Article: Stuart Middle School teacher burns U.S. flags in class
Lesson causes uproar in Jefferson
By Chris Kenning
ckenning@courier-journal.com
The Courier-Journal
Stuart Middle School teacher has been removed from the classroom after he burned two American flags in class during a lesson on freedom of speech, Jefferson County Public Schools officials said.
Dan Holden, who teaches seventh-grade social studies, burned small flags in two different classes Friday and asked students to write an opinion paper about it, district spokeswoman Lauren Roberts said.
A teacher in the school district since 1979, Holden has been temporarily reassigned to non-instructional duties pending a district investigation. The district also alerted city fire officials, who are conducting their own investigation.
"Certainly we're concerned about the safety aspect," Roberts said, along with "the judgment of using that type of demonstration in a class."
Pat Summers, whose daughter was in Holden's class, said he was among more than 20 parents upset about the incident at school yesterday. Holden apparently told the students to ask their parents what they thought about the lesson, he said.
"She said, 'Our teacher burned a flag.' I'm like, 'What?' " Summers said. "When I was (at the school) at 8 a.m., the lobby was filled with probably 25 or 30 parents" who were upset, he said.
Holden could not be reached yesterday for comment.
Roberts said the flag burning did not appear to be politically motivated, based on an interview with Holden.
Summers said no advance notice had been given to parents, nor were school administrators aware of Holden's plans, Roberts said.
Stuart sixth-grader Kelsey Adwell, 11, said students were abuzz about the incident yesterday.
"They just can't believe that a teacher would do that -- burn two American flags in front of the class," she said. "A teacher shouldn't do that, even though it was an example."
Kentucky has a statute last amended in 1992 making desecration of a national or state flag in a public place a misdemeanor, but the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that flag desecration is protected speech.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky said the federal ruling would trump the state statute.
Congress has tried unsuccessfully to prohibit flag burning with a constitutional amendment. The latest attempt failed in the Senate this year.
Beth Wilson, director of Kentucky's ACLU, said the district is allowed to decide what's instructionally appropriate.
But "if a school is masking their objections to flag burning under the guise of safety, it raises questions about freedom of speech and academic freedom," she said. She said her group would monitor the case but did not plan to get involved at this point.
Regardless, school board member Pat O'Leary said the flag burning was unnecessary and could have offended some students, including those in military families.
"A teacher doesn't do that," he said. "It's just disrespectful."
Rebecca Creech, a Stuart sixth-grader, said she also thought it was "wrong."
Ginny Adwell, Kelsey's mother and the school's PTA president, said some parents who called for Holden to be fired were "going a little bit overboard" and should remember that the teacher was trying to provoke thought.
Brent McKim, president of the Jefferson County Teachers Association, said Holden has "been teaching for many years, and has by all accounts a good teaching record. It was not a political statement and was meant to illustrate a controversial issue. To fire someone because of that would be inappropriate," he said. "It wasn't like he was taking one side or another."
McKim said he was gathering facts that would determine whether the district was justified in removing Holden from the classroom.
In 2001, a teacher in Sacramento, Calif., faced suspension for using a lighter to singe a corner of an American flag in class.
The teacher later was fired, but district officials cited numerous acts of poor judgment and disregard for superiors.
Reporter Chris Kenning can be reached at (502) 582-4697.
By Chris Kenning
ckenning@courier-journal.com
The Courier-Journal
Stuart Middle School teacher has been removed from the classroom after he burned two American flags in class during a lesson on freedom of speech, Jefferson County Public Schools officials said.
Dan Holden, who teaches seventh-grade social studies, burned small flags in two different classes Friday and asked students to write an opinion paper about it, district spokeswoman Lauren Roberts said.
A teacher in the school district since 1979, Holden has been temporarily reassigned to non-instructional duties pending a district investigation. The district also alerted city fire officials, who are conducting their own investigation.
"Certainly we're concerned about the safety aspect," Roberts said, along with "the judgment of using that type of demonstration in a class."
Pat Summers, whose daughter was in Holden's class, said he was among more than 20 parents upset about the incident at school yesterday. Holden apparently told the students to ask their parents what they thought about the lesson, he said.
"She said, 'Our teacher burned a flag.' I'm like, 'What?' " Summers said. "When I was (at the school) at 8 a.m., the lobby was filled with probably 25 or 30 parents" who were upset, he said.
Holden could not be reached yesterday for comment.
Roberts said the flag burning did not appear to be politically motivated, based on an interview with Holden.
Summers said no advance notice had been given to parents, nor were school administrators aware of Holden's plans, Roberts said.
Stuart sixth-grader Kelsey Adwell, 11, said students were abuzz about the incident yesterday.
"They just can't believe that a teacher would do that -- burn two American flags in front of the class," she said. "A teacher shouldn't do that, even though it was an example."
Kentucky has a statute last amended in 1992 making desecration of a national or state flag in a public place a misdemeanor, but the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that flag desecration is protected speech.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky said the federal ruling would trump the state statute.
