Colorado geography teacher Eric Hamlin was suspended and ordered to remain off campus for displaying the flags of China, Mexico and the United Nations in his classroom. According to the Rocky Mountain News, "Jeffco Public Schools spokeswoman Lynn Setzer said [Principal John] Schalk believed Hamlin was in violation of a state law on display of foreign flags on public property." The paper reports that Hamlin has more than 50 flags he uses and displays throughout the year.
Recent news indicates that Hamlin was reinstated but will change schools at his own request. Hamlin's school principal was the individual who soley determined the flags were against the law. What do you think about this? Post your comments below...
Comments
Shoot the principal! Any educator that does not want students to think of themselves as part of a global community has no business in education.
What would we think if a teacher in china put an american flag in their class and was told to take it out.
There is a further story in the Rocky Mountain News about another principal who has decided to remove all the flags in the gym. Not because she feels that displaying them is wrong, but she is worried that the ‘suits’ above her may deem them inappropriate. For United Nations Day last year my students painted the flags of over 90 nations on the ceiling tiles in my room. Fortunately I am in Singapore not Colorado!
I think it is rediculous that other flags are not permitted in the classroom there. How are students supposed to learn about other places in the world if they are not exposed to them? maybe that’s one of the reasons many americans are so closeminded about the rest of the world because they are not exposed to anything other than their own culture
Principal John Schalk needs to open his eyes. We live in an ever changing global society. Our kids need to learn about the world around them. Aren’t we lucky this guy doesn’t have anything to do with the Olympics! “And now the country who shall remain nameless and unsymbolized that is located to the immediate north of the border of the USA takes their turn on the bobsled course….”
Rebecca, that reminds me of the Olympic commentator a few years ago who said something along the lines of, “And here is the Canadian team, with the unmistakable clover leaf on their flag.”
How close minded. I thought I taught in an area that I had to watch everything I said or did but I guess I was wrong. Most of our Jr. High building main entrances are decorated with full size flags from many different countries to celebrate the diversity of students who attend. The flags were first displayed during the Olympic Games of 2002 but the diversity factor became quickly apparent. The Principal who was on the case of the Geography teacher should be ashamed and the parents of the students should take action.
Incredible — pretty much sums it up. What is education all about? Our country? our individual states? our local town? Hopefully, the students in that school will never have to travel outside of their town, state or country. Heaven-forbid if they do. Obviously, they won’t be educated on the world outside those 4 walls. By the way, the principal still has his job, right?
The flags of all countries should be displayed in a classroom if a teacher so desires it. Studentas are of all races. Hertiage should be part of teaching, Keep the flags flying high, but you home country higher.
As a Brazilian, who has lived in the USA for sometime, I think this is a stupid act. If the US consider themselves as a democratic nation, which is not in my opinian, they should allow their people to express their own wishes and thoughts freely.The displaying of another coutry´s flag is something that we should consider as friendship demonstration.I run a language school and I feel free to display flags from several countries to show my students other diferent cultures and beliefs.
I have no problem with what the instructor did, by showing the flags of other countries as he probably teaching about the geography of the world and about different regions and places. I would like to make sure that he also has a US flag in the class room as well, and that equal time in his geography lessons are spent on first world countries, as is spent on third world countries.
Brett Lucas
Masters in Transportation Geography
There is obviously something else going on here and the flag issue was just an excuse to get rid of the teacher. I would be suspect of any person in authority who resorts to the outlandish to rid a person from their team instead of the truth.
Eric Hamlin should be allowed to display the flags. It can help students to know more about other countries.
Unfortuntely, I tend to believe the real reason the teacher was suspended was because of the immigration issues that seem to have divided our nation’s beliefs, values and morales. Logically, does it really make any sense to remove forgien flags from a “geography class”? If we look around our country today we are seeing the divison of culture, cities are and wanting to making “English only” towns, schools are taking down flags, and speaking a “forgien” language is being outcasted by our society. They say we are “one nation, one language and one flag” which is fine with me but what about our “individual hertiages?” Are we not a society that we can not be proud of where we come from or who are? Why are we allowing the government to make these decissions for us? When will the people stand up against the injustices we face within our country? How will education teach us to be open-minded and to be our own decission makers if the decissions are being made for us? Final thought: From a Karl Marx perspective, we are living in “false consciousness”, in other words, we are the followers under a capitalistic society, where the capitalist marginalizes everything and anything that would benefit the people or society as whole. Will society ever reach class-consciousness? Displaying a flag in “geography” class room sounds logical for the purpose of education!
