the promotions with Starbucks and Krispy Kreme, and asked the kids if that could be construed as bribery or not. It was in the news, for crying out loud! It was a big deal! It was on TV! The administrator tells me, with a straight face, that she had known nothing about any such promotions, and if a business engaged in such a thing, it would be illegal. I responded, "Well, they did it, and you can go look it up".
She did not return to the classroom.
You know what I think happened? I think that 'teacher' at the doorway with the sour puss got mad that I had said anything negative about their piss-ant-poor 'voting process' which was biased criminally in favor of Barack Obama.
So screw those people.
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