HS teacher pushing "Inside Job?"

[Boone 870]

Found an article at the Examiner.com titled "Who Are 9/11 Truthers? What is the 9/11 Truth Movement? (http://www.examiner.com/x-18425-LA-County-Nonpartisan-Examiner~y2009m9d10-Who-are-911-Truthers-What-is-the-911-Truth-Movement)" The author of the article is Carl Herman, he teaches history and other classes at La Canada H.S. (http://www.lcusd.net/17022018152459887/site/default.asp) in La Canada, California.

At first, I thought no big deal. This guy is going to use 9/11 conspiracies as an exercise in critical thinking. In fact, in the second paragraph he writes, "I developed a critical thinking case study on 9/11; one of many lessons for students to vote on among competing supplemental lessons. The lesson has a preamble on critical thinking skills I’ll provide in a subsequent article."

But, it doesn't take long to realize that this guy is pushing 9/11 nuttiness. Here is the title of the lesson:

9/11: Conspiracy of Terrorists or an Inside Job?

He uses organizations such as AE911, P4T, Loose Change, Griffin, etc. as counter arguments to the government story. Does anyone else have a problem with a high school teacher using an educational platform to push 9/11 conspiracies?


Here is a quote from an earlier article he wrote for the LA County Nonpartisan Examiner:

My analysis: as you may know, Nazi Germany invaded Poland in 1939 under the lie of self-defense, staging a false-flag attack. A false-flag attack is when you attack yourself disguised as an enemy you want to create public opinion to attack. This was called Operation Himmler. The only difference between now and then is that the US false-threat invasion has not yet resulted in another world war.
Link (http://www.examiner.com/x-18425-LA-County-Nonpartisan-Examiner~y2009m9d9-Are-US-wars-in-Iraq-and-Afghanistan-mistakes-of-good-intentions-What-we-now-know-from-the-evidence)

[Arus808]

Yes I do. He is teaching his students that sites that are propaganda in nature, have absolutely no evidence, or scientific research done are equal in weight and claim to years of scientific and peer reviewed study.

[Unsecured Coins]

When I was a recuiter in North Carolina, I went to visit one of my High Schools on Sept 11, 2006. Lo and behold, the JROTC instructor was making them watch Loose Change and he was preaching afterwards that yes, 9/11 was an inside job. I got incredibly defensive when he was making the students write a paper on why they agreed with the film. Point blank, I asked him how he could do this because he's making them agree with him. He said everything in it was true, therefore, he agreed with it.

I said I'd be back the next day and we'd talk about it. I downloaded Gravy's Viewer's Guide and sat down with his class, and we debated. When it was over, everyone agreed with me. He never mentioned Loose Change again.

So yeah, I have a problem with it

[triforcharity]

I also have a problem with pusing loose change bs from a teacher's position.

They have to leaave things like God, and things like that out of the classroom, so why shouldn't this also have to be left out??

If the teaacher wants to discuss 9/11, and present both sides of the argument, than fine. But, let the students come to their own conclusions.

[purplecharger]

This reminds me of my either senior or junior year when I took US history and my US history teacher propagated the JFK conspiracy stuff. There is just never anything right about a teacher who has an ax to grind.

[Arus808]

reminded me of my history teacher back in high school. She tried to push the JFK conspiracies as if they were fact and I countered her, asking her why she was teach lies.

She got mad and tried to have me reprimanded, sending me to the vice principals office, but of course, she's the one that got reprimanded for teach bullcrap unless the "conspiracy theories" were supposed to show us how critical thinking failed.

I got immediately reassigned to another history class and teacher, and she was forced to take a leave of absence.

[Orphia Nay]

When I was a recuiter in North Carolina, I went to visit one of my High Schools on Sept 11, 2006. Lo and behold, the JROTC instructor was making them watch Loose Change and he was preaching afterwards that yes, 9/11 was an inside job. I got incredibly defensive when he was making the students write a paper on why they agreed with the film. Point blank, I asked him how he could do this because he's making them agree with him. He said everything in it was true, therefore, he agreed with it.

I said I'd be back the next day and we'd talk about it. I downloaded Gravy's Viewer's Guide and sat down with his class, and we debated. When it was over, everyone agreed with me. He never mentioned Loose Change again.

So yeah, I have a problem with it

I have a problem with the fact that the NWO hasn't started cloning you yet.

[JihadJane]

The whole regulated school system is a propaganda experience for the children, from the first flag worship to the last bell, so it's good to give students a bit of variety now and then!

[funk de fino]

The whole regulated school system is a propaganda experience for the children, from the first flag worship to the last bell, so it's good to give students a bit of variety now and then!

No flag worship at my school. Yours either.

[tsig]

I have a problem with the fact that the NWO hasn't started cloning you yet.

The NWO clones attitudes not bodies. We used UC's attitude for the NWO kitty.

[kookbreaker]

The whole regulated school system is a propaganda experience for the children, from the first flag worship to the last bell, so it's good to give students a bit of variety now and then!

I have known of no school in the US that resembles this.

