I teach at a New England boarding school, probably one of only 2 or 3 conservative/libertarian teachers among a faculty over 60. There are definitely conservative students at the school, and over the years I've tried to quietly support them as we all experience wave after wave of leftist BS from every quarter.
I'm getting sick of being 'closeted' among my colleagues and students, but I'm well aware that speaking out could cost me my job, and that includes my entire life (housing on campus, my family, etc.). I generally just ask questions and am known as a skeptic.
Today, I thought of an idea that I wanted to run past all you fine pedes. Rather than make some kind of loud protest that would convince no one and just get me blacklisted and maybe fired, what if I joined with students in a simple silent action, kind of like a dignified sit-in from the civil rights era? I could picture a school meeting where someone speaks about 'the murder of George Floyd'... what if a group of us simply stood up silently in that moment? We wouldn't leave ('disrespectfully storming out') and we wouldn't speak out... we'd just 'Stand Up for Truth.' It would get a lot of questions but we wouldn't say anything, just stand, look, and then sit back down. I could see us doing this throughout the year, cued by a few choice ridiculous statements (about Trump, Kyle, Floyd, etc.)
What do you think? Pointless and not worth losing my job over? Or could it be an effective method of showing disagreement without starting a riot like they do?
It is better to keep your job, and teach the children how to use logic & research. Critical thinking... We NEED more GOOD teachers, not less... Hold the line & teach properly, making more intelligent students, not less. You are our patriot teaching sniper in education!
Thanks, chief, I always like that encouragement. I agree, I shouldn't jeopardize this job, I'm one of the only people standing between these young minds and straight up brainwashing as they head to college. If not me, who? So I stay, but I am ineffective if I do or say nothing. So I have to be smart and subtle.
You are smart, as you have separated yourself from evil. Now, you must continue the those good works. Be like a sniper, while feeding good kibbles of knowledge to young minds!! God Bless!
I would bounce back for sure, I have a lot of experience and skill... but I don't want to be fired, I love it here and have a lot invested. My family is putting roots down here, and I don't need to have an easy life surrounded by people who think like me. I take pride in being there for the hidden majority among these students.
Thank you, this is great encouragement and I think you're right. I think if I were single (married 20 years now!), I'd be much more motivated to shake the system up, but you're right, each new group of kids coming through needs someone with power (such as it is) on their side. I just need to quietly ID those kids and let them know I'm there for them.
Thanks.
> "Murder of George Floyd"
> OP stands up
> Everyone stands in solidarity
Evil must be opposed.
Its ridiculous it has to come to that. Stand for what you believe and possibly get fired. Or stay silent and go along with it. I, personally would not hesitate to say how I feel, and fully support those students and faculty who feel the same. What's the point of having a job when youre in constant fear of losing it based on your beliefs?
The point is the chance to still affect dozens or hundreds of young people per year without being shunned, blacklisted, and driven out. I'm a well respected member of the school. I kind of agree with you, I feel like a hidden lurker sometimes, but I don't lie. I am well known as a catastrophic climate change skeptic while still maintaining great scientific integrity... I think that makes people assume other views I have, but I don't need to rub in their faces. I guess your comment mirrors the internal debate I have with myself constantly, especially these last four years.
While I dont envy the situation you are in, the comment you made about being "behind enemy lines" resonated with me. As well as being able to balance the lefty indoctrination with some conservative views for those kids. I hadn't considered that. I wish I had an easy answer for you, but when you throw in your family and church on top of your career, it really complicates a choice of that magnitude. Everything I do, I do for the betterment of my family. And I'm sure you take yours into consideration as well. Having said that, God would never close a door without opening a window. Remember, we are on the RIGHT side of history. Follow your gut, and do what you think is best. I sincerely wish you the best of luck fellow pede. Take care!
Thank you! That is great to hear and also matches my own thinking. Some days I'm just ready to go elsewhere, but that also feels like it'd be taking the easy way out. I see God's plan for me so evident in this situation, and we are indeed putting deep roots down, so I'll endeavor to stay faithful despite feeling like a hidden fraud some of the time. I'm not hidden or shy about my Christianity, but I just know I'd be de facto blacklisted if I came out as a Trump supporter.
I do indeed have skills, but I love what I do, have been here almost 20 years, have a lot invested. Leaving (which I've thought about) would mean uprooting my whole family, my kids (though we are wisely homeschooling now), our church, lots on the line. Plus, if I leave, what do these kids do? So many would be brainwashed without my being there to support them. I often feel like a soldier posted behind enemy lines, so I need to stay put to help the flow of kids through here. If I won't, who will?
Would they fire you?
If not fired for some reason (they could come up with anything based on lies if they're motivated enough), at least not asked back. We don't have any kind of long term contract; we're 'asked back' from year to year. All they'd have to do is just not ask me back and off I go in June.
Can you assign your class a group project on a current event (George Floyd's death, the election, statue toppling, eradicating history) where proper research would result in some red pilling?
Ban the students from using Fake News. Make each group give a 10 minute presentation as to their conclusions.
Ask for an outline of each project so you already have fact checked the main bullet points.
I'm a science teacher, but I do have one nice chance: an astronomy class in the spring term that doubles as a 'worldview' class. So I get to teach critical thinking, logical argumentation, and testing ideas. I get to red pill many kids a year that way simply by having a place to let them question everything. For some, it's already too late, but I catch many juniors and seniors. I never proselytize, I simply give them a chance and context to question their beliefs.
Yes only allow primary sources