Charges of political bias and bullying have landed a North Carolina teacher in hot water. A clip from a Swedish documentary captures 5th grade teacher Diatha Harris talking to her class last May about the presidential election. She’s not shy about expressing her point of view (responding “Oh, Jesus!” when one her students says she supports John McCain). At one point she describes the conflict in Iraq as a “senseless war” and tells one of her students whose father is in Iraq that he could be there ”for another hundred years” if were elected.
Conservative bloggers picked up on the clip a few days ago, now the school system’s Superintendent has weighed in, saying he’s shocked by the video and promising an investigation. “While neutral discussion of the political process is appropriate,” says Dr. William Harrison, “at no time, particularly with elementary students, should a teacher infuse his/her political views into the discussion.”
The classroom conversation does seem to cross the line when Harris tells 5th grader Cathy Thompson, who supports McCain, “It’s a senseless war. And by the way, Cathy, the person you are picking for president said that our troops will stay in Iraq for another 100 years if they need to. So that means that your daddy could stay in the military for another hundred years.”
Lost in all the sturm und drang, however, is that the student herself and her parents are supporting the teacher. “She is usually messing around,” Cathy Thompson, tells the Asheville Citizen-Times. “When she said that, I knew she was messing around.” Her parents, Angela Moore and Army Staff Sgt. Robert Thompson, also said they weren’t mad at the teacher, according to the Asheville Citizen-Times. “Mrs. Harris is always active with the children like that,” Moore said. “I have sat in her class when my Cathy was a student, and she was very active with the children. She tries to get them involved with everything.” Robert Thompson said he thinks Harris is “getting a rough deal.”
Ms Harris’ political classroom discussions – and those othe teachers as well – should remain non-partisan at all times – and should not favor one candidate over another. This video was not just about exposing the pro-McCain child to ridicule – it was about the affect that ridicule 1) had on the other children – that they too would be exposed to same if they were to select a republican candidate. and 2)teachers should never call a war in which we are involved “senseless” which serves to ridicule and thus degrade the morale of all men and women who volunteered to be involved in the defense of our nation and to save others from tyranny. She and any other teacher who held similar classroom indoctrinations should be removed immediately. The parents may certainly forgive the teacher, but the public interest is at heart here and teachers may not do the country such harm.