Congress has tried unsuccessfully to prohibit flag burning with a constitutional amendment. The latest attempt failed in the Senate this year.
Beth Wilson, director of Kentucky's ACLU, said the district is allowed to decide what's instructionally appropriate.
But "if a school is masking their objections to flag burning under the guise of safety, it raises questions about freedom of speech and academic freedom," she said. She said her group would monitor the case but did not plan to get involved at this point.
Regardless, school board member Pat O'Leary said the flag burning was unnecessary and could have offended some students, including those in military families.
"A teacher doesn't do that," he said. "It's just disrespectful."
Rebecca Creech, a Stuart sixth-grader, said she also thought it was "wrong."
Ginny Adwell, Kelsey's mother and the school's PTA president, said some parents who called for Holden to be fired were "going a little bit overboard" and should remember that the teacher was trying to provoke thought.
Brent McKim, president of the Jefferson County Teachers Association, said Holden has "been teaching for many years, and has by all accounts a good teaching record. It was not a political statement and was meant to illustrate a controversial issue. To fire someone because of that would be inappropriate," he said. "It wasn't like he was taking one side or another."
McKim said he was gathering facts that would determine whether the district was justified in removing Holden from the classroom.
In 2001, a teacher in Sacramento, Calif., faced suspension for using a lighter to singe a corner of an American flag in class.
The teacher later was fired, but district officials cited numerous acts of poor judgment and disregard for superiors.
Reporter Chris Kenning can be reached at (502) 582-4697.
posted by Elizabeth at 5:19 PM
9 Comments:
Ignorant teachers.
Whether the flag burning was politically motivated or not is irrelevant.
A case could be made for the safety of the students but I imagine it was a controlled burn and there was little real danger. If the teacher will be dismissed it will be over some fire code violation. It's like busting Capone for tax evasion instead of murder.
Why do teachers think they can do things like this and get away with it? So many teachers have been fired for doing things that, if given a little thought, were just bad ideas.
Right, the kids never had a chance to put into thoughts and words why they were offended, or what their parents thought. Better for mom to wear the stars and stripes as a bikini.
Better for mom to wear the stars and stripes as a bikini.
There's a bolster for the ACLU confused mentality if I ever read one. Although it is wrong to wear the flag as an article of clothing it bothers me a lot less than some jackhole burning it or wiping his ass on it.
Did the kids write about it? I don't know if they got that far or not but the story doesn't say anything about it.
It says a lot when 11 year olds are appalled by a flag burning- Patriotism doesn't have a minimum age.
Did the kids write about it? I don't know if they got that far or not but the story doesn't say anything about it.
Oh, come on. You can't honestly believe that it matters whether or not the students write a paper about this. The whole ideas of such an exercise it to reflect. Don't you think the 25 to 30 angry parents in the school's lobby wasn't lesson enough?
Those children will remember this incident for the rest of their lives, and no matter what the teacher's attitude, the opinions they form about it will be their own.
I studied education theory at the University of Utah. During one of the classes, I made the mistake of saying something positive about the free market; so they kicked me out.
Anyway, I think it is great to see education theory in action. Burning a flag is called a "praxis." A praxis is an action that the activist teacher undertakes to raise the student's social concious in the people's struggle against the oppressive state.
The teacher burning the flag is a good example of a passive praxis. As I was taught at the University of Utah's education is it more effective to actually involve the students in the flag burning.
However, the disciplinary action taken against the teacher can be used to bulster the current lie that the right is a greater threat to free speech than the left.
The professors I had that the U would dryly lament that this praxis failed to adequately involve the students in the people's struggle, but by causing a reaction it did succeed in raising concious of the lies about the right opposing free speech.
As for the comments about students remembering this for the rest of their lives, that probably is true. It was a good thirty years ago that I was tossed out of school for supporting the free market. I still despise the Marxist professors I've had the misfortune to meet.
so this teacher, who burns the
american flag in class to add some
spark or edge to the writing exercise of the kids, gets to be
"the most dangerous academic in
America".
Are you sure?
Typical redneck idiot reaction ... suspending the teacher. I love the comment about how it might offend someone in a military family. I used to be a "military family," and I'll tell you, the only reason it would offend anyone in a "military family" is, well, because most of our military is staffed with morons.
Would I have done this? No, it sounds like kind of a dumb exercise. But I would advocate forced sterilization of anyone who got their fucking panties in a bunch about it.
Wow. You people really are wackos! Jesus, it's scary how stupid people are. I guess that we'll end up evolving into two different species. Jesus, I hope so. I wouldn't touch one of you idiots with a 10 foot pole.
Kevin: Good comments! I studied education at the graduate level, and I agree that seeing someone put education theory into action is nice. I'm a retired socialist professor (not quite a Marxist), and I'm perfectly okay with you despising your Marxist profs--especially if they booted you. You've made some good points. Interesting how Marx, Freire, and Fleisher have taken Aristotle's concept of praxis and employed it (or expanded its use). Let all of us who educate find wisdom enough to distinguish between eupraxia and dyspraxia. And don't let us forget the theoria and poiesis while we're at it. Amen.
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