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General discussion (archive)Teacher fired for giving disturbing maths problems(41 posts)(41 posts)
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This is my favourite topic
Posted March 04, 2012
The questions come from here: http://www.homeschooling-paradise.com/

The source website looks like junk. It's hard to believe someone actually approved them or that "the teacher did not want to use them, but was told she must."
Post edited March 04, 2012 by adambiser
Posted March 04, 2012
That is a terrible article.
"... Surely at the least the boys who tear the legs off spiders would have enjoyed this? It seems not. Beverley Wheeler, the CEO of Center City Public Charter Schools..."

"... The WUSA9 report offered no evidence that the children themselves were traumatized in any way. Which doesn't mean to say that they weren't. ..."

To me, that is pretty bad reporting.
As for the actual subject of the story, I would not have cared about the story back then since it would still have been boring math. But I don't see anything terrible about the math problems, they're a bit dark but with the crazy news obsessed and internet connected world these days they will surely have seen/heard/read worse.
Posted March 04, 2012
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XmXFLUXmX: This is what happens when you let the left-wing completely dominate academia, they start letting deviants teach, or they start screwing the kids. If you want to fire the whackjobs who don't get a story published in the newspaper about them, too bad, the teachers union will fight tooth and nail to make sure the incompetent keep their jobs.
That is just silly. This is a single case of a single teacher who knowingly violated the school's instructional policy (he was not directed to use the Homeschooling Paradise curriculum, but did so on his own initiative). This was not in the notoriously corrupt DC Public Schools, but the independent DC Public Charter School system, which is non-union, so the whole rant about left-wing administrators, deviant teachers, and obstructionist unions is a house built on sand.

I'm still trying to find out whether Homeschooling Paradise has some kind of axe to grind, or whether they have just done an incredibly bad job of mimicking the (respectable, if abstruse) Singapore Math curriculum.

Update: Homeschooling Paradise is the work of one Kris Murphy, who has been repeatedly excoriated by outraged parents for the supposed "Singapore Math" worksheets on his site. The explanation offered is
I faced a dilemma when I first created my math web pages. You have to please your visitors by having good quality content. At the same time, you have to please the search engines by having enough keywords so that the search engines know what your website is about.

If I don't place enough keywords in each web page, that page would have a very poor ranking by the search engines. That equals to zero visitors.

I thought for a long time about where I should place my keywords. Placing keywords in a math page is not as easy as placing keywords in a web page that is just an article. I took the approach you disliked for my first grade math worksheets.

I took a different approach for all the other grades. I placed them not into the actual math problems themselves but into the numbering. Here's an example.

Homeschooling Fun: 2nd Grade Math Worksheets
Math Question 5

A horde of centaurs and trolls attacked the small town of Knomville. Courageous Kelvin Knight was ordered by his king to kill all the monsters. Kelvin Knight single-handedly slew 639 of the monsters in battle. If he killed 271 more centaurs than trolls, how many centaurs did he kill?

Since the search engines were sending me quite a bit of visitors, about 600 to 800 unique visitors a day (and it is growing), I thought it was okay. And teachers from Singapore were linking to me too. So I left the keywords as they were.

I didn't face the keyword problem for my other topics - such as for parenting, phonics and homeschool laws.
So the whole purpose of these weird math problems involving centaurs, trolls, knights, vampires, etc. was to goose Homeschool Paradise's search engine ratings.

Bloody Hell.
Post edited March 04, 2012 by cjrgreen
Posted March 04, 2012
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XmXFLUXmX: This is what happens when you let the left-wing completely dominate academia, they start letting deviants teach, or they start screwing the kids. If you want to fire the whackjobs who don't get a story published in the newspaper about them, too bad, the teachers union will fight tooth and nail to make sure the incompetent keep their jobs.
No, this is what happens when you have a large educational system where there isn't sufficient pay to ensure you can have reasonable standards.

Trust me, compared with the blatant abuses of power that the right engages in this is nothing. What about all the teenage pregnancies caused because of the right's blatantly misogynistic campaign against birth control? Or how about the consequences of cutting funding to education to reduce taxes for the rich?
Posted March 04, 2012
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XmXFLUXmX: So it is my fault that teenage girls are whoring themselves out? No it is not. There is this weird thing called personal responsibility and accountability. If you want to have unprotected sex at a young age before marriage, that is your problem, not mine. I should not have to spend my tax dollars for your immoral behavior [not saying you, just in general].
No, but it is your fault that they don't have the means of protecting themselves from infection and pregnancy. Plus, at some point they do typically get married and for most reasonable people, they don't want to have a kid every time they have sex. It's this sort of willful ignorance that causes all sorts of problems in society.
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XmXFLUXmX: Also, teachers get enough money as it is + with the backing of unions, they don't have to worry about losing their job, no matter what they do or how obscenely under-qualified they are. You can't just throw money at something and expect it to get better. That is why Socialism fails, and that is why the West in general is declining. Do you know that in some states, we [the tax paying citizen] are paying children to go to school?

