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Case: Patriotic/Unpatriotic Facts
After teaching middle school Social Studies for many years, I decided to go back to school to get my graduate degree. In one of my classes, we studied James Loewen's Lies My Teacher Told Me. I was so influenced by this book and the idea that we have been presenting students inaccurate information that I have been thoroughly researching the content I teach before presenting it to my students. Recently we have been studying international affairs of the US government. Some of the information I presented revealed actions the US government engaged in other countries that resulted in killings and disturbances. My students were interested in the materials and some of the issues we discussed in class made dinner-time discussions at home. One of the parents who is a retired army officer came to the school to talk to my principal. He told the principal that I was indoctrinating students. When my principal told me about this, I explained to her that all the information I presented was factual and that I researched the information from multiple resources. Her suggestion to me was that I should focus more on teaching patriotic materials. I am so frustrated that I do not have the support of my principal. Also, I disagree that what I teach is unpatriotic. I am simply trying to teach accurate information. If I continue doing what I do, I may lose my job. However, I do not want to give up teaching my students the truth. How should I go about this issue?
Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!)
Teaching the truth is definitely not unpatriotic. Being able to recognize and discuss our country's faults and mistakes openly is one of the things that make us a great nation. I would consider the age of my students and recognize how impressionable they are. Students pick up more from their teacher than just what is listed in our standards. Our job is to guide our students to become responsible and compassionate independent thinkers. Communication will be the key. Communicating with your principal, parents, and students about how you are trying to accomplish this within the framework of your standards. Possibly have a discussion with your principal about how you are trying to develop these students to be more patriotic by recognizing the responsibility they have as citizens to not just sit silently when an injustice is seen. Ask your principal if she has any recommendations about how you can accomplish this without going against parental approval. |
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Rating
| The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is original |
Yes
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| Comments: Brad - I think this is an excellent path to go down. Many parents want to be more involved in their students learning and this is an excellent idea for students to discuss with their parents what is happening at school and learn what their parents think. Also, many times students may not really get the full picture of what the teacher is trying to accomplish and may present to the parents a very different view of what may actually be happening - if the communication happens up front, then the parents will feel like they are in more control and will not be blindsided by what may be potentially considered "unpatriotic" views of the truth. |
| Rated On: January 28, 2014 3:24 am |
| Rated By: Will Melton |
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Rating
| The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is original |
Yes
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| Comments: Yes it would be good to teach students the truth, however that's not whats usually done. The real indoctrination was not by this teacher, but by the American education system as a whole |
| Rated On: October 19, 2014 1:44 am |
| Rated By: uZyvaP |
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Rating
| The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is original |
Yes
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| Comments: I agree with this solution. I think it is very important to teach our students the truths whether they make the US look good or not. It will allow them to see how to learn from mistakes and make decisions about things on their own. It is important to have an open line of communication with the students, parents, and other staff at your school and it is very important to consider your students ages when presenting your information. |
| Rated On: October 19, 2014 1:37 pm |
| Rated By: yjeNus |
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Rating
| The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is original |
Yes
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| Comments: Wow! This is stated so wonderfully! I really do think this is the best option for the students. This is a great outlook as person and teacher. |
| Rated On: October 17, 2016 3:04 am |
| Rated By: Raven B |
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Rating
| The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is original |
Yes
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| Comments: I appreciate how thorough the response here is, and the message itself. |
| Rated On: March 6, 2017 5:43 pm |
| Rated By: jyHyHy |
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Rating
| The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is original |
Yes
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| Comments: Communicating with the principal is a great idea. I would be very upset if the principal was not on my side so this is the first step I would take after I had a night to think about the proper way to approach them with the topic. Great post! |
| Rated On: October 15, 2017 9:25 pm |
| Rated By: eHuPas |
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Rating
| The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is original |
Yes
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| Comments: If I were in this situation, I would exactly do this |
| Rated On: February 26, 2018 12:27 am |
| Rated By: DuTepy |
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Rating
| The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is original |
Yes
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| Comments: :) |
| Rated On: March 18, 2018 1:23 am |
| Rated By: aJaTyb |
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Rating
| The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is original |
Yes
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| Comments: i agree |
| Rated On: October 27, 2018 7:44 pm |
| Rated By: Carla Crumb |
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Rating
| The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is original |
Yes
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| Comments: If I were in this situation, I would do exactly this. |
| Rated On: February 24, 2019 10:17 pm |
| Rated By: yzysuZ |
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Rating
| The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is original |
Yes
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| Comments: This is the best advice, it does show that the teaching we do is unpatriotic and it's okay to bring awareness to that. |
| Rated On: October 31, 2021 3:47 pm |
| Rated By: Pearl Reberkenny |
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