I send my kids to school to learn stuff, if they want to protest the war thats fine but it should be done after school not during.
If something happened to my child while the protest was going on then id hold the school accountable.

Teachers SHOULD NOT encourage students to walk out of class. Those teachers exhibit extremely poor judgement and cowardly behavior. They want the students to express the teacher's own ideas about how to defend the country. Draft 'em, Put 'em on the point!!

I do not agree this at all. The teachers have a job but there is a little thing called the freedom of speech. So do the people that disagree with this want to take away our rights?

Every citizen of this country has the right to protest. I feel that if the teachers in question only encouraged the students to follow their beliefs they should not be punished. The Viet Nam War was mainly brought to an end due to the fact that the administration could not ignore how unpopular the war was with the American people. The continued occupation of Iraq is also becoming an issue with the American people. The students have the right to show how they feel on this issue, be it Pro or Con.

Our students need to know the evils of war, and should protest. They need to know that news networks support US propaganda to support the deaths of innocent children who are victims of this war. They need to know that your station, and a lot more share the responsibly for those deaths by neglecting to air time showing the daily deaths of foreign children killed by soldiers who have invaded foreign soil. If US children were dying as a result of the evils of an envasion on our soil. Would you report it?
War is shamefull. The news networks need to step up, and admit fault,neglect, and complete avoidance of foreign children dying, and suffering the loss of loved ones killed in this evil war.
Our teachers need to teach our children the truth, to protest this to our government. They need to teach our students how propganda exploits minds to believe lies that our government , and television networks want us to believe

I don't believe that "protesting" is in their lessons plans. Protesting is not teaching and it's not what my tax dollars pay them to do. We have been through this round of protests at the Port of Olympia. I hate this unjustified and lied about war but having to pay our local police for holding these protesters back and keeping them out of the street is just almost as bad. My tax money for protesters,,,I don't think so.

There has always been a cost to civil disobedience. The civics lesson here is teaching just that fact to the students (as well as to teachers). I believe in peaceful protest, but that doesn't mean that, if I engage in one, there won't be consequences. I believe discussion in the classroom about these lessons is entirely appropriate. The school board is right, however, to discipline the teachers. The unfortunate fact of our society today is that if a student had gotten hurt, if violence had erupted (not unheard of!), parents would have sued the school district. I applaud those students that discussed the walk-out with their parents, and parents that gave them permission slips to be out. As for the teacher that walked out against school district warnings, he made a choice for civil disobedience. Maybe he will find that the consequences to him are too high. Maybe not.

I FEEL THAT THE TEACHERS WERE WRONG IN ALLOWING AND ENCOURAGING THE STUDENTS TO WALK OUT OF CLASS AND JOINING THEM IN A PROTEST MARCH. ALL WE HEAR IS WE NEED MORE MONEY TO IN ORDER TO HELP OUR CHILDREN TO BECOME BETTER EDUCATED. MY TAX MONEY IS NOT PAYING FOR TEACHERS TO WALK OUT OF CLASS TO DO WHAT THEY WHANT WHEN THEY WISH TO. I BELIEVE IN ONES RIGHT TO VOICE THEIR OPINION BUT I ALSO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A PROPER TIME AND PLACE FOR THIS TYPE OF ACTIVITY AND DURING CLASS TIME IS NOT IT. I FEEL THAT THIS TEACHES MORE OF A ME, ATTITUDE IN THAT I CAN DO WHAT EVER I WANT WHEN I WANT DO DO IT AND THERE SHOULD BE NO BACK LASH. TO ME IT SO NO RESPECT FOR THE PEOPLE WHO PAY OUT HARD EARNED MONEY FOR THE EDUCATION OF OUR FUTURE LEADERS. THE TEACHERS INVOLVED SHOULD FORFIT A DAYS PAY FOR FAILURE TO ACCOMPLISH THE ASSIGNED WORK LOAD FOR THE DAY AND THE STUDENTS SHOULD HAVE TO MAKE UP THAT DAY. I DO NOT PAY MY TAXES TO WALK OUT OF CLASS FOR A PROTEST. I DO NOT AGREE WITH THE WAR EITHER BUT THE PEOPLE I WORK FOR DO NOT PAY ME TO WALK OF MY JOB TO PROTEST, VERY LIKELY I WILL BE FIRED OR LOOSE THAT DAYS PAY.

