Report: Ohio teacher burned cross on kids' arms

**FlaGator** · 06-21-2008, 10:47 PM

Originally Posted by wilbur

According to reality. Religion gets its morals from the same place atheists get theirs from. God sure seems to have a lot of mutually exclusive and contradictory morals, when one takes into account the thousands of different religions in the world. If morals come from God.... then morals should be consistent across the entire human race.

I believe it was C.S. Lewis who addressed this issue and from my admittedly theist perspective I agree with him. God created a set of just and true moral laws and created man with the awareness of those laws. After man's fall he became corrupt and imperfect. Still being aware of those laws man has endeavored to interpret them but does so imperfectly. That which is imperfect cannot fully comprehend that which is perfect. Thus the many seemingly different moral codes we see existing. There are some basic morals, however, that tend to common to all cultures. Murder is a good example but even murder is interpreted imperfectly. One culture says that killing a thief is ok but another says that killing a thief is wrong; you just cut off his hand. Each culture has redefined the meaning for murder to make acceptable what they consider is justifiable killing. In short each culture considers murder to be wrong, but they redefine (interpret) what is an action of murder so as to allow for their own imperfect justice to be enforced.

If you don’t believe in God then the above would make little sense because its premise is unacceptable to you.

**The Night Owl** · 06-21-2008, 10:52 PM

Originally Posted by Lanie

I think the parents are confirming it happened.

on edit:

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2008/06/...6651213940683/

Yuk.

The parents cannot confirm what they did not witness.

**linda22003** · 06-22-2008, 06:49 AM

Originally Posted by Lanie

Didn't Joan of Arc get burned at the stake?

Yes, but not for being a witch.

**Sonnabend** · 06-22-2008, 06:59 AM

Some? Yeah - about 14 in North America at the moment

Name them.

**crockspot** · 06-22-2008, 09:49 AM

Originally Posted by AlmostThere

Is that really true? That is an awesome idea. I just read your post to my wife. We both immediately agreed what an supremely effective technique that would be. Bravo.

Don't get me wrong, I don't endorse child abuse. But to let a child grow up without understanding their actions have consequences is truly cruel.

It is absolutely true, at least according to my girl. It has happened a number of times. The school is not allowed to mete out corporal punishment, but the parents are another story.

**crockspot** · 06-22-2008, 12:29 PM

OK, latest word from my gf who teaches in Ohio, and whose aunt lives in the town where this happened, the teacher did not actually brand the child, the child branded himself. The parents are blaming the teacher though.

**AlmostThere** · 06-22-2008, 01:57 PM

Originally Posted by crockspot

It is absolutely true, at least according to my girl. It has happened a number of times. The school is not allowed to mete out corporal punishment, but the parents are another story.

Again, Bravo. My sis-n-law, an educator, retired a couple years ago and we've discussed numerous times the disciplinary problems in schools and the extensive problems they create. She had over 20 years in the classroom and another 10 in admin. In her opinion, which I respect greatly, throwing money at the problem will accomplish nothing. Money can't buy a student's respect for the teacher or authority in general, respect for his classmates or respect for himself. She is convinced that lack of respect is at the root of the disciplinary problems in the classroom. Money can't buy the parental involvement necessary for a child to succeed. It may be of some help to a financially struggling household, but it doesn't guarantee their participation.

She would say, a lack of parental involvement made her job much, much more difficult but if the student was well-behaved, she stood a fighting chance of educating the child with or without the parent's help.

Good luck to your lady. If anyone deserves the multi-million dollar contracts and their face on a Wheaties box it is the teacher who genuinely cares about the students they teach. :):)

**AlmostThere** · 06-22-2008, 02:22 PM

Originally Posted by crockspot

OK, latest word from my gf who teaches in Ohio, and whose aunt lives in the town where this happened, the teacher did not actually brand the child, the child branded himself. The parents are blaming the teacher though.

As may be obvious from some of my posts, I'm a huge fan of good teachers. With that said, if the teacher was aware of what the kid was doing and didn't attempt to stop it, IMHO, the parents have a right to hold him responsible. I saw a 20-30 second interview with the teacher last night. I personally didn't have enough time to get a good read on the guy. But what hit me between the eyes was the 10 second sound-bite from one of his supporting students. The look on the student's face and the commitment in his voice gave me the impression that the student practically worshiped the teacher. That was scary.