I agree with #1 … It would certainly seem that the person in question is a bigot when it comes to other nationalities and an imposter with regard to being a professional educator. He needs to get a life, then get another job!
Geography is not only about America. It is about our surrounding-I mean it is all about this world with China inclusive. Let the principal not disply his ignorance in public like this or he can go back to high school and re-do his geography.
Have we gone totally insane? I think our ability to use any common sense has just evoporated. I sometimes find it mind boggling that my students know so little about the state they live in. And now a principal wants his students to learn even less. Incredible!
The reaction of the Principal is typically American. Most children born and raised in the U.S. do not have any idea of the other parts of the world. Most unfortunate is that the information of the world outside the U.S. that filter to such children is that of war, pestilence and anguish. Such people grow up and occupy positions of authority but are maginalised in outlook and thinking! The Principal is probably one of such people who may not have gone beyond the U.S. and of course would see the flags as “strange things”. Added to this is that in the U.S., we are quick to apply the law to situations even when such situations only require reasoning. So when the Principal [who holds the whip of authority in his hand] sees ‘some colored pieces of cloth’ and not the American flag, he would not reason that such ‘colored things’ are important in a geography class but the next thing is ‘what says the law?’. The law says NO! So you teacher, you are suspended. The likes of this principal abound in the establshments. America should take a look at the curriculum of education and make the children learn more of the other parts of the world. When they grow up and take up positions like our principal, they would reason before applying the law.
Brett Lucas: The original article states explicitly that every classroom in the school already has an American flag. Anyway, why, particularly, equal time for the First World as opposed to the Third? They’re not equal in population, or in the incidence of communicable diseases, or potable water shortages, or famine, or war. I would think these might be interesting topics for students planning to inhabit the America of the future.
This seems to be another example of the lack of common sense in our society. This was a geography class! Perhaps as another poster wrote, there were other issues going on and the principal had a hidden agenda but perhaps not.
Ask the principal if he can spell and define “globalization”? And if he understands the statement: “The world is flat.”
Unbelievable.
I thought the UK was taking PC to extremes these days.
Seems the USA is beating us easily!
redmartian was right. SHOOT THE THAT STUPID PRINCIPAL!!!!!
hello! it’s a school! a public place yes but a a learning institution. where does that principal expect students to learn about flags, in the bars?
this is the craziest thing i have ever heard coming from a principal.
Most Principals are in favor of education. This particular one it seems wishes to limit what his charges are allowed to learn. As a retired teacher of 36 years I have never had the misfortune to have an administrator like that. Hopefully he is an endangered species.
No one has to ask why these Colorado students couldn’t find Mexico on the world map. Obviously, the principal didn’t watch Big Blue Marble as a child.
While the pricipal’s action was truely absurd, I have a problem with the earlier comment that “The reaction of the Principal is typically American.” Yes, our citizens know amazingly little about the rest of the world BUT, as a nation, we show that we do care about the rest of the world in every international action we take.
PS- Third World and First World have been discarded since the criteria was based on the Cold War.
I also agree that this act could well have been an excuse to go after someone.
This is so sad. It would certainly seem that there is more involved here than an issue over the display of flags. “Shooting” the principal does not set a very good example either. What are we teaching the children here anyway? Resolving the issue in a mature manner and re-instating the teacher and the flags would suffice.
This situation just clearly emphasizes the need for Social Studies education in our schools. We are not an isolated nation, but one of diversity and differences. How in the World could it ever be illegal to display the flags of other nations. As a teacher of middle school gifted students, I see, on a daily basis, how narrow minded they are, and how quickly they become more worldly when they are given information to digest. I think the villan here is the ignorant principal. The current administrative trend towards cookie cutter education in the classroom is now resulting in teachers losing their jobs because they are innovative in their classrooms. What a shame: what a crime!
Its not about just one principal about whom we are talking here, I think there are many such people in many parts of the world who has similar kind of feeling i.e hatred against diffrent nations by hating there flags , culture and people ..
So most important thing is people from all over the world should start loving other nations , there people and respect each other .. Government should help in educating people to love people.
Am I glad I don’t live in Colorado! What I’d like to know is if the same principal suspended the chemistry teacher for holding on school property chemicals that could be combined to create an incendiary device (most chemistry labs have the basics), or if they suspended the history teacher for teaching communism and socialist principles in their classroom? What’s next for the Jeffco Public Schools system? Book burning?
