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The Turner Case
The Turner Case
http://ansonburlingame.wordpress.com...e-turner-case/
http://whitenationalist.org/forum/sh...=8573#post8573
First and foremost, read Wally Kennedy’s superb article in Friday’s Globe reporting the FACTS as presented at the hearing in this case. He concisely NAILED the various presentations and now the BOE must decide a very TOUGH case. It is very much to be determined either WHEN a decision will be made and HOW it will be announced. My guess is it could take a couple of weeks, maybe.
Frankly, I see no way how the BOE can make a fair and impartial hearing based on just paper evidence submitted during the hearing, alone. CLEARLY, Randy Turner in FACT violated multiple BOE policies. From a legal standpoint, the administration “proved” its assertions that policies were violated. But the question then becomes WHY did Turner do so, violate BOE policies and were such violations so egregious as to be “firing offenses”.
This case is TOUGH simply because extraordinarly sound JUDGMENT must be used to decide, one way or the other. The case is NOT just open and shut “legality”, in my view. As expected, I believe the case comes down to “was Turner a good teacher that simply made some mistakes, and thus…….” My own conclusion now is NO, he was NOT a good teacher, a professional teacher. And the evidence of such came right from the mouths of his supporters and the writing’s they submitted as exhibits.
YES, Turner was a very POPULAR teacher. But again, I do not think he was a good, professional teacher, based on reading what he has written, himself, and the products from his students. Please let me expand on that thought before you throw the book at me.
I begin with the opening statement by his attorney who said, “Mr. Turner does NOT teach reading. His course is a writing intensive course!!!!” That my friends is “in the record” at least in terms of words to that effect. Well Mr. Turner, how in the hell can you teach good writing without demanding a helluva lot of good reading, learning how to make critical judgments of what one reads and THEN write about it. Impossible, in my view. Good judgment, critical judgment is a BASIC part of good writing.
Yet his own students said he lets them write whatever they “feel” and never judges their writing/judgment as good or bad, other than grammar and spelling, etc. If Turner was conducting a course in psychotherapy, well maybe that would be OK. But again, good writing must reflect good judgment, in my view. As one teacher with whom I spoke during the hearings said, a student must be able to write clearly AND BACK IT UP as well. Turner rarely forced his students to “back it up” it seems based on testimony that I heard.
Now go read Turner’s own blog, the Turner Report. He does the same thing, himself. He writes prolifically about a wide range of subjects. But he fails in many cases to back up his own views on many subjects, right there in his own blog. He also “shades the truth” in his blog and does NOT allow posts that challenge him to “go up” on his blog. That to me is pure censorship and I don’t like it from people that choose to write publicly.
But then consider the ridiculous book, No Child Left Alive. Sure he has every right to write and publish that book. But what was he trying to achieve by writing the book. He said it himself. It was intended as a satirical demonstration of a dysfunctional school system. To me at least the book FAILED on that count alone. It was not good satire. It was the grossest overstatement of a dysfunctional system that I think I have ever read. The book was in no way objective nor did it suggest how to better “run a school”. That was left almost exclusively to the mind of the reader, for sure.
If I was going to prepare for a debate on the pros and cons of the No Child Left Behind government program, which Turner HATES, I would NEVER use NCLA as a reference to so prepare for a debate. It is simply TRASH with no basis for consideration, unless you think Turner’s grossly one sided view is valid on that subject. Obviously women get raped in school bathrooms because …….???
Another point, brought out in testimony but not emphasized by the administration’s direct examination of Turner. Turner was “pushed” (to the ground) by a student in about Oct 2012 (maybe 2011) and the discipline taken against that student by an Assistant Principle was woefully inadequate, in Turner’s view (and I agree as well). So what did Turner do because an Assistant Principle made a mistake?
The answer was there for all to hear. Turner wrote NCLA!!! Boy will I get those SOBS that fail to properly discipline students. I’ll write a book to blow’em all out of the water, and he proceeded to do exactly that.
