Teacher burns flag in classroom/ Reason? To motivate students

The American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky said the federal ruling would trump the state statute.

The depressing thing about this is that they’re probably right; I can’t remember the last time a State ruling superseded a Federal ruling when they came into conflict :|.

On the other hand, I can’t remember the last time I agreed with CC on anything political, and that’s what we seem to be doing here; so who knows, maybe there’s still hope! ;) :D

Interesting I didn’t hear about this, living in KY and all.

The funny thing is, I bet every kid in his class thought it was awesome - until they told their parents.

He’s got a right to burn it, but a classroom - hell, indoors - is not the appropriate place.

He has the privalege to burn it at this time.  Obviously safety was never a concern in regards to protecting this as a method of utilizing your freedom of speech or anyone doing this would be arrested for their own safety.

There’s countless incidences of people burning flags and setting themselves on fire.  Personally, I think it is poetic justice, but realistically we have to realize that fire is not something to play with.

Meanwhile, how can you punish him for firehazard when you use bunsen burners in chemistry, biology, physical sciences and geology classes?

Well,
Typically science labs have controlled environments for open flames, as well as nearby equipment for extinguishing these flames.
Also i think that grade 7 is a little young for this kind of frank indoctrination.  Even if he was just making a point with regards to “free speach” - there are many ways of making this point that is not so controversial.  I suppose that this is a great issue for chidren equipped mentally to grapple with these larger issues, but 13 y/o’s are . . . really not that smart.
(yes, some are, but i’ve had to test too many for STI’s to label them as “generally quite bright”)

What does STI stand for?

13 year olds are probably not mature enough to handle fire anyway.  And yes, science labs are usually flame resistant.  Then again, have you seen the average american classroom?  The things are not exactly fire friendly…dunno how well linoleum, plastic, aluminum and cinderblock burn. :P

sexually transmitted infections

Did anyone ever mention the condition the flag was in? Maybe he was just demonstrating the proper way to dispose of an old flag :wink:

If that was the case, I think it would have been specified and he would have defended himself for such action…

GG

@cystic:

The guy should be fired for being an idiot.  Setting a fire in a grade 7 class shows terrible judgement.  Burning the flag as an educator is IMO inappropriate - more so than if he were to lead the class in prayer.

From what I ahve heard, these were tiny flags, index card sized.

As for setting fires in a classroom…
I guess my Science teachers all need to be fired too.  I still remember the demo of dust explosions using a coffee can, flour, and a flame (huge fireball).  And of course Bunsen Burners…

Let’s just wrap our kids in bubble wrap, blindfold them, plug their ears… lets do anythign we can to isolate them from ANYTHING.  18 year old newborns shold be quite grand for our society.

@ncscswitch:

@cystic:

The guy should be fired for being an idiot.  Setting a fire in a grade 7 class shows terrible judgement.  Burning the flag as an educator is IMO inappropriate - more so than if he were to lead the class in prayer.

From what I ahve heard, these were tiny flags, index card sized.

As for setting fires in a classroom…
I guess my Science teachers all need to be fired too.  I still remember the demo of dust explosions using a coffee can, flour, and a flame (huge fireball).  And of course Bunsen Burners…

Let’s just wrap our kids in bubble wrap, blindfold them, plug their ears… lets do anythign we can to isolate them from ANYTHING.  18 year old newborns shold be quite grand for our society.

See, we can agree on something.  Fire in social studies is equivalent to fire in chemistry.

It is a school building, the whole darn thing is fire resistant.

now, if he burned it on a stack of paper, then he is an idiot.  If he took the most basic precaution, then no he is not, not from a safety standpoint anyway.

Besides, when i was in HS, we had LOTS of small fires in school… boys and girls bathrooms by everyone who smoked comes immediately to mind…

Just noticed your sig there Yahoshua.  Love the JSM quote, had to memorize it at USAFA.

Why did you change “men” to “persons” though?  Not an accurate quote that way…

USAFA version (from Contrails, Class of 1991 edition):

War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things.  The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse.  The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety is a miserable creature, and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself.

Because men are cheuvanistic pigs that would vote in rape if they thought women would let them get away with it?

That’s why we poor girls were held down so men could escape the chores of running a family???

Oh wait, I liked my pedastle…why do I have to work now?  Stupid women’s libers!  Can we rewind and let women stay at home all day with the kids, bake, clean and watch TV???  Please???

men love being with their families.  Just sometimes there are way more important things to do in life for men.  Like punching each other, the neverending eternal game of burnout.  :-P