Mass. Teacher Snubs Paige Over Comment

[Khephra]

BOSTON -- The Massachusetts teacher of the year refused to attend an event in Washington honoring the nation's top educators because U.S. Education Secretary Rod Paige called the nation's largest teachers union a "terrorist organization."

Jeffrey R. Ryan, a history teacher at Reading Memorial High School who lost a friend in the Sept. 11 attacks, said he could not accept Paige's apology for his Feb. 23 comments about the 2.7-million-member National Education Association.

Paige said the remark was a "bad joke." But Ryan said: "Nazi death camps aren't funny. Lynching people isn't funny. Famine isn't funny, and terrorism isn't funny. I just couldn't show up and shake that man's hand after he made those remarks."

more..............

http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-teacher-snub,0,5782526.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines

[Dookus]

1. Good for him...

he just gave his students one of the best lessons of their lives.

[revcarol]

2. Backbone.

Do you think he's a Democrat? If he isn't, enlist him.

[JoFerret]

3. Read the whole article

What a great teacher.

[Pale_Rider]

4. A teacher with integrity ...

... something in very short supply in the Bush Administration.

[SiriusLiberal]

5. I love it

Good for him!

I wonder if the school's administration backed him? I know mine would not have.

[no_arbusto]

6. Teachers are pissed!

My parents are both teachers/union members at different schools. They both told me that articles detailing Paige's remarks have been making the email and faculty lounge circuit. Nearly every teacher is linking his comments to * and his cronies. NCLB was the beginning. This put the nail in the coffin. I was joking with my parents that now we have 3 "terrorists" in the family including myself (the evil dissenter)!

This administration has pissed off far too many normal people and there aren't enough fundies and psychopaths out there to get them (re?)elected. I'm very afraid for what is going to happen between now and Nov. 9th!

[murielm99]

8. Many of our teachers lounge bulletin board posts are now addressed

"Fellow Terrorists"

Even the repuke teachers are pissed at my school.

[bluestateguy]

7. Well that will probably earn him an IRS audit

This administration does not take kindly to criticism.

[Voltaire99]

9. Bravo, Mr. Ryan!

Resign, Paige, you dishonorable McCarthyite!

[rman]

10. imagine there would have been a crackdown on this 'terrorist organization'

would Paige then have said "No don't do that, it was just a joke"?

[xchrom]

11. get up, stand up

excellent news -- never let 'em get you down!
congrats to mr ryan.

[Catshrink]

12. As a fellow terrorist, I am proud of him.

And, at our school, the head of the Teen Repuke club was embarrassed about Paige's remark. He didn't have his usual smart ass retort.

[RFKHumphreyObama]

13. What a courageous individual

It's always heartening to see people stand up for their true beliefs and values