Inside the Classroom

  BERT ATKINSON JR. MAY 21, 2012 | IJ Review Educators should be responsible for the presentation of information in an unbiased fashion so that students can form their own opinions. It is part of the educational process to learn to form an opinion on a subject. If a teacher shoves an opinion down the throats of her students, the students have not actively exercised their brains and they have simply memorized something, which is not nearly as effective as letting a student form their own opinion after doing some form of research. Unfortunately, one North Carolina teacher did not get the memo that she should leave her clearly strong and uninformed personal thoughts out of the classroom. A dispute between a Rowan-Salisbury School District teacher and student arose after the class was having a conversation over recent allegations that Mitt Romney bullied a classmate in high school. One student asked, “Didn’t Obama bully someone though?” “Not to…

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  BERT ATKINSON JR. JUNE 11 | IJ Review Greta Hawkins, the principal of PS 90, the Edna Cohen School in Coney Island, a kindergarten, has banned the patriotic song ‘God Bless the USA’ from being sung at the graduation for 5-year-olds, instead opting for a song by Justin Bieber. Kindergartners at PS 90, the Edna Cohen School in Coney Island will not be allowed to sing ‘God Bless the USA’ at their moving-up ceremony because principle Greta Hawkins has decided it is inappropriate. The lyrics, she says could ‘offend other cultures’ and are ‘too grown-up’ for five-year-olds.” But, Hawkins will allow the children to sing the hit song, ‘Baby’ by Justin Bieber. Are these lyrics appropriate for a 5-year-old? Are we an item? Girl quit playin’. We’re just friends, what are you sayin’? Said there’s another as you look right in my eyes, My first love, broke my heart for the first time.” This is not the first…

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