My question, and I would have been all over Turner in direct examination had I been questioning him is WHAT COULD YOU HAVE DONE, within the “system” in your school to remedy a mistake by one of your supervisors. He (Turner) COULD HAVE, complained verbally to the Principle, complained verbally to the Director of Human Resources, put his complaint in writing to one or both of those supervisors and go all the way up to the Superintendent of Schools as well, had he been really upset with the lack of discipline in a single case. He did not do any of that, seek remedy for a legitimate concern, within the system provided for such concern resolutions.
NO, he just put his “feelings” in a book, and let’r rip, publicly. Well Mr. Turner, this citizen read your book and assigns a grade of F, period. You failed to “back up” your tirade, just like you seem to encourage students to “let’r rip” in your writing classes, with no back up to their opinions.
Yes Turner was a very popular, even a beloved teacher, based on testimony provided by well meaning students, parents and other teachers. But as the administration’s attorney repeatedly pointed out in cross examination, such opinions had NOTHING TO DO with the specific charges brought forth by the administration. Hell none of those students, parents or other teachers had even READ the charges or made any attempt to refute ANY or all specific charges. They simply testified with their “feelings” about the matter.
Sound familiar?
So Mr. and Ms. BOE members, the Superintendent of Schools has CLEARLY taken a firm stand regarding Turner’s performance from about Dec 2012 (when he first began promoting his book, to students and others) up to his removal from the schools and being placed on paid leave of absence in April 2013.
Countering that judgment by the Superintendent of Schools, you saw a parade of “passionate” students, parents and other teachers, expressing their “feelings” on the matter and calling for Turner to be returned to the class room.
It is now up to you “guys” but it is pretty clear how I would debate that vote if I was a member of the BOE. Turner would be fired and his certificate allowing him to teach elsewhere removed. I would then budget a helluva lot of money for attorney fees for follow on law suits as well coming from the NEA and its minions!!!
Is this a fight worth fighting? You bet it is in my opinion. Professional teachers must act professionally, not like screaming kids when they think they are wronged. Mr. Turner failed to do so, act professionally and thus should suffer the consequences of his own mistakes. My God, can’t you just hear the NEA reading that accusation!!! Maybe I should get my own lawyer, I suppose.
The Turner Case
http://ansonburlingame.wordpress.com...e-turner-case/
http://whitenationalist.org/forum/sh...=8573#post8573
First and foremost, read Wally Kennedy’s superb article in Friday’s Globe reporting the FACTS as presented at the hearing in this case. He concisely NAILED the various presentations and now the BOE must decide a very TOUGH case. It is very much to be determined either WHEN a decision will be made and HOW it will be announced. My guess is it could take a couple of weeks, maybe.
Frankly, I see no way how the BOE can make a fair and impartial hearing based on just paper evidence submitted during the hearing, alone. CLEARLY, Randy Turner in FACT violated multiple BOE policies. From a legal standpoint, the administration “proved” its assertions that policies were violated. But the question then becomes WHY did Turner do so, violate BOE policies and were such violations so egregious as to be “firing offenses”.
This case is TOUGH simply because extraordinarly sound JUDGMENT must be used to decide, one way or the other. The case is NOT just open and shut “legality”, in my view. As expected, I believe the case comes down to “was Turner a good teacher that simply made some mistakes, and thus…….” My own conclusion now is NO, he was NOT a good teacher, a professional teacher. And the evidence of such came right from the mouths of his supporters and the writing’s they submitted as exhibits.
YES, Turner was a very POPULAR teacher. But again, I do not think he was a good, professional teacher, based on reading what he has written, himself, and the products from his students. Please let me expand on that thought before you throw the book at me.
I begin with the opening statement by his attorney who said, “Mr. Turner does NOT teach reading. His course is a writing intensive course!!!!” That my friends is “in the record” at least in terms of words to that effect. Well Mr. Turner, how in the hell can you teach good writing without demanding a helluva lot of good reading, learning how to make critical judgments of what one reads and THEN write about it. Impossible, in my view. Good judgment, critical judgment is a BASIC part of good writing.