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=1076550#.T1QfwfWIzEI

http://news.yahoo.com/ohio-high-school-paying-kids-show-231029724.html
Yes, you can't just throw money at a problem and expect it to be solved, but I make a much better standard of living teaching here in China than I would back in the US. There's a ton work that teachers are expected to do for free which isn't covered in the hours they teach. There's an increasing amount of work that they're being expected to do as things like library hours and paraprofessional hours are cut back.

I see this sort of arrogance all over the place about teacher salaries and the reality is that it pays significantly less than other fields with comparable education requirements.Not to mention the fact that the hours typically suck.
Posted March 04, 2012
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michaelleung: On the bright side, they only teach evolution in science class.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dj7spLBfMHY

"In Texas we teach both creationism and evolution." Rick Perry, the governor of Texas.

There are also cases of states trying to pass bills to allow creationism to be taught.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/26/indiana-senate-creationism-teaching-bill_n_1234185.html

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2012/01/15/missouri-gop-introduces-second-creationism-bill-in-state-legislature/

The second one also talks about a previous attempt that "would force schools and universities to teach creationism as science"

I wish what you said was true.
Posted March 04, 2012
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XmXFLUXmX: Derp.
How about you shut the fuck up?
Posted March 04, 2012
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XmXFLUXmX: So it is my fault that teenage girls are whoring themselves out? No it is not. There is this weird thing called personal responsibility and accountability. If you want to have unprotected sex at a young age before marriage, that is your problem, not mine. I should not have to spend my tax dollars for your immoral behavior [not saying you, just in general].
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hedwards: No, but it is your fault that they don't have the means of protecting themselves from infection and pregnancy. Plus, at some point they do typically get married and for most reasonable people, they don't want to have a kid every time they have sex. It's this sort of willful ignorance that causes all sorts of problems in society.
avatar
XmXFLUXmX: Also, teachers get enough money as it is + with the backing of unions, they don't have to worry about losing their job, no matter what they do or how obscenely under-qualified they are. You can't just throw money at something and expect it to get better. That is why Socialism fails, and that is why the West in general is declining. Do you know that in some states, we [the tax paying citizen] are paying children to go to school?

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=1076550#.T1QfwfWIzEI

http://news.yahoo.com/ohio-high-school-paying-kids-show-231029724.html
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hedwards: Yes, you can't just throw money at a problem and expect it to be solved, but I make a much better standard of living teaching here in China than I would back in the US. There's a ton work that teachers are expected to do for free which isn't covered in the hours they teach. There's an increasing amount of work that they're being expected to do as things like library hours and paraprofessional hours are cut back.

I see this sort of arrogance all over the place about teacher salaries and the reality is that it pays significantly less than other fields with comparable education requirements.Not to mention the fact that the hours typically suck.
Hello, haven't seen you for awhile, but then again I don't get on much.

I joked around in this thread earlier, but agree with what you have to say about teacher hours, salaries, etc. Know quite a few who go through hell just trying to do their jobs, and even an ass like the person I joked about earlier (the dad), would have been a welcomed respite for them.

Do not agree that contraception is the responsibility of the taxpayer though. If a person wants to take on the role as an adult, then the responsibility of the consequences belong to them, not society.

If private groups within society want to get involved, fine, that is their business, but it should not be the taxpayers burden to underwrite personal choices made by those who have reached the age of majority, and thus responsible in a legal sense.

With privilege comes responsibility, and neither should be denied in any instance where disability is not a consideration.
Posted March 04, 2012
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michaelleung: On the bright side, they only teach evolution in science class.
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Immoli: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dj7spLBfMHY

"In Texas we teach both creationism and evolution." Rick Perry, the governor of Texas.

There are also cases of states trying to pass bills to allow creationism to be taught.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/26/indiana-senate-creationism-teaching-bill_n_1234185.html

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2012/01/15/missouri-gop-introduces-second-creationism-bill-in-state-legislature/

The second one also talks about a previous attempt that "would force schools and universities to teach creationism as science"

I wish what you said was true.
Well, in Canada....
Posted March 04, 2012
These questions are fucking hilarious. Asteroids launched by aliens at terrorist camps :) I also like how Brian the SWAT guy from California killed hundreds of terrorists, murderers, and arsonists in one week.
Post edited March 04, 2012 by da187jimmbones
Posted March 04, 2012
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Immoli: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dj7spLBfMHY

"In Texas we teach both creationism and evolution." Rick Perry, the governor of Texas.