I suspect the administrator did not understand the concept behind the display and so was nervous about what the community might think. As we know, lack of knowledge about geography and history is widespread and not limited to those without a college degree. We are also living in a highly polarized time which leads to actions before thoughtful dialogue. I suspect both played a role in this incident. An emotional reaction is evident in the comments on this site, as well, that suggest violence. I certainly remember times when I have taken action or spoken before knowing all sides of an issue. I suspect the administrator is regretting a hasty decision that was made without understanding.
The principal’s action is part of an entire mindset that has taken over this country under the myopic leadership of the current administration in Washington. Everything about the U.S. and everything it does is deemed virtuous and noble, and other countries are, well, just lesser entities that have to be tolerated at best. American school students –along with most of the so-called “educated” adult population– are almost totally ignorant of other nations and cultures, and since we feel we are what those in other countries should aspire to be we feel there is no need to learn about them. The sentiment is evident in the popular but still presumptious bumper sticker, “God Bless America.” Who are we to exclude the rest of the planet when we exhort God to bless only us?
I find this news so disheartening. I am a Colorado native, graduate of the University of Denver, and resident of Sweden where I teach Geography on the junior high school level. What is happening to our country? What are we so afraid of? I had the pleasure of teaching a class of 13 students last year who hailed from 11 different countries. We had flags and music and languages from every corner of the world. It was such an inclusive experience. I am frightened by the exclusive behavior of my fellow Americans. By not allowing that teacher to open the classroom to the world, we will find our children cut off from the world. Shame on Colorado. Shame on us!
There has to be a backstory here. The principal is going after a guy over flags. No! He found a petty, ridiculous reg some where to justify getting the teacher. He never suspected the whole world would come down on his neck for his provincialism! Hurrah on all accounts. Word to admin. If you want to get a teacher, at least pick a real issue.
Good Morning,
I think many of these comments are what are typical about most people around the wrold. A quick rush to judgement without the facts. I have not read the full article. Did it state whether or not it was illegal to display those flags? If it is illegal then we as a nation need to look at ourselves and uncover why that law was passed in the first place. And how did it get past the citizens and why was it allowed to even be introduced? What does that say about us as a country….not just Colorado? Secondly, if it is not illegal then, what do your comments say about us? Comments like “Shoot the principal” reflect the intolerance in this society , as well as in others, for mistakes, being uniformed, etc. The discipline of Geography is focused on understanding the world. Looking at patterns, the landscape and symobls..not just in the physical world but also in the human world.
Geography is about understanding…so,we should step back and try to figure out how it got that way and then try to undo it or, at the very least, prevent it from happening again..
Geographers, of all people, should step back, examine the entire issue from all perspectives (societal, economics, etc.)and then make a report. That report can then be used to make decisions of all kinds, policy and laws.
Karen
Geography
College Professor
If the Bush administration gets wind of this Principal Schalk might well end up with a high post in the US Department of Education. He might even end up an education expert on Fox news. Barring that he can look forward to making the rounds on “conservative” talk shows as a defender of American values. Way to go John!
G Clabaugh
G. Clabaugh
Students made 2′x3′ foreign flags to be displayed from a string hung around all four walls in my class room. And this was in Mississippi and Tennessee. For forty years I used this classroom technique.
What’s the matter in Colorado ?
Paleeze! And people wonder why I homeschool my children. The principal needs to take a diversity class and find another source of employment, not the education system. The teacher was not breaking any rules and even so, there are so many issues that the principal has to deal with in their jobs that is sounds like the principal was not doing their job. Let’s find some way to get that principal fired. I feel bad for the students and teacher. It’s people like the principal that give the education system a bad name. Between this and the pressures of what is required to be taught, it’s a wonder we have any teachers left. Let’s face it, we don’t live anymore in a society that has only “your people” anymore. We live in a very diverse world. Our children don’t seem to notice the diversity until you have adults and such start pointing it out. Then the trouble begins. With the world in the turmoil is, we need to teach our children that it is fine to learn about things, people,and places beyond our borders whether land or water. And accept the differences and show acceptance and love, not hatred leading to pain and the situations happening in the Middle East. Hurray for the teacher who believes in diversity and globalization. May he get a thousand offers for another job with much higher pay and satisfaction.
when i was a kid growing up in the caribbean i literally knew evrything about foreign countries an flags. Thank God my pricipal never took action like this i would be dumb and dumber.I say something is amiss. How did this guy become a principle without having principles?
Everyone take a prozac. Review the
state law and change it.
I agree with # 18′s comments and would like to add something to them. I think it’s a shame that kids spend 6-8 hours a day in a classroom for atleast 12 years of their life and they can not even find China on a map! Those same children can’t seem to remember where Missouri is or what the D.C. is Washngton D.C. stands for???!!! WHat is the problem in America. Is it the public education systm? Is it unsupportive parents?