Shouldn't the question be, why are we still fighting an endless war. But that besides if the military is allowed to recruit in schools students should have the right to protest.

Shouldn't the question be, why are we still fighting an endless war. But that besides if the military is allowed to recruit in schools students should have the right to protest.

Why shouldn't our kids be encouraged to be socially and politically involved in the country they live in? One of the teachers involved was Social Studies; it's even the right class! How better to teach than to actively get involved with our world today? I don't know if you've noticed but our leaders have let us down and at least somebody is raising questions and opinions about it. Good for them.

Teachers really seem to believe that thier personal beliefs and opinions have a place in the classroom. They are in the school to teach the class they were hired for. They are taking advantage of the fact that they have a large quantity of bodies, young impressionable minds and yahoo! we get to leave school.

I am a student and when I was that age I learned that we have the right to participate in topics that we believe in. We learn about the Vietnam protests, Civil Rights, etc. If these students planned to join a peaceful protest then there was nothing that was going to stop them. Some of the students even had notes to leave the school from their parents. For a teacher to encourage these students to participate in peaceful protest is a smart thing. It's getting students involved in our society. Between the ages 18-24 are the least likely to participate in elections and ballots. Letting these students participate in something they believe in is good. If the only punishment for not having a note to leave is a measly absent tardy, then I myself would have left to protest.

I believe social studies teachers should present issues of the day, but to encourage a protest is inappropriate.

The Teachers should teach both sides and just make suggestions as to where the kids can participate in any rallies outside the school room, but not on school time, which is for education of all students not just thoughts the teacher can get to agree on their specific beliefs.

I believe the teachers went way to far. So now if the childen take the teacher with them it is O.K. where do you draw the line ?

THANK GOD that these students have the freedom to protest the war. But are these Teacher teaching these students that FREEDOM IS NOT FREE, and that someone must pay for it. I don't like my son being over there either but I know that HE LOVES HE'S COUNTRY, DO YOU? He doesn't like war. Neither has any man or woman who has fought for this country, BUT THEY LOVE THEIR COUNTRY.

Just another reason why, when my wife and I have children, they will NEVER see a public school. I remember when the teachers taught the subjects they were assigned to rather than activism in their image. But that memory is fading with the passage of time since I last saw or heard of one such responsible teacher. Could THIS be why America lags in all important learning when compared globally? Or why home-schooled children excel so much more in so many USEFUL subjects? (Reading. Writing. Arithmetic. Geography. You know, what used to be called an education.)
D'oh!

Oops. Almost forgot. The students who protested the Vietnam War used the term "antidisestablishmentarianism" as their mantra for opposing the government then. Unfortunately, they seem to have been too stoned to be able to figure out that this oh-so-impressive word means that they were against those who wanted to take down the Establishment, their equally idiotic word for our government. Have those same students now become the Educational Establishment? Are they looking specifically for teachers to walk in their image, so that the students can feel educated but are in fact only brainwashed into the "activist" model needed to remold this nation into what they want it to be?
At this rate, I wouldn't be expecting our great-grandchildren to see America's 300th birthday.

For the first time in our history we have foisted the near total cost of our "war" on our kids and grandkids. They, not us, will have to serve. They, not us, will have to pay, not only with their lives but in cash when the $2.5 Trillion cost comes due. To prevent these kids from being heard is unthinkable in a demovracy and UnAmerican. If we learn of student suppression in Cuba, we scream bloody murder. Why then do we encourage suppression when it occurs here?

I think with parents involvement, outside of school hours discussions on world issues such as this are okay. If they feel this passionate about certain issues,after school or Sat. sun. should not be a problem. People like myself who have fairly strong opinions and feel we are giving our children a proper education on this heated issue. I don't want to seem close minded but my children are that, My Children, not a school teachers lump of clay. I have met alot of school teachers and only a handful do I respect the work they do. We all know there are different calibers of teachers which one does this particular teacher fall under? is she well respected by students, staff and parents? Parents need to simply be involved in things like this. School teachers jobs are kind of like the media, The media gives us the news not thier personal view on the subject (they may not give us the whole story or all the right facts) but they do keep thier personal opinions to themselves.
It is written on the kids faces on T.V. where they are actively protesting, they are just excited that they are getting to be rebllious not that they want to protest anything. I would like to see everyone of those kids write a 8 to 10 page essay on why they chose to protest, what are thier views on the war and why. Maybe do some interviews with some key people, like military, political. In order to make an educated decision you need facts and truths, which most of america does not get.

