[UPDATED: School superintendent's response added below]
From a Swedish documentary on the Obamassiah vs Some Other Guys election 2008 [Yes, that's right, you have to go to Sweden to find out what's going on in a school in North Carolina!]:
Diantha Harris ["Teacher" in Cumberland, North Carolina]: We want to talk about the presidential election. OK? But I want to ask you, who are you pulling for? Raise your hands.
[Kids raise their hands.]
Black Boy: Obama
Diantha Harris: You’re pulling for Obama. [Speaking to another student:] Who you’re pulling for? And if you’re pulling for John McCain, that’s fine say him as well. [Black girl makes sure to put her hands down.] Who are you pulling for?
Black Boy: Obama.
White Boy: John McCain
Diantha Harris: John … Oh Lord … John McCain!
White Girl [Kathy]: John McCain
Diantha Harris: Oh Jesus! John McCain! … OK. Now I want to ask you something. [To Kathy:] Why are you pulling for John McCain? And it’s OK! But, why are you pulling for John McCain?
Kathy: I think it’s because … uh … my parents are going for him too.
Diantha Harris: OK. Your parents are going for him? [To another student:] Why are you pulling for Barack? Or … rather … Bawrawk…
Black Boy: Because I just want a black president sometime.
Diantha Harris: OK. You want a black president? [Addresses another student.]
Black Girl: The reason I want to pick Barack Obama is because he is making good changes, in the good country and stuff like that.
Diantha Harris: So, he’s making good changes for our country? [Harris nods her head in affirmation.] OK, now can you tell me just a little bit more like, like what type of changes?
Black Girl: Like … not having … um … a fight between Iraq, and having soldiers killed.
Diantha Harris: So in other words, Bawrawk is going to end that war [nods her head vigorously] in Iraq. [To the class:] What do you all know about that war in Iraq? [To Kathy:] Now talk to me, because your dad is in the military!
[Kathy bites her lip.]
Diantha Harris: Talk!
[Silence.]
Diantha Harris: It’s a senseless war! [Stares at Kathy.] And by the way, Kathy, the person that you’re picking for president said [Harris shakes her head] that our troops could stay in Iraq for another hundred years if they need to! [Kathy bites her lip, looks ashamed. Other kids stare at Kathy, laugh, smirk.] So that means that your daddy could stay in the military for another hundred years!
[Kathy is on verge of tears.]
[In an interview later:]
Diantha Harris: Now I can support whomever I want to support, as long as I don’t brownbeat [sic] another person for the candidate that they supported. Like I have some students that support John McCain, and when they told me that, I said ah … “that’s good’ and I just moved on. So, I think that everybody is entitled to their own personal opinion. And we have something in our school system that’s called Kids Voting. In my class … Barack Obama won. [Harris grins.]
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Asheville Citizen-Times is desperate to inform readers that Harris left Asheville in 2004 and now teaches Fifth Grade in Cumberland, North Carolina:
Harris on Thursday [November 6th] said she wasn’t advocating for one candidate over the other … She said her comments of “Oh lord” and “Oh Jesus” were her way of engaging her students to spur discussion. “I wasn’t necessarily pulling for one person or the other,” she said in a telephone interview from her home in Fayetteville. “If I was pulling for just one person then I would have never said the other person’s name.” She said her comment to the child whose father was in the military was not meant to change the child’s mind about supporting McCain.