ALso, just to comment on #32′s political remarks. I am not a politician, but my middle school and highschool years were during the CLinton administration and I don’t rememmer any “great awakening” to the embracing of other countries and cultures. Personally, when it comes to politics it seems one party is as corrupt as another and it seems almost ignorant to blame one man and his administration for the neglect of an entire host of people in our education system. I was a product of that system. I knew nothing outside of my little life in my state until I was out of school and took an interest on my own . As far as God Bless America
that comes from the foundation that our great country was founded upon. However, I agree let’s add God Bless the World! All people’s are created equal!!!
Most children and many adults only see that the world ends at the boundaries of their own town. We live in a big world that we need to know much about. Mr. Hamlin is an educator. Isn’t his position as a teacher about educating?
Is it fascism yet?
It frightens and disgusts me that we actually empower people like Pricipal Schalk. It seems as though the USA is becoming more egotiscal, shortsighted and morally challenged daily. When will we embrace the fact that we are part of a large whole?
This is unbelievable. That principal needs some education. Our world needs MORE teachers like Eric Hamlin and fewer principals like John Schalk.
As a teacher for many years I displayed flags of other nations in my room including the three that were ordered to be removed. Flags generate questions,comments and interest in the world. Secondly the symbolism of the flags’ colors,designs etc. show what other nations think as important. Is not geography, history and other social sciences suppose to teach the above?
Also flags add art to an often sterile environment of an ordinary classroom.
ABSURD! Fly all the world’s flags!
I wonder if we would recognize all of our own state/province flags?
PEACE
D.I.A.MERCER
CANADA
Let’s see, get rid of the Principal!
The reaction of the principal is one that I find in my school district and state. His reaction may not be so sinister as being “anti” anything or controlling of his teachers as just trying to not have any issue arise which would bring negative attention to his school. Principles and many teachers(yes, teachers) are so overly concerned with maintaining a harmony in the schools that anything that MIGHT arouse a parent’s ire or political/religious groups questions leading to school board and media intervention
is avoided. Though this contradicts the very nature of education, this protects their jobs and pensions. Don’t think this is true? Just sit in with a group of administrators, principals,or teachers. Listen to school board meetings and take in all the nit-picking that goes on over things that should have been handled in a principal’s office and gone no farther. It is very confusing for all when,on one hand, we turn our curriculum inside out to accommodate diversity and then stifle diversity in expression within the classroom, so fearful to offend anyone. (Whoever “anyone” is, I don’t know.)
The solution is better liberal arts education for teachers. (Don’t be frightend by that “l” word, look up its meaning.) Well educated, well rounded teachers will encourage the freedom of expression that they experienced in the classroom. Then, parents, political groups(sadly, that includes most school boards)BACK OFF. Let teacher’s teach. I had 16 years of Catholic school education (woman’s college, too),I heard the most outrageous things from both sides of the spectrum – ultra conservative to ultra liberal. The majority of my teachers encouraged us to think, take responsibility for our education, taught us to know that life is an educational experience. My point in all this: don’t fret over one principal; look at yourself and do all YOU can to promote life-long learning.
I think that is crazy. I mean come on, He is a Geography teacher! It is part of his job to teach people about the world and knowing the flags is all part of it!
I agree with #40. Let’s get rid of the state law! How can we hire someone to teach students, then suspend them for doing their job?
This action seems typical to our times:the US is becoming more isolated and its foreign policy more agressive and ethnocentric. I will fight this subtle indoctrination all the way back to Ellis Island.
Pitiful that a principal is not promoting education.
As a geography teacher, it makes me want to hang flags all over my classroom. No wonder students do not have geographic knowledge. And the gov’t. wonders why our students lack behind!
Clear case of too many administrators and not enough teachers!
John Schalk should not only change schools, he should change professions!
We all agree on this issue. So there is little point to us all nodding at each other over this- these comments are only useful if they are seen by the principal of this school. Please contact the Jeffco school system- it is not hard to find- and send THEM your comments. This ignorance and fear cannot be tolerated.
Ean Sheehy
GO YANKS …
I say ‘hang those fags’!
This only brings to attention we need more Geography in the schools and make the Adminstrators such as this principal take the courses. My daughter is a Geography teacher, works with National Geographic on getting more Geography in the schools. She is very involved in the Geography Bee that is nationwide. This principal should recognize all the countries in this world,and insist the students in his school have the opportunity to learn more about the wonderful world we live in–even if we don’t agree with some of their policies. This includes recognizing the flags that represent each country. Hope we don’t have too many educators with his attitude. Thanks for the opportunity to comment.
