Interview with mother in the Freshwater cross-burning affair

Freshwater the Crossburner

TNX for the reminder, Reed.

Freshwater had to hold his arm down, did he? Well, he couldn't have the little calf squirming during the branding. That would have messed up the cross--oops--I mean "X."

Reed, that's really not helpful. The term "Crossburning" has specific connotations which are highly emotionally charged. Freshwater clearly is a stupid, self-righteous bigot and all-around jerk, but he isn't at all similar to the KKK.

I notice in this witness's account, a general assumption that the mark is a cross.

Joshua Zelinsky said: Reed, that's really not helpful. The term "Crossburning" has specific connotations which are highly emotionally charged. Freshwater clearly is a stupid, self-righteous bigot and all-around jerk, but he isn't at all similar to the KKK.

Thanks, Reed, for pointing out that it is not that the bigot can place a burden on these people for this reason. For the bigot it is that he can do it to anybody at all.

Bigots come in all shapes and sizes, as do other bothersome types. In the end they are so similar. One trick ponies. With time and attention, one begins to recognize them as members of the same herd. Focusing on their particular fixations becomes less informative than the fact that they are so particularly fixated. Poor slobs. All they really wanna do is be in charge. Who could blame them?

Frank B said: I notice in this witness's account, a general assumption that the mark is a cross.

Video of mother talking about it here.

Bigots are all made from the same mold.

Peter Henderson said: As I have said before, what is the equivalent of Social Services (i.e. Social workers) in the US ? If this had happened in the UK Social Services would have taken a very dim view indeed. Almost certainly there would be either a criminal prosecution or public inquiry and the teacher would at least be suspended, pending an investigation. Most likely he/she would loose their job if they were found guilty of the offence.

RBH said:

Frank B said: I notice in this witness's account, a general assumption that the mark is a cross.

I notice that the mother reported that her son said Freshwater characterized it as a cross.

The Age of American Unreason, by Susan Jacoby Both the Constitution and the pragmatic realities of living in a pluralistic society enjoin us to respect our fellow citizens' right to believe whatever they want -- as long as their belief, in Thomas Jefferson's phrase, 'neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.' But many Americans have misinterpreted this sensible laissez-faire principle to mean that respect must be accorded the beliefs themselves. This mindless tolerance, which places observable scientific facts, subject to proof, on the same level as unprovable supernatural fantasy, has played a major role in the resurgence of both anti-intellectualism and anti-rationalism.

but the structure of education in America lends itself far better to local biases in favor of “supernatural fantasy” than it does to rational thought.

Henry J said: Is it the structure, or is it simply that a lot of the people running the system are biased that way? Henry

"On the gripping hand"---HAHA I remember that phrase from reading science fiction in high school.

A 1998 survey by researchers from the University of Texas found that one out of four public school biology teachers believes that humans and dinosaurs inhabited the earth simultaneously.

To add to the muddle, it seems that Americans are as ignorant and poorly educated about the particulars of religion as they are about science. A majority of adults, in what is supposedly the most religious nation in the developed world, cannot name the four Gospels or identify Genesis as the first book of the Bible.

He also zapped a special needs student - http://bit.ly/3rm274

Reed A. Cartwright said: "On the gripping hand"---HAHA I remember that phrase from reading science fiction in high school.

My thought on the education issue is this, have a national association of experts in the given fields come up with a national curriculum for each class, leaving some room (say between 0 and 25 percent depending on the class) for local control. This way the government isn't directly involved, the curriculum is being developed by people who understand the field in question and the locals still have some control for the introduction of localized curriculum, for instance an English class may have 25% of their time unspecified so that they can fill it with literature either from or relevant to the area in question.

What say ye?

fredgiblet said: My thought on the education issue is this, have a national association of experts in the given fields come up with a national curriculum for each class, leaving some room (say between 0 and 25 percent depending on the class) for local control. This way the government isn't directly involved, the curriculum is being developed by people who understand the field in question and the locals still have some control for the introduction of localized curriculum, for instance an English class may have 25% of their time unspecified so that they can fill it with literature either from or relevant to the area in question. What say ye?

fredgiblet: take a look at the BSCS curriculum-
http://www.bscs.org/
I think this has already been done
(my HS bio class used a BSCS text)
as mentioned by eric above the AAAS, and the NSF come out with/contribute to science standards/ or recomendations - why a state or local BOE wouldn't want to take advantage of these resources? I can't think of any credible reason other than ideology.

"The Mote in God’s Eye. An awesome book, IMHO."

Seconded. First hard science fiction book I ever read.

A very long time ago.

:)

jasonmitchell said: fredgiblet: take a look at the BSCS curriculum- http://www.bscs.org/ I think this has already been done (my HS bio class used a BSCS text) as mentioned by eric above the AAAS, and the NSF come out with/contribute to science standards/ or recomendations - why a state or local BOE wouldn't want to take advantage of these resources? I can't think of any credible reason other than ideology.

"how is that different from what the States do now?"

I was under the impression that local school boards had an enormous amount of leeway with deciding their curriculum, is that incorrect?

"We aren’t lacking for good standards, we’re lacking political will to employ them."

Part of the idea was that the standards would be enforced, so I guess all we really have to do is enforce the ones we have.

What electical device to test gases, would produce a burn mark?

Eric Bloodaxe said: What electical device to test gases, would produce a burn mark?

fredgiblet said: I was under the impression that local school boards had an enormous amount of leeway with deciding their curriculum, is that incorrect?

I live in Washington...

fredgiblet said: I live in Washington...