Reason number 95,385 to keep your kids out of government schools (via the Boston Globe):

BENNINGTON, Vt. –The school superintendent whose district includes Mount Anthony Union High School has labeled “inappropriate” and “irresponsible” an English teacher’s use of liberal statements in a vocabulary quiz.

“I wish Bush would be (coherent, eschewed) for once during a speech, but there are theories that his everyday diction charms the below-average mind, hence insuring (sic) him Republican votes,” said one question on a quiz written by English and social studies teacher Bret Chenkin.

The question referring to the president asked students to say whether coherent or eschewed was the proper word. The sentence would be more coherent if one eschewed eschewed.

Another example said, “It is frightening the way the extreme right has (balled, arrogated) aspects of the Constitution and warped them for their own agenda.” Arrogated would be the proper word there.

Chenkin, 36 and a teacher for seven years, said the quizzes are being taken out of context.

“The kids know it’s hyperbolic, so-to-speak,” he said. “They know it’s tongue in cheek. They know where I stand.”

He said he isn’t shy about sharing his liberal views with students, but invites vigorous debate in the classroom.

“Never once have I said, ‘OK, you’re wrong,’” he said. “Instead, it’s, ‘OK, let’s open this up. Let’s see where this can go.’”

Southwest Vermont Supervisory Union Superintendent Wesley Knapp said he would not want his children subjected to such teaching.

“It’s absolutely unacceptable,” he said. “They (teachers) don’t have a license to hold forth on a particular standpoint.”

Contact Chenkin and the English Department here.

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From reader Carol R.:

Michelle,

My daughter attended a private school until 7th grade. We transferred her to a gifted and talented program in our local public school for 8th grade. Her Spanish teacher one day had the class repeat these phrases in Spanish (written on large pieces of paper and posted in the classroom for weeks thereafter): “We like Bill Clinton. We do not like George Bush.”

My daughter came home and told me about this incident, and at Open House I told the teacher we did not appreciate the political comment. She said the children thought it was funny. I said my daughter did not. I asked the teacher not to repeat such actions. She again said the children thought it was funny. After the FOURTH iteration of this exchange, I simply said I would talk to the principal if anything similar happened again. Then, and only then, did she apologize and promise me it would not happen again.

Government schools, indeed.

PS I am now homeschooling my daughter, who is in 10th grade.

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