What a bunch of crap….no wonder we Americans are some of the biggest idiots on the planet.
Our school has had displays of many flags in the gym and classrooms. Our church displays flags in the narthex. It’s too bad that the principle didn’t know enough to do any research prior to his action.
This is suppression. The principal must be part of the communist party.
This principal spends too much time watching lawyer shows on television!
Just another example illusstrating the disadvantages of the American educational system and the inadequacy of an American education in the global community. This time demonstrating greater concern for possible litigation than for educational instruction. If the principal believes there is a possible violation of state law then she should ask school district legal counsel for advice, thus causing less embarassment to the school and less ridicule to the district.
What?? What planet is that principal from. Must be from Pluto! Is it a state law? Can’t believe it is a Federal Law!
This is outrageous! How can you teach geography without flags? The UN isn’t even a nation! In addition, what kind of dumb law makes display of foreign flags illegal? This just suppresses this nation’s ideal of freedom, even for people from other nations!
Thank goodness I teach in Kansas! Here, we celebrate diversity. Hopefully, the principal will be sent packing soon.
Greetings:
Sad state of affairs in Colorado’s Jefferson County Public Schools. Carmody Middle School’s 7th Grade Teacher Hamlin needed to comply with the Principal’s directive or suffer an insubordination charge. Hamlin did not comply and was so charged, and put on admin leave. It’s irrelevant whether the boss’s intent was to be in harmony with State law as he interpreted it, or that the Principal was simply myopically misguided (others’ comments re: flat world, global interdependence, noted).
The cloth political icons, if permanently attached, are, at first glance, extralegal. Colorado Revised Statute 18-11- 205: “Any person who displays any flag other than the flag of the USA or the state of Colorado or any of its subdivisions, agencies or institutions upon any state, county, municipal or other public building or adjacent grounds within this state commits a class 1 petty offense.” An exception is “the display of any flag … that is part of a temporary display of any instructional or historical materials not permanently affixed or attached to any part of the buildings … .”
Hamlin’s classroom scenario jives with the intent of the US national social studies standards. The flags were thus curricularly relevant. In another perspective, US Constitutional freedom of expression does not always apply in the classroom, if the act, event, or behavior interferes with the educational process. If the flags were relevant to the geography under study, then the flags were a natural part of the educational process.
Methinks Principal Schalk was abreactive and obstructionist because a first year teacher was, perhaps, emotionally kid-focused and problem-centric. Hamlin was ill-prepared seemingly to comply first, then argue factually and diplomatically (and later petition/grieve) his case.
Concur that the State law needs review for clarity and intent.
Ron Murray, Teacher Consultant, New Mexico Geographic Alliance
Postscript:
A “teaching moment” if there ever was one: Teacher Hamlin leading his new school students in petitioning a revision to Colorado Revised Statute 18-11- 205, as part of his social studies class!
rvm
Evidently ther is more here than meets the eye. I cannot believe the pricipal is that incompetent. He must have had a personal dislike for the teacher. Unfortunately his actions have created a lot of stir and impressed no one. I would certainly expect that at a minimum he is severly repremanded for his actions. Hopefully he will be removed from his postion of “power” and replaced by a superior competence. The students have been hurt more severly than the teacher by the principal’s action than has the teacher.
I like good old overt prejudice it is blatant enough to get the attention of parents and teachers alike. The fact that all the comments are against this kind of thing is interesting. It makes me feel some people are hesitant even here to speak their real feelings. I hope that educations succeeds in making better world citizens. The ability to question these kinds of actions is a good start. Rather than trash the principal I would like to applaud the teacher and say that Colorado is no worse and quite possibly better than some home-school situations as well as some public school situations. We all have something to learn by this and oddly I feel really good about all the question and comments. Freedom has responsibilities the truth is the most important one.
I am currently taking Geography in college and I find it ludicrous that a principal here in the good ole US of A has the balls to go so far as he did when he is supposed to be open and unbiased in teaching in suspending a teacher who uses other countries flags as tools for helping to show others about the world around them…We are not alone here in the USA…There are other countries out there and what better way is there to show respect to them when you are showing other people how they actually live outside of our lines…The principal should be fired and then investigated…My guess is that he also belongs to the KKK or some other retarded closed minded group of people…
Though the principal has some peculiar notions about education, The question relly is, “What’s going on between the two men?” I think one or both of them are butheaded!