There are also cases of states trying to pass bills to allow creationism to be taught.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/26/indiana-senate-creationism-teaching-bill_n_1234185.html

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2012/01/15/missouri-gop-introduces-second-creationism-bill-in-state-legislature/

The second one also talks about a previous attempt that "would force schools and universities to teach creationism as science"

I wish what you said was true.
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michaelleung: Well, in Canada....
Lucky Canadians.
Posted March 04, 2012
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Dischord: Do not agree that contraception is the responsibility of the taxpayer though. If a person wants to take on the role as an adult, then the responsibility of the consequences belong to them, not society.

If private groups within society want to get involved, fine, that is their business, but it should not be the taxpayers burden to underwrite personal choices made by those who have reached the age of majority, and thus responsible in a legal sense.

With privilege comes responsibility, and neither should be denied in any instance where disability is not a consideration.
Unless you're suggesting that the taxpayer not have to care for the abandon children and the consequences of a lack of education on the subject, there really isn't an alternative to doing so.

The fact is that very few parents are educated sufficiently to be able to provide the necessary education to their children on how to stay safe. Abstinence only works when one isn't have sex, as soon as one has sex all those problems will arise. Very, very few people go an entire life without sex. At best they'll wait until marriage.

Hence, why it's the government's responsibility, we're on the hook one way or another, at least if we fund sex ed we can call it personal responsibility. As is, nobody thinks to wrap it up without being told to and how to.
Posted March 04, 2012
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Dischord: Do not agree that contraception is the responsibility of the taxpayer though. If a person wants to take on the role as an adult, then the responsibility of the consequences belong to them, not society.

If private groups within society want to get involved, fine, that is their business, but it should not be the taxpayers burden to underwrite personal choices made by those who have reached the age of majority, and thus responsible in a legal sense.

With privilege comes responsibility, and neither should be denied in any instance where disability is not a consideration.
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hedwards: Unless you're suggesting that the taxpayer not have to care for the abandon children and the consequences of a lack of education on the subject, there really isn't an alternative to doing so.

The fact is that very few parents are educated sufficiently to be able to provide the necessary education to their children on how to stay safe. Abstinence only works when one isn't have sex, as soon as one has sex all those problems will arise. Very, very few people go an entire life without sex. At best they'll wait until marriage.

Hence, why it's the government's responsibility, we're on the hook one way or another, at least if we fund sex ed we can call it personal responsibility. As is, nobody thinks to wrap it up without being told to and how to.
Not suggesting the children go without at all, only that ADULTS are held responsible for their lifestyles, whatever they be, and taxpayers not underwrite ADULTS in aspects that pertain to the choices THEY make.

If I drive too fast, it is my problem. If I go too fast in other arenas, that is also my problem, and the financial responsibility for each is also MY problem.
Posted March 04, 2012
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Dischord: Not suggesting the children go without at all, only that ADULTS are held responsible for their lifestyles, whatever they be, and taxpayers not underwrite ADULTS in aspects that pertain to the choices THEY make.

If I drive too fast, it is my problem. If I go too fast in other arenas, that is also my problem, and the financial responsibility for each is also MY problem.
I didn't think you meant adults, but ultimately, personal responsibility only works if the consequences are personal and if everybody is being mostly responsible.

Driving is a really bad example as people that speed often times kill other people.
Posted March 04, 2012
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Dischord: Not suggesting the children go without at all, only that ADULTS are held responsible for their lifestyles, whatever they be, and taxpayers not underwrite ADULTS in aspects that pertain to the choices THEY make.

If I drive too fast, it is my problem. If I go too fast in other arenas, that is also my problem, and the financial responsibility for each is also MY problem.
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hedwards: I didn't think you meant adults, but ultimately, personal responsibility only works if the consequences are personal and if everybody is being mostly responsible.

Driving is a really bad example as people that speed often times kill other people.
Sometimes people won't be responsible unless they have to. Like you said earlier, a matter of education.

Edit: Just noticed something. People that are angry often kill other people too, but it would be a sorry world if everyone who was angry was jailed. It is not the propensity for something that we should be concerned with, but the actualization. Risky in the protective sense, yes, but to think otherwise is to try and circumvent nature and freedom in a sense, and mark good people as criminals.
Post edited March 04, 2012 by Dischord
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General discussion (archive)Teacher fired for giving disturbing maths problems(41 posts)(41 posts)
(41 posts)