This has become an almost daily occurrence. Some teacher, professor, administrator uses the classroom, a lecture or a whole campus to show their disdain for free elections, democracy and freedom. Instead of saying they want America to succeed, they use their position to demean the President of the United States and the nation. Yes, the corrupt Hillary Clinton lost and these folks preferred a Bernie Madoff type as President, rather than an arrogant businessman that believes in America—and not ashamed to say so.
“According to a student’s parent, an Anacapa Middle School teacher (Laurie Curtis-Abbe, Gate-Language Arts and World Geography teacher), invited a graphologist (handwriting analyst) to lecture in her 8th grade classroom. Invitee Sheila Lowe lectured on her art, then showed handwriting samples of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, initially without identifying them, asking students what they thought the writers were like. She allegedly told the students that Clinton was stable but that Donald Trump is not the same person at home as in public, doesn’t follow the rules and has handwriting and probable behavioral characteristics like Adolph Hitler.”
I am sad to say this is in my home county of Ventura. In fact, it is in the City of Ventura school district. The parents, those that supported Trump and those that supported Clinton, must protest. Children should not be used as patients to be indoctrinated. Our kids deserve better. What do you think should be done? Should anyone by fired or suspended? Should the Principal and teacher send a public letter of apology to the parents and to President Elect Trump?
Guest lecturer at Ventura School tells students Trump is “like Hitler”
By George Miller, Citizens Journal –real news for Ventura County, 12/1/16
According to a student’s parent, an Anacapa Middle School teacher (Laurie Curtis-Abbe, Gate-Language Arts and World Geography teacher), invited a graphologist (handwriting analyst) to lecture in her 8th grade classroom. Invitee Sheila Lowe lectured on her art, then showed handwriting samples of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, initially without identifying them, asking students what they thought the writers were like. She allegedly told the students that Clinton was stable but that Donald Trump is not the same person at home as in public, doesn’t follow the rules and has handwriting and probable behavioral characteristics like Adolph Hitler.
Sheila Lowe’s web site:
Donald Trump handwriting “analysis.” Source: Sheila Lowe website. We claim “fair use doctrine” for this excerpt.
A look at the site shows some obviously politically-biased “impressions” of various candidates. She has nothing but kind words in her opinion of Hillary Clinton’s writings, but for nearly all of the Republicans candidates, she sees serious flaws, supposedly strictly from their handwriting. She compared Trump’s signature to Hitler when she spoke in the classroom. But on her website, she compared Trump’s signature to that of Heinrich Himmler, one of Hitler’s most notorious Lieutenants. She also wrote there that the difference between his signature and writing indicates that he behaves differently at home than he does in public. Did we mention that she was also wearing a Hillary button?
According to her own web site, Lowe has qualified to testify in legal proceedings in cases of handwriting authentication, as well as personality assessment. We hope this makes you feel more confident in our judicial system.
Angry mother speaks out
One parent told us that her son was very interested in the election, followed it closely, stayed up all night watching the results, etc., and is a Trump supporter. He was angry about Ms. Lowe’s lecture, not only because he thought it was inappropriate for her to do such a thing, especially so close to the election, but that he believed it was unsupported and also incorrect, based on what he has observed himself. When we showed him Lowe’s analyses (which she calls “impressions”) of other politicians, it only strengthened his conviction.
We are told that he is mostly an “A” student, student president of his school and an accomplished athlete. When we met him, he appeared fairly self-possessed, well-spoken and stood his ground. His mother was like a lioness, fiercely protecting her cub. But it was he who brought this up and made it an issue, prompting her to assist.
Mother complains to school
The student’s mother agreed in spades. She started off by calling the office of the Superintendent of Schools, Michael Babb, to express her concern and learn how and why this happened. She says she was told to instead call the school principal, Barbara Boggio.
She says that Boggio told her that “these things happen.” Incredibly, Boggio also wanted to refer them to the school psychologist, who according to the school website, is Susan Powers. The mother did not believe that she or or her son needed the services of a psychologist, especially one working for a school that would do this. If anything, she opined, it is school officials who need a psychologist.
Via her own initiative and persistence, not Babb’s, she spoke later to his assistant, Marcia Macias, attempting to determine what district policies are for guest lecturers.
CitizensJournal.us calls school
I was easily able to reach school Principal Barbara Boggio, who seems very accessible and actually answered her own phone. We explained what we heard from the student and his mother. She initially said she hadn’t heard anything about the incident, at least until I mentioned that the mother told me that she had spoken with her, which seemed to refresh her memory. She did not indicate whether she had spoken to the teacher, but said what was described really wasn’t acceptable. She also denied ever offering to refer them to the school psychologist. When I conveyed this to the mother, she was adamant that it had in fact occurred.
Mrs. Boggio didn’t seem very happy about the bias described and especially the Hillary campaign button.
She and I discussed whether it was appropriate to have a very partisan, biased lecturer in. She was a bit defensive about it and professed to know that she was coming, but not much about who she was and her views, nor how the lecture fared. But we ended up agreeing that it was OK, as long as the teacher put it in perspective for the students and provided equal time for divergent views. When I spoke to the mother about that, she concurred.
I asked Ms. Boggio for a statement for publication by Wednesday. but have not received anything to date. She was very open to discussion and receptive to views.
At the recommendation of a knowledgeable friend and the student’s mother, I also called District Supt. Assistant Martha Macias, and was told that she is at a seminar until Monday. I asked if she could call back sooner, but had not heard from her by publication time. Meanwhile, Ms. Rosie Cortez and Ms. Cobos were able to answer some questions and steer me to the applicable policies linked at the bottom of this article.