If there was a law that prevented the showing of non-American flags, does this not show that Americans love their own flag just a bit too much? Americans are too patriotic by half. They worship their country- how pitiful.
This is typical of the Bush administration’s thinking and their arrogance towards other countries. The principal should be suspended and sent to a Canadian school (only for a short while) to be inserviced on good teaching philophies. Na, don’t bother sending him to Canada either – just fire the picker !
The Principal is dummy – oust him! Of course, being geographers, we are much more accepting and intelligent than the rest of the world!
Flags and cultural geography go hand and hand. It seems like paranoia, at any rate the principal did fail the course of common sense.
This is among the most ridiculous news I’ve heard pertinent to blind patriotism in this harrowing neo-conservative administration of royal ignorance!
Is this a new urban legend, or someone’s idea of a joke?
That principal is a xenophobic twat.
Sounds like a good teacher! Too bad his principal is a 19th century throwback!
Totally and completely ridiculous.
Personally, I feel something else is the issue because surely, the principal doesn’t suggest ignorance of any type acceptible…does he? This reminds me of the incident of the 1996 Olympics when a gentleman was trying to buy tickets to the events who was from New Mexico and was told by the ticket agent in Atlanta, Georgia he had to contact the international foregn office to buy tickets. When the gentleman said he was in America, the agent said ” I don’t care where you are, if you want to buy tickets from a foreign land (New Mexico), you have to get them through the Foreign Office. When he escalated to a manager, the manager sided with the ticket agent. No “Land of Enchantment” here. Is this what we’re headed for?
Somewhere in the Bush years we lost our spirit of compassion, acceptance and common sense. This is a ridicuous as stopping stem cell research.
We need to return nto times of common sense. As an Expat in Thailand, you have no idea how foolish Amerika looks to the World these days – this is just icing on the cake.
Forget this crap, open your mind and enjoy the slide shows at http://www.johngray-seacanoe.com/gallery/index.htm
King’s 60th Celebreations is really cool.
Thailand’s education system certainly leaves many thing to be desired, but at least we teach open-minds and acceptance of others.
John “Caveman” Gray
http://www.johngray-seacanoe.com
It is now official, the Land of the Free has become the Home of the Idiot.
As an Australian I have often been amazed at how little Americans know about the world. No wonder if things like this happen! I was in the USA in 1969 and few people knew that we were allies of the US in the (then on) Vietnam War.
Lesson enhancement involve many things and displaying flags is one of the good items to help the learner to have a better understanding on certain topic. The moved of the principal in suspending the Teacher for that reason is crazy. Seems the principal mainly focus of what is stated in the law about flag. Does really the principal understood that particular law- provision? Or are there other reasons behind the situation and flag issue are only a way to vent what ever problems between the Geography Teacher and the Principal.
Pie thet ic Un heard of.
Good teacher using objects to make his lesson come alive.
Too much life for the principal.
Whats the rest of the story? The school must be a bunch of rednecked ostriches………….
I am sure they have wanted to get at this teacher so scrapped thye barrel to find something about him.
I think this school and its community need to be flagged away.
Mike a teacher in Thailand
You would think he hung his star and stripes or union jack boxers out to air.
That teacher is lucky he can find a new school who appreciates him.
doors open doors close.
mike in Thailand again
Average Americans fall victim to the need to show others that they are intelligent. Combine this need with the principle of “free speech” and the belief that we live in a country that ENTITLES us to do what we want and the result is an endless line of empty headed, yet closed minded individuals with something stupid to say, do, AND FORCE ONTO OTHERS. Any rule, law, or policy that restricts information in the classroom is from just such a person or group of individuals. Just once I’d like to publicly say to my fellow Americans that the time to gain intelligence was during your grade school, secondary, and college education. If you didn’t pay much attention then (face it, most Americans DID NOT) then shut your yap! Foolish, undereducated Americans (seems like that is 80% of us) believe we live in a democracy (we don’t — it’s a constitutional republic), that nuclear power pollutes the world (it doesn’t if handled properly and will impact the world much less than any other fuel), that the Bible is a book of literal instuctions to be followed to the letter (it’s not — it is a collection of images of the nature of God), and that our government was meant to be a two party system making it easy to cheer for “My Team” and “Boo” the other guys. Well, my fellow Americans, our government should not be directed in the voting booth as if it were a football game, the Bible is not a cut and dry instruction manual, we’d better get smart about energy safety soon or we’ll be running our computers on squirrel power, and we should not, for an instant think that we should be forcing other peoples to follow a government form that we don’t have ourselves! Go back to school, get smart, and THEN PASS LAWS ABOUT WHAT SHOULD BE IN A CLASSROOM. What a collection of morons we have become!
