Via Big Government.
There’s nothing wrong with the fact Debra Blessman kept secret from her students the name of the film she would require them to watch and analyze during finals week at Francis Howell High School. Today, however, the teacher might be wishing she had not kept her superiors in the St. Charles, Mo., school district in the dark about it. She planned to base final exams on the Michael Moore film, “Sicko“.
Judging by the unedited plot summary below which Blessman distributed to students in her Senior Literature and Composition class, one might assume Blessman kept school district administrators in the dark about the controversial 2007 documentary on health care because she knew they might find the film objectionable……
Apparently, however, Blessman did not expect any of her students to raise objections about the film. But one did.
On the morning of May 11, soon after learning about the film’s selection as the basis for the final exam in Blessman’s class, 18-year-old senior Celeste Finkenbine went straight to one of the school’s principals to raise her objections. Why? Because, based on her experiences with Blessman this semester and during a class three years earlier, Finkenbine didn’t think she would get very far pleading her case with the teacher she describes as a liberal. More on that later.
Unlike the vast majority of her classmates, Finkenbine is a politically-active conservative who spends many Saturday afternoons attending anti-socialism rallies at the intersection of Highways K and N in nearby O’Fallon, Mo. When she’s not in school or holding a sign on a street corner, you’re likely to find her working at a local nursing home in preparation for what she hopes will be a career as a geriatric physician.
……Finkenbine cited one primary reason behind her unwillingness to bring up points that back up Moore’s contentions.
“My biggest issue with it is my principal said I can argue the conservative viewpoint, but that’s something that I have background with, that I’ve researched myself.
“Every other student in that class was only given the liberal viewpoint of it, and that’s exactly what teachers aren’t supposed to do, is lean toward one side or the other.”
When I contacted Dr. Renee Shuster, superintendent of the Francis Howell School District, she admitted the movie is not part of any district curriculum and that the teacher did not follow the process for having the film approved in advance. She also said that Finkenbine had been offered an alternative assignment that involves reading and analyzing the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s 7,000-word essay, “A Letter from a Birmingham Jail.”
Does Finkenbine fear any repercussions for standing up for her conservative ideals?
“I’m hoping that, no matter what assignment I do, I can still get an ‘A’ on it. If I did feel like I was graded unfairly, it wouldn’t stop there.”
It’s somewhat ironic that Finkenbine’s alternative assignment relates to Dr. King, because it was during a recent class discussion that King’s name came up and, according to Finkenbine, her teacher laid her liberal cards out on the table.
Finkenbine said that, after she compared her participation in Tea Party rallies with the civil disobedience in which Dr. King participated, Blessman responded to her by saying, “Well, we all know you’re a ‘teabagger.’”
Afterward, Finkenbine recalled, the teacher started laughing and everyone in the class started laughing about Blessman’s use of the derogatory term, prompting the student to think, “Wow! Did she really just say that?”
Having heard this account of life in Blessman’s classroom, I contacted Dr. Shuster again.
In addition to wanting to find out how district officials would deal with the teacher for using a film that was not approved in advance, I wanted to know how they would address Finkenbine’s allegation that the teacher called her a “teabagger” in front of the class.
Schuster responded by e-mail, saying, “We would address this through the teacher evaluation process which hopefully leads to improvement but can lead to termination.”
Unfortunately, it appears all of the other students in Blessman’s class ended up having to watch and analyze “Sicko”.
http://biggovernment.com/bmccarty/2010/05/18/high-schooler-objects-to-sicko-final-exam-says-teacher-called-her-a-teabagger-in-front-of-class/
Well, Blessman, we all know you’re a douchebag. As are the rest of the leftwing statist shit-for-brains, who are totally oblivious to Dear Leader’s flaws. Ms. Finkenbine is Blessman’s worst nightmare; an informed student who actually takes the time to research and fact-find in response to the trash that passes for education.
Blessman needs a crash course in reality. I have a suggestion for all the morons who really believe ObamaCare is so wonderful. Pack your bags and go live in Canada or the U.K. Better yet, buy a ticket to Michael Moore’s favorite country: Cuba. Moore hasn’t budged yet, but that shouldn’t stop you. Their government-run nationalized healthcare will hook you right up; with substandard care, long waits, and overcrowded, overwhelmed hospitals. Send us a postcard, and take a number.
I really find it hard to believe anyone would say such bad things about a wonderful teacher. No, I was not present at the “incident.” However, I know Ms. Blessman and obviously there was some reason she played the movie in the first place. Teachers typically use movies as a tool to help demonstrate a subject the class may be going over. It’s completely disrespectful to be talk so harshly about someone that takes their time out to help you learn more and better yourself. People find little things to pick at and claim they’re “offended” by anything at all. It is just sad how much people crave attention and are so arrogant they think they know more than their own teachers. THEY WOULDN’T BE YOUR TEACHERS IF YOU WERE SMARTER THAN THEM.
Mickey73,
Blessman played Michael Moore’s propaganda film because she’s a socialist shithead who believes in big government. It was an attempt to indoctrinate students in Marxist philosophy, and at least one of them (Celeste Finkenbine) didn’t goosestep to Blessman’s party line.
She cannot handle the challenge of a student questioning her interpretation of politics, history, and current events. Finklebine is more familiar with the Constitution than Blessman. The Tea Party advocates a return to the principles of the separation of powers and limited government. Teachers unions don’t like that very much.
Tell me mickey, did you ever sit there like a bump on a log when a teacher said something you disagreed with or something you knew to be factually untrue? Sure you did, because the teacher was so much smarter than you.
Jackass.
Tell you what, mickey. Since you’re such good friends with Blessman, ask her if she’s ever been up close and personal with the wonderful socialized medicine in Cuba.
I bet neither she, nor Michael Moore’s fat ass, has ever waited in line in Havana for medical treatment.
She’d rather trash America than live under a system she glorifies.
SFC MAC