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'SLUR' TEACHER 'SORRY'
New York Post ^ | February 23, 2005 | DAVID ANDREATTA , David Seifman and Patrick Gallahue

Posted on 02/24/2005 7:45:55 AM PST by BellStar

The Brooklyn teacher who sent an American soldier demoralizing letters written by sixth-graders apologized yesterday and admitted blame. In a statement issued by the Department of Education, social studies teacher Alex Kunhardt said he regretted offending Pfc. Rob Jacobs.

His statement, however, did not address whether he either coached the students or read their missives — which accused soldiers of committing atrocities in Iraq — before mailing them.

(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: alexkunhardt; american; apology; atrocitiesiniraq; brooklynteacher; bush; deridedmilitary; gis; hate; iraq; military; newyork; pfcrobjacobs; robjacobs; slur; soldier; students; teacher; war; wardchurchillpunks; zone
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To: pabianice; Piquaboy; gibtx2; prion; Virginia Queen; elli1
Precisely.

This "free speech" canard used by Michael Bloomberg-who's simply a refurbished version of John Lindsay-isn't going to fly.

People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use.

-Soren Kierkegaard

41 posted on 02/24/2005 8:32:31 AM PST by Do not dub me shapka broham (You are reading my 6,000th post, since November.)
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To: prion

The first thing I said after reading the article.
What an a$$!


42 posted on 02/24/2005 8:33:05 AM PST by Mrs.Nooseman
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To: elli1

You know, I can't help but wonder what would have happened if a teacher had used this type of assignment to promulgate, say, Christian views? Or conservative ones? For instance, what if a teacher used "freedom of speech" to create an assigment for students to write to local doctors against abortion? Or to write to the teachers union in support of Republican candidates? That teacher would be cleaning out his/her desk the next day!


43 posted on 02/24/2005 8:35:22 AM PST by GraceCoolidge
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To: GraceCoolidge
Most brilliant observation Grasshopper!
44 posted on 02/24/2005 8:39:02 AM PST by BellStar (Pray for our heroes...)
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To: BellStar

anybody know where this P.O.S. got Pvt. Jacobs name and address from in the first place???


45 posted on 02/24/2005 8:40:39 AM PST by Chode (American Hedonist ©®)
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To: BellStar

Another way to look at that child's letter;

"Alex Kunhardt thinks he's brave in his safe little house in Park Slope with as many policemen on the streets and soldiers abroad as he thinks he needs..."

There. That's better.


46 posted on 02/24/2005 8:41:46 AM PST by squarebarb
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To: Chode
anybody know where this P.O.S. got Pvt. Jacobs name and address from in the first place???

His dad gave it out to a co-worker..the co-worker was asked by someone at the school if she/he knew of any soldiers they could write to. Something along those lines..

47 posted on 02/24/2005 8:47:01 AM PST by Ros42
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To: Chode

Yes. They actually got the info from the soldier's dad. They approached him and asked if his son might be interested in receiving mail from/being a pen-pal/ with some elementary school students. He was on Hannity yesterday afternoon and the last two evenings. He is livid.


48 posted on 02/24/2005 8:48:09 AM PST by Virginia Queen (Virginia Queen)
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To: GraceCoolidge

I was thinking along the lines you were thinking...but w/ a difference. 'What if' the teacher had asked the kiddoes to write & sound off to Jesse Jackson or that sniper Malvo character or one of the numerous thugs in professional sports? I think that, in all of 'our' examples, ''sorry'' wouldn't get it.


49 posted on 02/24/2005 8:49:19 AM PST by elli1
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To: BellStar

Does anyone have an email address for this teacher or school district? This propaganda/brandwashing goes on in public education every day and has been going on back to the early 80's--thanks to the NEA. Any doubters should read the book, "The Children's Story" written by James Clavell. Mr. Clavell wanted to point out what can and does happen in a school classroom. Parents need to wake up and realize how Liberalism borne of the NEA is brainwashing their children. The mother on Hannity yesterday was herself a brainwashed Liberal--no wonder her kid is the same.