Hummmmm... Sounds more like indoctrination rather than teaching.

Why is anyone surprised at this? We have allowed the far left to take over our educational system, and this is their agenda: to drum their opinions into the minds of impressional youth. The Nazis also knew the importance of gaining control of the schools, and now we see it being done in America by liberals who profess to love America, but work tirelessly to destroy it.

Why is anyone surprised at this? We have allowed the far left to take over our educational system, and this is their agenda: to drum their opinions into the minds of impressional youth. The Nazis also knew the importance of gaining control of the schools, and now we see it being done in America by liberals who profess to love America, but work tirelessly to destroy it.

HOW MANY OF THE KIDS ARE OF AGE TO VOTE? IF THEY AREN'T OLD ENOUGH TO VOTE THEN THEY DON'T HAVE THE OPTION TO PROTEST

It amuses me that people would get all upset about this "leftist indoctrination" of students and go so far as to compare it to National Socialism yet likely have no problem with teachers leading students in reciting loyalty oaths (Pledge of Allegiance) or in teaching them a whitewashed history of this country that mostly glosses over the uglier aspects of our nation.

It's also a very twisted and weak love of country that requires a citizen to believe that country does no wrong or that whatever wrong it does is of no real consequence.

If you love your country you want it to be the best that it can be, for you and those around you. You don't accomplish that by sticking your fingers in your ears and screaming "NOTHING'S WRONG! WE'RE FINE! EVERYBODY IS HAPPY!". Acknowledge the good and the bad; celebrate the good and work to fix the bad.

I hope teaching social activism is still intrinsic to our national identity. We honor Paul Revere and Patrick Henry for their activism. But accepting intended AND unintended consequences is an appropriate lesson also. Participating teachers and students need to experience the natural consequences of their behavior - the good and bad. Freedom of speech is not risk free.

Teachers have a responsibility to encourage students to stand up for what the students believe in. However, recommending that they walk out of class in protest goes beyond the right of teachers as it relates to students. That becomes the imposing their own belief system on the students.

As far as the teacher that walked out with the students, yes he like everyone else has the right to do so. At the same time, individuals must take the responsibility for their actions and be willing to suffer the consequences of their actions. This teacher was aware that the school system that employs him did not want the students to participate due to safety issues, but he persisted.

In my opinion, if the teachers did indeed suggest and support the idea of students participating in the walk out protest, they were not acting in the best interests of the students and they need to re-evaluate their responsibilities and accept any consequences of their actions.

A teachers job is to educate, and that means blending and finding a balance between past issues, current ideas and issues in the world, and the possible future questions or issues which may arrive. Now I am a current college student who is majoring in Social Studies in Secondary Education, and from that viewpoint your classroom should always be a place where students feel free to voice opinions and concerns without fear of reprisal or discrimination. We should always respect others and this includes their viewpoints and opinions; for a teacher that means that they should not influence their students with their own personal ideas or viewpoints. The classroom should be an open forum where everyone is respected and tolerated, without that you cannot hope to foster an educational environment; you have to be exposed to different ideas and issues while you are growing and learning in order to make well informed decisions and understand issues. So letting students voice their opinions is correct is a respectful way, however the teacher inputting his views and encouraging students in a specific course of action is incorrect and all teachers should strive to avoid influencing their students in such a manner.

These teachers were at fault. They are paid to teach their students in the classroom. When they do go off-campus it is a school sponsored field trip and the students going must have signed parental permission slips.

By allowing the students without permits to leave the campus and go to the rally, they were disobeying school regulations and over-riding parental rights. Those teachers who allowed non-parental permission students to go to the rally should be charged with reckless endangerment of minors.

Freedom of speech is our constitutional right. And if the teachers and students had rallied after school, they would have been within their rights. But by disobeying school regulations and over-riding parental concerns, they only showed that they "pick and choose" which parts of their rights and responsibilities they would follow.