[BigAl]

I posted this the other day without thinking it would be relevant directly to us but If I am confronted with a Twoofer teacher, this educator's package of 9/11 material should carry enough weight with a principal or a school board to pssibly effect some change for the good. Unfortunatly, some of it looks like it's not free. I'm sure they hand out samples when given specific requests.

Maybe we can get a copy to Chandler's school by showing the people than produce this kit. Maybe they need consulting on the content? I'd like to see the material.


Friday's anniversary of the September 11th terrorism attacks will be the start of reflections for schoolchildren in seven states including New York.

A new pilot multimedia program called "The September 11th Education Program" was unveiled today in Downtown Manhattan for students in sixth through 12th grades.

The seven teaching units are designed to help students understand the impact and legacy of the nation's largest terrorist attacks.

Two DVDs supply interviews with survivors, rescuers, victims' relatives, and political leaders including Secretary of State Hilary Clinton and former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who was on hand for today's announcement.

"The idea of having an educational program like this for young people is very good. First of all, they're going to have to deal with it as part of their history, no matter what," said Giuliani. "And secondly, they're dealing with it as part of their present. Threats are still ongoing, the wars are still going on."

For more information, and to download the free Remembrance Presentation, visit www.learnabout9-11.org.


http://ny1.com/content/top_stories/105394/new-curriculum-to-teach-students-about-9-11/Default.aspx

[Lisa Simpson]

My son's HS history teacher believed in the JFK conspiracy. He also claimed to have worked for the CIA and thus had "insider" knowledge. My son knew better but I think other kids who haven't been taught real critical thinking might have bought into what he said. That's my problem with the teacher in the OP. He's not really teacher critical thinking. He's teaching conspiracy theories thinly disguised as critical thinking.

[stilicho]

The whole regulated school system is a propaganda experience for the children, from the first flag worship to the last bell, so it's good to give students a bit of variety now and then!

The first business of a grade school education is to produce good citizens. This is true regardless of ideology.

We know that in JihadJaneLand a good citizen is one who avoids evidence at all costs and makes wild and unsubstantiated claims.

[LightinDarkness]

Oh my, this guy is dangerous. I have no problem with CT nuts beleiving in CT - as long as they only promote it to people who want to listen. This guy has a captive audience. I looked through his class websites and there is link after link promoting every conspiracy imaginable, including:

- Nefarious plots by corporations to kill JFK
- NWO
- Federal Reserve Conspiracies - using the long debunked "Money Masters" and "Creature from Jekyll Island" as FACT
- 9/11 Inside Job - lesson plans include showing LOOSE CHANGE AS FACT

You name it, this guy is teaching it as fact! He is literally bringing up the next generation of conspiracy kooks. Those poor children. This guy is nuts.

[LightinDarkness]

Example of some of the conspiracy propaganda he is teaching as fact. This is from one of his required assignments where he provides a few page of Federal Reserve propaganda to go along with the requirement that these kids watch the debunked conspiracy theorist "Money as Debt" video:


The Fed is privately-owned by the banking industry with their meetings closed to Congress and the public. The purpose of all business is to maximize their own profit with limited interest in the public good. The Fed is only audited by giving their accounting books to an independent firm to verify their math is correct in the books. Because the Fed is not strictly and transparently regulated by Congress, we have to trust the Fed that the numbers on their books are accurate. The only “oversight” from Congress is quarterly interviews for questions and answers with the Chair of the Federal Reserve. Presidents appoints the seven Board of Governors to help manage the Fed, but historically these selections always come from a short-list of candidates selected by Fed ownership.

Every single one of these sentences is a lie propagandized by conspiracy theorists.

[Regnad Kcin]

Perhaps a little letter writing campaign to his principal and school board chair?

[HeyLeroy]

When I was a recuiter in North Carolina, I went to visit one of my High Schools on Sept 11, 2006. Lo and behold, the JROTC instructor was making them watch Loose Change and he was preaching afterwards that yes, 9/11 was an inside job. I got incredibly defensive when he was making the students write a paper on why they agreed with the film. Point blank, I asked him how he could do this because he's making them agree with him. He said everything in it was true, therefore, he agreed with it.

I said I'd be back the next day and we'd talk about it. I downloaded Gravy's Viewer's Guide and sat down with his class, and we debated. When it was over, everyone agreed with me. He never mentioned Loose Change again.

So yeah, I have a problem with it

Good on ya, Sarge.

I posted this the other day without thinking it would be relevant directly to us but If I am confronted with a Twoofer teacher, this educator's package of 9/11 material should carry enough weight with a principal or a school board to pssibly effect some change for the good. Unfortunatly, some of it looks like it's not free. I'm sure they hand out samples when given specific requests.

Maybe we can get a copy to Chandler's school by showing the people than produce this kit. Maybe they need consulting on the content? I'd like to see the material.

I saw it too:

New Program Will Teach Students About 9/11

NEW YORK (AP) — Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani joined Sept. 11 family members and college professors on Tuesday at a hotel blocks from the World Trade Center site to unveil a plan to teach middle and high school students about the 2001 terrorist attacks.