Thanks to Ron Murray (#68) for citing the actual Colorado law. Poorly conceived and badly written laws allow tyrrany and abuse by those in power over those who serve. Jingoistic hyper-patriotism further promotes ignorance and xenophobia. To paraphrase Jesus: “Those that live by ignorance shall perish in ignorance.” If the good people of the State of Colorado want laws which accellerate the attrophy of their minds, let them have them; make way, oh ye who demand to be culled, for those who can adapt and see further than the filth in which ye wallow.
P.S. On the “Ratemyteachers.com” site Mr. Hamlin had only one review but it was an enthusiastic one from one of his students. The loss is Carmody Middle School’s.
If displaying flags is wrong then I’m in trouble too. I have all the ones mentioned and more hanging in my public school classroom at this moment. Where does this stuff come from?
It is precisely this kind of idiocy that precipitated my decision to retire early from teaching. The principal is a fool. What else can I say except that perhaps he/she is the one who should have been suspended.
This principal is a freaking idiot! Come onit’s a geography class, arent students suppose to learn about different countries and their flags. And if Colorado does have have a law about those flags then someone better do something quick, because I’m pretty sure the violates the first amendment. However they would probabaly have a rule on that too!
The principal obviously was looking for an excuse, as was the teacher. It is a shame that the students lost because of this nick-picking. I hope that the teacher is better served at another school. Jefferson County Schools saw the trouble with the issue and has attempted to save the day. The principal needs to learn tack with the experienced teacher in his school. He needs a letter of reprimand in his file to say the least. I am confident that the teacher is not finished with difficulties until this silly law is explained and ammended. I would hope that it was not for learning situations.
It seems to me that the position of the Bush administration has left teachers with no imigination because they are judged by end of course examinations.
It is time that we teach our children geography everyday and that we adults learn what geography is all about.
I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Geography and I am also a past member of Gamma Theta Upsilon honorary geography faternity.
Fire the principal! Enough said.
It’s a little propagandic that a TEACHER can’t display a foreign flag. Hey, why not stop teaching anything about foreign countries, and isolate our national consciousness a little more from the rest of the world, and make ourselves look even more foolish, ridiculous, and self-centered!?
I’m a geography teacher and a certified administrator in PA(elementary and secondary principal certs). Most of the posts seem to look at things from the teacher’s point of view without realizing the pressure that exists on school administrators to prevent, curb, or correct situations in schools from landing in the litigation circle. It is easy to second guess the principal in this case and view the person as a lame-brain or power freak. In reality, it is highly probable that he or she was simply looking at the flags in the classroom through a different lens. My personal feelings are that the display of flags for educational purposes is a great idea, but I am not sure how the state of Colorado sees it. Oh, one more thing. The suggestion that the principal be shot is disgusting, especially after what the educational community has gone through in Colorado. I can’t believe that even in jest someone would suggest we shoot another Colorado educator.
Gary in PA
In a geography class, no flags should be displayed? How about no maps or discussion of geography of foreign countries? Is this principal a moron or what? Im glad the teacher is moving to a new school, working for this MEATHEAD should be OUT. I would consider moving to another district or quitting being a teacher & do something more rewarding mentally & monetarily.The US is not the only place thats wacky, its the whole friggin world. This the kind of crap I had & why I retired from being a history & geography teacher when I was 47.
It is hard to believe that The USA REALLY is a democracy when you hear such apalling stories. Does that principal think that the rest of the world just doesn’t exists? Patriotism really has a lot to do with sheer stupidity.
To Mr.99… Your a perfect of example why Im gone from education. Think so reasonably, try to see all sides of argument, be “reasoned” & calculate ALL possible contingencies, then after full analysis of every possible effect known to humankind, make a decision, that maximizes the covering of ones “ass”. No passion, just cold calculating “LOGIC” like Spock. I had colleagues (administrators) who did exactly that, when planning their retirement. They analysed EVERYTHING down to how often they could afford their new Cadillac periodically. They moved to FL & after awhile left & returned to NJ in disgust. I on the other hand did some mild analysis, not attempting to cover all bases known to mankind, retired, lost 27% of my pension & lost money in SocSec benefits,left,moved here to Colorado & have been happily out of education for 14 years, with no regrets regarding money or exiting that stupid world. some people never learn. So be it
What it does is show just how insular the US is, and how paranoid most of the people are about “outsiders”, which is quite ironic, seeing it’s a nation of emigrants.