Whether or not we agree with the War in Iraq, we should agree that following the laws in our own country is what we are supposed to be teaching our up and coming adult voting citizens.

Peggy

Nothing in this country is worse than this Iraq war right now where innocent children and their families are dying for the benefit of some powerful men in this country. The government and the media hide the real evidence of what is happening, they also exercise their right of freedom of speech whenever they want to, wherever they want to. When the rest of the nation wants to exercise that right is convenient for the government and the media not to allow it, consequently they infrige in their rights as American citizens. Another inconvenient truth: The Iraq War and the deaths of innocent people. I applaud the teachers and the students for protesting and exercising their right of freedom of speech. We need more people in U.S. with this frame of mind right now so we can stop this war!! If we really get up together (not divided as we are) and protest as a country, this war would stop now!! Enough is enough!! WHORAY for the teachers and students!!

maybe if anyone had the balls to impeach this idiot president we have we could be spending so much of our time and money doing something other than being stuck up to our ears in this crap.

I think that students should be active in world politics, But you have to draw the line when the students skip school to go to a war protest,I mean comon the war will still be there when school is over. If I skipped school when I went I would have gotten expelled...

Any teacher who tells students to ignore education to protest, shouldn't be teaching kids,let alone animals....

Thanx 4 listining,

Bryan Krulich

I wonder how supportave the teachers whold have been for students to attend a rally in support of the war?
Thanks
Mark

I feel teachers are to offer facts and not opinions and do the the job they are paid to do.
When a soldier has fallen we must finish this so the loss will not be for nothing. Did we forget the attack on 911. We elect leaders to lead and protect and do what is right. If you want to protest do it with the vote and letters to the leaders. You can move to different country and find happiness there.

I feel that many of the same students will excidedly take time from class to walk in a show of support for our troops in war if allowed to on another day. If this activity is allowed in the class room, allow both sides to be shown.

i spent 2 hitches in V. Nam, when we came home, we were treated in a matter that made us feel like we returned to a different contry, other than what we were fighting for. For the most part, the people that were protesting, didnt know any more about the war, than the young people do now, with the war that is taking place at this time.

That teacher should be fired from his job, and not allowed to teach in any other class anywhere inthe united states.

As far as the students go, why not teach them about, IMPEACHMENT, REASON FOR VOTING, AND RESPECT. If we let this go on, like it is today, in 25 years, we wont have a United States, people come on our land, bomb our buildings, kill our people, and we are suppose to just say, THANK YOU, and not go get them. That is a sick way of thinking on our young peoples part.

A lot of us might not say THANK YOU, but close.

Bud Kemp
Libby, Montana

The school administration is wrong to promote this teachers actions and participation in this activity through their implied support for it.

Teachers regardless of instructional subject area should promote open and critical thinking in areas of social, economic, political, and religious values. Active participation in these arenas should also be condoned or encouraged.

This is far different than actively promoting personal beliefs from a authoritative position as a teacher in a public school setting. Actively promoting and participating in a protest which the teacher has a personal belief and commitment too is beyond the scope of instructional discretion .

Condoning this behavior sends a wrong message to other teachers and the public in general. I am sure many teachers who understand the necessity of impartial objective instruction in all subject areas are offended by the administrations willingness to look the other way rather than take corrective action by clearly stating the role and limitations of classroom teachers who engage in such actions. .

maybe there is something in bush's patriot act where they can kick these teachers doors down hog tie em and ship them off to gitmo for some waterboarding and lashes.

ship off some of those kids too. i mean who do these people think they are? dont then realize this president could care less about thier constitutional rights?

Hey! I am a history teacher at a reputable university and the only agenda I allow myself to have in the classroom is to show students how to think analytically about issues such as war, civil rights, politics. I teach from a lectern, not a soap box. If I start teaching them who they should vote for or what exactly they should think, then I would be violating their rights. People who advocate for politics preaching in the classroom are just trying to exploit the innocent. Many of the responses I have read are more "hate Bush" than "protect the children." If the war is wrong, fix it in Congress, not in our kids' lives before they are shipped off to Iraq.

No I think thats wrong they should be fired to make there students walk out of class and protest about the war. If the teacher wants the kids to do that then they should get the parents to know about it these are just kids not adults.