BENNINGTON, Vt. -- A high school teacher is facing questions from administrators after giving a vocabulary quiz that included digs at President Bush and the extreme right.
Bret Chenkin, a social studies and English teacher at Mount Anthony Union High School, said he gave the quiz to his students several months ago. The quiz asked students to pick the proper words to complete sentences.
One example: "I wish Bush would be (coherent, eschewed) for once during a speech, but there are theories that his everyday diction charms the below-average mind, hence insuring him Republican votes." "Coherent" is the right answer.
Principal Sue Maguire said she hoped to speak to whomever complained about the quiz and any students who might be concerned. She said she also would talk with Chenkin. School Superintendent Wesley Knapp said he was taking the situation seriously.
"It's absolutely unacceptable," Knapp said. "They (teachers) don't have a license to hold forth on a particular standpoint."
Chenkin, 36, a teacher for seven years, said he isn't shy about sharing his liberal views with students as a way of prompting debate, but said the quizzes are being taken out of context.
"The kids know it's hyperbolic, so-to-speak," he said. "They know it's tongue in cheek." But he said he would change his teaching methods if some are concerned.
"I'll put in both sides," he said. "Especially if it's going to cause a lot of grief."
The school is in Bennington, a community of about 16,500 in the southwest corner of the state.
Notice that the AP writer says that the teacher was taking digs at the "extreme right". The question didn't say anything about the "extreme right", it said "Republicans". I guess to an AP writer, they're synonymous.
Also notice the old liberal fallback position of, "they took it out of context!" Sorry, pal, there's nothing to take out of context there. It was an attack on President Bush and Republicans. Period.
Well, lookie here, a link to the school's website. Whattya know? How did that get on my blog? I'd hate for anyone to use it to register their displeasure with the left-wing moonbat teacher or anything.
Hey, look! There's another one! That one appears to be an e-mail link directly to the Principal of the school!
UPDATE: a comment from my new buddy Phantom Driver:
We passs thru the People's Republic of Bennington (or Bummington as wel call it ) 4-6 times a year on the way to the Live Free or Die state of New Hampshire (home of NO sales or income taxes).
It's full of the debris known as stoners, hippies,bums, moonbats, etc. Folk songs played by stoners on street corners, etc. etc.etc. Backpacks, flowerpower skirts, it's the 60's revisited, even down to the Flower Power 60's ILLEGAL FM radio pirate station in town.
Why am I not surprised?
Don't you hate those spam links that just appear? Heh. The only thing out of context here is the comrade propogandist's thought process. And he has no qualms about foisting his views on kids? Damn.Some college/university professors are gonna sue him for infringing on their terroristtory.
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