The 9/11 curriculum, believed to be the first comprehensive educational plan focusing on the attacks, is expected to be tested this year at schools in New York City, California, New Jersey, Alabama, Indiana, Illinois and Kansas.

It was developed with the help of educators by the Brick, New Jersey-based Sept. 11 Education Trust, and was based on primary sources, archival footage and more than 70 interviews with witnesses, family members of victims and politicians, including Giuliani and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, a New York senator at the time of the attacks.
Linky (http://www.teachermagazine.org/tm/articles/2009/09/09/298160ussept11schools_ap.html)

[stilicho]

Oh my, this guy is dangerous...This guy is nuts.

Indeed he is: http://www.wanttoknow.info/ That's all New Age nonsense, UFO coverups, and the obligatory 9/11 junk.

That's a link from his personal resume: http://classlink.lcusd.net/classlink/getfile.php?fileid=4166.

[Arus808]

Oh my, yes this needs to be brought up with the school board for that county as well as the principal of that school.
Crikes, this is just a classroom for him for his propaganda

[Brainster]

Indeed he is: http://www.wanttoknow.info/ That's all New Age nonsense, UFO coverups, and the obligatory 9/11 junk.

That's a link from his personal resume: http://classlink.lcusd.net/classlink/getfile.php?fileid=4166.

Heheh, not too hard to see the paranoia coming through:

I then applied to the nation’s top Ph.D programs in education for two years with the proposed area of research described above in shifting the purpose of education. None accepted. I also applied to our top law schools with the proposal to work in the US State Department for US foreign policy to lead an international effort to solve the world’s biggest problems of poverty, war, nurturing our environment, and the development and sharing of technology. None of the top law schools accepted.

And:

In 2007 and 2008 I applied to UCLA’s Ed.D program in their Education Leadership Program with the same research proposal for a new paradigm for education. I was not accepted. I also sent letters of interest to two UCLA professors in economics with a research proposal in monetary reform for their Ph.D program. Neither replied.

The man's been keeping him down! And yeah, he supported the kook candidates last year:

As a political independent, I supported the presidential campaigns of Ron Paul among the Republicans and Dennis Kucinich among the Democrats.

[Horace Wheeljack]

I read a while back about a teacher in New Zealand being investigated for promting conspiracy theories, not sure about the outcome of this:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/education/news/article.cfm?c_id=35&objectid=10424528

As a History teacher myself I would be at war with my colleagues if they were giving credence to theories lacking in evidence. However conspiracy theories are useful in the classroom as examples of how not to do History.

[dudalb]

I then applied to the nation’s top Ph.D programs in education for two years with the proposed area of research described above in shifting the purpose of education. None accepted. I also applied to our top law schools with the proposal to work in the US State Department for US foreign policy to lead an international effort to solve the world’s biggest problems of poverty, war, nurturing our environment, and the development and sharing of technology. None of the top law schools accepted.


Too bad for him that the top graudate schools in any subject tend to be very selective about the students they accept.
And I am betting the top education schools took one look at his proposols to "shift educations" and wrote him off as a kook.
And if you really want kookiness, take a look at the health section at his website:jaw-dropp
COmplete with Anti Vax rants and how Native American Rituals can cure cancer.
Whoever hired this guy to teach needs to be fired,as well as Herman himself.

[dudalb]

I read a while back about a teacher in New Zealand being investigated for promting conspiracy theories, not sure about the outcome of this:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/education/news/article.cfm?c_id=35&objectid=10424528

As a History teacher myself I would be at war with my colleagues if they were giving credence to theories lacking in evidence. However conspiracy theories are useful in the classroom as examples of how not to do History.

Yes, but it's pretty clear that Herman was Pushing the conspiracy theories.

[LightinDarkness]

As an academic I love how he uses his resume to weave the tell about how the MAN is keeping him down through all his rejections from PhD, JD, and EdD programs.

It couldn't possibly be that he didn't have the knowledge of how to actually do research, had bad grades, or had low test scores..could it? Nah, has to be a conspiracy plot, otherwise they would surely see his brilliance. :rolleyes:

[A W Smith]

cant seem to get the contact page to load
http://www.csba.org/AboutCSBA/AboutCSBA/ContactUs.aspx

oh thats just an association link. this ones better

http://www.lcusd.net/1701108211580697/site/default.asp

[Arus808]

funny thing is this "school" district and High school is nowhere to be found on a map so far as i've seen. odd.


but yes a sternly worded letter with links to this KOOK teacher publishing need to be brought up

[Orphia Nay]

funny thing is this "school" district and High school is nowhere to be found on a map so far as i've seen. odd.


but yes a sternly worded letter with links to this KOOK teacher publishing need to be brought up

http://www.lcusd.net/lchs/site/default.asp

La Cañada High School
4463 Oak Grove Ave
La Cañada, CA 91011
Ph: 818-952-4200

[Arus808]

ahh, no wonder, its not La Canada.

La Canada Flintridge, CA


Big difference