If we hear back from any school district people on this, we will update this article accordingly.
Interviews
In multiple interviews, the student and his mother told me the above things. He mentioned that his teacher took the class on trips and had guest lecturers in periodically. They told me that the class had recently visited the Museum of Tolerance in LA, where they had learned about the Holocaust and the incredible evil of the “Third Reich” Führer, Adolph Hitler. So, the mother said, when the kids heard Lowe compare Trump to Hitler, she felt that it unjustly made a profound negative impression on their pliable young minds, which may have been exactly what what was intended.
But, the student also mentioned other class lectures organized by Ms. Curtis-Abbe, featuring ex-smokers and drug addict’s on how they had kicked their habits and a visit by an ex-Dallas Cowboy player, who now writes scripts. Then there was also the aforementioned field trip to The Museum of Tolerance. He spoke very favorably of all of those events.
He also mentioned that they had discussed the presidential debates in class, where he noted no bias in his teacher’s handling of these.
So, was the Lowe lecture just an unfortunate slip-up, or a calculated ploy? Should instructors be held accountable/responsible for even-handed education? May they bring in alternative opinions? If so, how should these best be balanced, properly framed and explained to students to put them in perspective? We direct you to the applicable school district polices at the end of this article.
We have heard about other cases where students were propagandized similarly. And then there is the constant media bombardment, with the so-called “MainStream” media overwhelmingly biased against Trump, while many radio and alternative media outlets attacked Clinton mercilessly. So, is it any wonder that area kids went marching around town yelling obscenities about our President-Elect, while some schools encouraged it, gave them time off, didn’t report it to the state school funding organization and even provided buses sometimes? Then again, some other schools might present Hillary Clinton as the devil incarnate- just not around here, though.
Conclusion
A schoolteacher was likely well-intentioned in inviting in a guest lecturer, which she had done before successfully and it was well-received. Whether she knew it or not in advance, as she should have, the guest lecturer was highly biased and seemingly unaware of good practices for guest lecturing. The teacher must have been aware of this and surely became so as the lecture unfolded. But she said nothing to help put it in perspective for the students. We don’t know if she was trained on district policy. It would seem like she should organize some sort of counterbalancing instruction for this, The principal said she was aware of the scheduled guest lecture, but not of the nature, beliefs of the lecturer and the instructional contents and bias.
We have talked to several people who were disturbed about this affair, but when the problem was discussed, thought it might be OK to let such events roll, IF the teacher provides perspective and alternative views/instruction as well. After all, this is real world stuff which happens every day and it would be good for students to see these points, but also Counterpoints. May the best ideas win. If the teacher is unwilling or unable to do that, then there is a problem.
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FYI:
Ventura Unified School District Policies: (User= Ventura, password=public …
| 6144 | BP | Controversial Issues | ||||
| 6144 | AR | Controversial Issues |
| 6145.8 | BP | Assemblies And Special Events |
Relevant section of 6145.8 BP:
The principal shall ensure that speakers and community resources featured in school assemblies and special events are carefully selected and represent a balanced viewpoint. Prospective speakers shall agree to present material of educational relevance that is appropriate to the maturity of the audience, with no statements that are obscene, vulgar, or that incite violence.
(cf. 5145.2 – Freedom of Speech/Expression)
(cf. 6141.2 – Recognition of Religious Beliefs and Customs)
(cf. 6142.1 – Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Prevention Instruction)
(cf. 6144 – Controversial Issues)
http://www.venturausd.org/anacapa/Home.aspx
http://www.venturausd.org/anacapa/Staff.aspx
Relevant Sections of BP 6144
Ventura USD | BP 6144 Instruction
Controversial Issues
Top of Form
Bottom of Form
The Governing Board believes that students should have opportunities to discuss controversial issues which have political, social or economic significance and which the students are mature enough to investigate and address. The study of a controversial issue should help students learn how to gather and organize pertinent facts, discriminate between fact and fiction, draw intelligent conclusions, and respect the opinions of others.
The Board expects teachers to exercise caution and discretion when deciding whether or not a particular issue is suitable for study or discussion in any particular class. Teachers should not spend class time on any topic which they feel is not suitable for the class or related to the established course of study.
The Board also expects teachers to ensure that all sides of a controversial issue are impartially presented, with adequate and appropriate factual information. Without promoting any partisan point of view, the teacher should help students separate fact from opinion and warn them against drawing conclusions from insufficient data. The teacher shall not suppress any student’s view on the issue as long as its expression is not malicious or abusive toward others.
Teachers sponsoring guest speakers shall either ask them not to use their position or influence on students to forward their own religious, political, economic or social views or shall take active steps to neutralize whatever bias has been presented.
(cf. 1312.1 – Complaints Concerning School Personnel)
(cf. 1312.2 – Complaints Concerning Instructional Materials)
(cf. 5145.2 – Freedom of Speech/Expression: Publications Code)
Legal Reference:
EDUCATION CODE
51510 Prohibited study or supplemental materials
51511 Religious matters properly included in courses of study
51530 Prohibition and definition re advocating or teaching communism with intent to indoctrinate
51933 Sex education courses
60040 Portrayal of cultural and racial diversity
60044 Prohibited instructional materials
60045 Required to be accurate, objective, current, and suited to needs and comprehension at respective grade levels
Policy VENTURA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
adopted: October 22, 1992 Ventura, California
Anacapa Middle School, Ventura, CA
| (805) 289-7900 | |||
| Barbara Boggio | Principal | Administration |
| Susan Powers | School Psychologist | Special Services | 1018 |
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