I hope you forward all of these emails to that school district. Tell them I have children adopted from Kazakhstan and Korea and I’m DAMN glad they’re not in that assinine and backwards school district. How disgusting.
I would like to see a follow-up from the principal’s point of view. No, I don’t think the teacher should have had to take the flags down – 1st Amendment aside, it’s an obviously appropriate teaching tool for a geography class – but I would like to know exactly what the principal was trying to avoid by demanding their removal. Did he fear that his own job was at risk? Proper journalism would allow the principal’s side of the story to be heard, and perhaps look into the law that he was trying to abide by. An opportunity for the students to work to change the law would seem like the obvious and best educational outcome from the whole thing, for all parties involved. It is a learning opportunity for everyone involved.
Our children need to understand that we are not the only ones on this planet. Global knowledge is not just the future but the now. The pricipal should have been the one to leave not the teacher.
I think there should be no such law. A teacher should expose his students to whatever resources deemed necessary to teach them about other countries etc… The very fact that he can afford to buy the flags on such low teacher salaries these days, he should be recommended to a better job, maybe even the principals job:)
This is unbelievable and narrow-minded.
This type of action enhances racism instead of acceptance. It is no wonder there is so much misunderstanding between USA citizens and other Natinals. It seems that some American Nationals just don’t get the idea that there are other nationalities in this Global Community.
In response to #2 above: I am a teacher in China and I have the American flag displayed. Let’s see what happens…
This whole story is sad. The state of Arizona has abandoned Geography as part of its curriculum for the insanely myopic view that all the kids need to know is US hstory. I guess if you keep the kids geographically dumb we will continue to be able to send our children off to die in far off places and they will have no knowledge of those places. What a way to prepare kids for a global society. This principal needs to be drawn and quartered using the flags. I display flags in my classroom and this year had to have them all fire-proofed!!!
A couple of points:
1.School is the one safe place where diversity can come together and be on display.
2. Anywhere but school, such displays can and have led to police action.
3.Lets not continue to prove to future generations that America has censureship in schools.
Fire the principal and school board. If their minds are that small, then they should not be in education or near a school. This would be a totally different matter if the flags replaced that of the United States, but this was in addition to that.
This is just not to believe. America joins the best and the worse. It is a question of common sense. Very sad, best regards, Serafim Leitão
flags should be able to display in class
what the Principal did is very unfortunate in the 21st Century and an insult to the creativity of Geographers and their desire to bring reality to classroom and the advocacy of a global village. The principal is more of a liability than an asset. Mayu God deliver him.
Another blatant example of educational ethnocentric teaching. Why are so many of our students/children clueless about the names and locations and cultures of other nations – the answer is in this Principal’s actions. Take it out another step however – where did the Principal get the idea that his/her action would be roundly supported – what was the School Board/Committee’s take on this or were they just mum?
It is amazing how many high school kids AND adults do not know their geography. This is a perfect example as to why.
My principal has flags for almost every nation of the world (including US)which are actively flown to celebrate the national days of members of student body or major national days. Mind you this is an Aussie school
I’d suggest sacking the principal and reinstating public flogging for the neanderthal radio personality.
This is just one of those examples of someone trying to flex a muscle in an effort to display their status and power. I can see NO harm in displaying international flags in a GEOGRAPHY course!!! Sometimes we, as a society get a little too wrapped up in ultimately harmless acts. The principal, school and school district should be ashamed and embarassed. I hope a good teacher is not effected long term by some silly decision!
What is the principal’s problem??
Do we not live in the United States of America where we have numerous freedoms. Being a parent I want my child to know that anyone in this country has the right to their freedoms also. How do we learn about other countries and their flags if it is outlawed in schools. This country has allowed people of other countries to call this home and they should have the same freedoms that we have, and teaching thier flags is just as important in the learning process to them as our flag is to us.
Tera in Texas
To Red Martian: Shoot the principal? I think not. Any teacher who teaches globalism should be fired. What contributions has the rest of the world made in comparison with the West, and especially, the United States? MEN OF THE WEST, STAND AND FIGHT!!!
There should have been some discussion with the school board about policy before this. But as far as foreign flags go, absolutely– there should not be any in the schools.
There is no valid purpose in making our nation’s students aware that there are any other countries except the United States. And anyway, haven’t most schools eliminated the U.S. flag as well? Banning all flags is a step in the right direction.
Rubish we live in a democratic country which has freedom no one has a right to suspend Mr. Hamlin from the school.