Yet his own students said he lets them write whatever they “feel” and never judges their writing/judgment as good or bad, other than grammar and spelling, etc. If Turner was conducting a course in psychotherapy, well maybe that would be OK. But again, good writing must reflect good judgment, in my view. As one teacher with whom I spoke during the hearings said, a student must be able to write clearly AND BACK IT UP as well. Turner rarely forced his students to “back it up” it seems based on testimony that I heard.
Now go read Turner’s own blog, the Turner Report. He does the same thing, himself. He writes prolifically about a wide range of subjects. But he fails in many cases to back up his own views on many subjects, right there in his own blog. He also “shades the truth” in his blog and does NOT allow posts that challenge him to “go up” on his blog. That to me is pure censorship and I don’t like it from people that choose to write publicly.
But then consider the ridiculous book, No Child Left Alive. Sure he has every right to write and publish that book. But what was he trying to achieve by writing the book. He said it himself. It was intended as a satirical demonstration of a dysfunctional school system. To me at least the book FAILED on that count alone. It was not good satire. It was the grossest overstatement of a dysfunctional system that I think I have ever read. The book was in no way objective nor did it suggest how to better “run a school”. That was left almost exclusively to the mind of the reader, for sure.
If I was going to prepare for a debate on the pros and cons of the No Child Left Behind government program, which Turner HATES, I would NEVER use NCLA as a reference to so prepare for a debate. It is simply TRASH with no basis for consideration, unless you think Turner’s grossly one sided view is valid on that subject. Obviously women get raped in school bathrooms because …….???
Another point, brought out in testimony but not emphasized by the administration’s direct examination of Turner. Turner was “pushed” (to the ground) by a student in about Oct 2012 (maybe 2011) and the discipline taken against that student by an Assistant Principle was woefully inadequate, in Turner’s view (and I agree as well). So what did Turner do because an Assistant Principle made a mistake?
The answer was there for all to hear. Turner wrote NCLA!!! Boy will I get those SOBS that fail to properly discipline students. I’ll write a book to blow’em all out of the water, and he proceeded to do exactly that.
My question, and I would have been all over Turner in direct examination had I been questioning him is WHAT COULD YOU HAVE DONE, within the “system” in your school to remedy a mistake by one of your supervisors. He (Turner) COULD HAVE, complained verbally to the Principle, complained verbally to the Director of Human Resources, put his complaint in writing to one or both of those supervisors and go all the way up to the Superintendent of Schools as well, had he been really upset with the lack of discipline in a single case. He did not do any of that, seek remedy for a legitimate concern, within the system provided for such concern resolutions.
NO, he just put his “feelings” in a book, and let’r rip, publicly. Well Mr. Turner, this citizen read your book and assigns a grade of F, period. You failed to “back up” your tirade, just like you seem to encourage students to “let’r rip” in your writing classes, with no back up to their opinions.
Yes Turner was a very popular, even a beloved teacher, based on testimony provided by well meaning students, parents and other teachers. But as the administration’s attorney repeatedly pointed out in cross examination, such opinions had NOTHING TO DO with the specific charges brought forth by the administration. Hell none of those students, parents or other teachers had even READ the charges or made any attempt to refute ANY or all specific charges. They simply testified with their “feelings” about the matter.
Sound familiar?
So Mr. and Ms. BOE members, the Superintendent of Schools has CLEARLY taken a firm stand regarding Turner’s performance from about Dec 2012 (when he first began promoting his book, to students and others) up to his removal from the schools and being placed on paid leave of absence in April 2013.
Countering that judgment by the Superintendent of Schools, you saw a parade of “passionate” students, parents and other teachers, expressing their “feelings” on the matter and calling for Turner to be returned to the class room.
It is now up to you “guys” but it is pretty clear how I would debate that vote if I was a member of the BOE. Turner would be fired and his certificate allowing him to teach elsewhere removed. I would then budget a helluva lot of money for attorney fees for follow on law suits as well coming from the NEA and its minions!!!
Is this a fight worth fighting? You bet it is in my opinion. Professional teachers must act professionally, not like screaming kids when they think they are wronged. Mr. Turner failed to do so, act professionally and thus should suffer the consequences of his own mistakes. My God, can’t you just hear the NEA reading that accusation!!! Maybe I should get my own lawyer, I suppose.
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