50 posted on 02/24/2005 8:52:05 AM PST by ExTexasRedhead
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To: ExTexasRedhead

See
37 posted on 02/24/2005 10:30:58 AM CST by Rhetorical pi2


51 posted on 02/24/2005 8:53:32 AM PST by BellStar (Pray for our heroes...)
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To: BellStar

What a stupid bastard and this rubbish is in the classes with our children!!!!!


52 posted on 02/24/2005 9:04:15 AM PST by Fast1 (Destroy America buy Chinese goods.)
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To: mnehrling

Re the parent's comment that the kids were expressing their "real feelings": This is the problem with so much education today. Kids are encouraged to believe that their feelings are equal in validity to anyone else's, even if they are based in ignorance.


53 posted on 02/24/2005 9:18:47 AM PST by joylyn
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To: BellStar

BUMP!


54 posted on 02/24/2005 9:49:54 AM PST by Eastbound
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To: Do not dub me shapka broham

"What's truly remarkable about this story-at least, from my perspective-is the fact that over half of the students refused to accede to the demands of this noxious, anti-American, AFT stooge."

Thanks for the additional information and good news.


55 posted on 02/24/2005 10:07:27 AM PST by CSM ("I just started shooting," said Gloria Doster, 56. "I was trying to blow his brains out ....")
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To: mnehrling

The real danger is in the fact that once teachers like get through with our kids, it IS their real feelings.


56 posted on 02/24/2005 12:23:27 PM PST by sageb1
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To: BellStar

http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/22125.htm

TEACHER'S MAIL-CALL SURPRISE

February 24, 2005 -- Brooklyn sixth-graders who enraged a GI with insulting letters they wrote for a social-studies class had no idea when they got the assignment that their missives would be mailed, parents said yesterday.
Two parents of students at JHS 51 in Park Slope said their kids were told to write to a "fictitious soldier or veteran," but the teacher — who officials now say will be reprimanded — never indicated the letters would be sent.

Only after the students handed in the assignment, the parents said, did teacher Alex Kunhardt ask them if they objected to their letters being mailed to a soldier.

According to one of the parents, both of whom requested anonymity, about half the students agreed to have their letters sent.

While most of the 21 letters Kunhardt sent to Pfc. Rob Jacobs, stationed near the North Korea border, commended his bravery and touched on serious issues surrounding the Iraq war, about half derided the war or President Bush.

A girl wrote that soldiers "are being forced to kill innocent people," while a boy accused soldiers of "destroying holy places like mosques."

The letters, written shortly after the presidential election, stemmed from a weeks-long exercise in which students discussed current events, including the war, parents said.



"If you could say anything you wanted to a soldier, what would you say?" is how one parent described the assignment. "It was an exercise in having the children think for themselves."

Robert Jacobs Sr., the private's father, said the new information about the assignment suggested the students were "manipulated." He called for Kunhardt's firing.

A city Department of Education spokeswoman said principal Xavier Costello will place a letter of reprimand in Kunhardt's file. The parents insisted that there was nothing underhanded about the assignment, and defended the 32-year-old teacher as a brilliant educator.

"They say that you're lucky if you get one or two great teachers in your lifetime. He's one of them," said one parent, who added that any attempt to fire Kunhardt would be met with fierce resistance.

Both parents objected to suggestions that Kunhardt coached the children in their letters, noting that the kids were allowed to work on the assignment over a weekend.


Kunhardt, who has apologized for the letters, could not be reached yesterday.


57 posted on 02/24/2005 12:29:13 PM PST by finnman69 (cum puella incedit minore medio corpore sub quo manifestus globus, inflammare animos)
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To: finnman69
"They say that you're lucky if you get one or two great teachers in your lifetime. He's one of them,"

Comments by bent, twisted or deranged parents!

58 posted on 02/24/2005 12:38:50 PM PST by BellStar (Pray for our heroes...)
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To: Virginia Queen; Ros42

thankx... just damn.


59 posted on 02/24/2005 1:07:06 PM PST by Chode (American Hedonist ©®)
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To: finnman69
any attempt to fire Kunhardt would be met with fierce resistance

What exactly would "fierce" mean to a bunch of thumb sucking pacifists?? LOL!! :)

60 posted on 02/24/2005 4:04:18 PM PST by Ros42
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