Education - Teacher Suspended After Comparing Bush To Hitler'

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Thu, 2 Mar 2006 17:22:29 -0800 (PST)

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'TheKansasCityChannel.com - Education - Teacher Suspended

After Comparing Bush To Hitler'

 

 

http://www.thekansascitychannel.com/education/7617928/detail.html

 

 

Teacher Suspended After Comparing Bush To Hitler

Teacher On Paid Leave After Criticizing Bush

 

UPDATED: 1:13 pm CST March 2, 2006

 

AURORA, Colo. -- A Colorado high school teacher was on administrative

leave Thursday after he criticized President George W. Bush,

capitalism and the United States' foreign policy in his geography

class at Overland High School.

 

More than 100 students at Overland walked out of class in protest of

the suspension Thursday morning. Then, additional students walked out

to protest the teacher's remarks.

 

An Overland student went public Wednesday with a 20-minute recording

of the incident, in which teacher Jay Bennish said there were

similarities between what Bush said during his State of the Union

address and " things that Adolf Hitler used to say. "

 

The United States was " probably the single most violent nation on

planet Earth, " the social studies teacher also said on the tape,

recorded by 10th-grade student Sean Allen.

 

" So these kids are going to have notes on why George Bush is related

to Hitler and why the state of Israel was founded on violence and

terrorism, " Allen said on KHOW Radio Wednesday. " These kids are going

to have notes on this and accept that as fact. "

 

Cherry Creek School District spokeswoman Tustin Amole said officials

are investigating the incident, but no disciplinary action has been

taken. The investigation should take about a week.

 

" We do want teachers to express their opinions, but to put that in

context and to provide opposing points of view, " said Amole. " All

discussion must be fair and balanced. "

 

" (The suspension) is not a disciplinary action. It is to give us

enough time to sit down and gather all the facts, " said Amole.

 

Superintendent Monte Moses said that Bennish's presentation appeared

to be unbalanced.

 

" Our policy calls for both sides to be present ... in the interest of

intellectual discourse, " he said.

 

Allen was not in class Thursday. He said he took the day off because

of the negative feedback he's received since going public.

 

Distributed by Internet Broadcasting Systems, Inc. The Associated

Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This