+ + +
Cumberland County, North Carolina
Cumberland Schools Superintendent William C. Harrison:
910-678-2300
Diantha Harris teaches 5th Grade at:
Mary McArthur A+ Elementary School, 3809 Village Drive, Fayetteville, NC, 28304
Principal Lola Williams:
Harris’ contact page:
http://www.mmes.ccs.k12.nc.us/email/diathaharris.htm
301 E. Russell Street, Fayetteville, NC 28301
Phone: 910-678-7733 · Fax: 910-678-7738
Director: Terri Robertson
Board of Election Supervisors:
lll@nc.rr.com
KimberlyPFisher@aol.com
GregWest@nc.rr.com
MacWilliams@nc.rr.com
hfarrior@nc.rr.com
DLaHuffman@nc.rr.com
fkbarragan@nc.rr.com
Royalme@nc.rr.com
MackyH@nc.rr.com
+ + +
If anyone knows anybody at the following military facilities in Cumberland County, please let them know about this video:
Fort Bragg [82nd Airborne etc]
Pope Air Force Base
Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cumberland
Womack Army Hospital
+ + +
YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDEAYgm0Dv8
From the documentary: Från Bill till Barack [From Bill to Barack], by Folke Rydén and Bengt Norborg, broadcast on election night on Finland’s Swedish language Channel 5.
Video Here: http://svt.se/svt/road/Classic/shared/mediacenter/index.jsp?&d=13276&a=1294753&lid=puff_1296095&lpos=extra_0
[From 13:30 ~ 22:00. The YouTube part is from 19:00]
Via: http://roadsassy.com & http://tundratabloid.blogspot.com
And the only reason people are able to find out how this women is abusing these children is because she was in the news when President Bush kindly paid her a visit in 1992.
+ + +
UPDATE:
School Superintendent’s Response on YouTube:
I was shocked when I saw the clip of an interaction between a Cumberland County Schools teacher and her students as posted on YouTube. While neutral discussion of the political process is appropriate, at no time, particularly with elementary students, should a teacher infuse his/her political views into the discussion. Most disconcerting was the military slant that made its way into this discussion. We are a military community, serving over 15,000 military students and their families. We value the sacrifices, not only of the military parents but also those of their families.
We believe that military children are our children, military spouses are many of our employees, and military service men and women are our heroes. We proudly serve our military children and have received national awards for our support of military families.
I was particularly disturbed to see the uncomfortable position in which our children were placed due to the inappropriate actions of one of our teachers. Please be assured that the actions exhibited in this video are not consistent with the vision of the CCS. Moreover, the actions of one teacher do not represent the 7000 employees in our organization.
Once the video was brought to my attention, I immediately launched an investigation. Personnel laws prevent me from releasing information regarding individual employees and personnel action taken. I can assure you that upon completion of the investigation, I will take appropriate action.
Dr. William Harrison
CCS’ Superintendent
27 Comments
November 5, 2008 at 5:10 am
The irony is that we are forced (or will be forced) to place our children in these prisons where these sick freaks are the torturers and wardens. What a sick travesty.
November 5, 2008 at 9:36 am
As usual, I am impressed by your research. Well, I hope Miss Harris is happy now and I hope to God my grandchildren are spared the ministrations of “teachers” like her. Appreciate the link.
November 5, 2008 at 10:44 pm
Well she is definitely not teaching those kids how to speak English. They sound like a bunch of mushmouths.
You know, don’t the teachers ban kickball, tag, dodgeball, and other games because they encourage bullying? And they ban homework and grades because they don’t want to give the students low self esteem? Seems to me that teachers are the culprits of low self esteem.
November 6, 2008 at 12:12 pm
[...] are afraid of bullies. Seems to me the bullies are the ones with the chalkboard erasers. Lots of thanks to Akira here for the video and the [...]
November 6, 2008 at 3:21 pm
I live in Asheville. We call it the Berkeley of the East.
After watching this video, when I write the check for my son’s private school tuition next month I won’t be thinking about the money… I’ll be breathing a sigh of relief that he won’t have to deal with such blatant stupidity in his education.
November 6, 2008 at 4:10 pm
I wonder if the school board in this town is comprised of anyone who would find this “edukator” was acting out of order in her indoctrination of these young children. My first guess is – probably not. Wouldn’t want to upset the affirmative hires.
It’s just plain stupid and cruel to hurt that girl’s feelings just to make a politcal point to bunch of kids who won’t be old enough to vote for years. She lied about what McCain said. But then, she lies at the end of the video too.
Thanks for all your doing to help form young minds Diantha! You lying arrogant bitch.
November 6, 2008 at 6:01 pm
I hope they sue that school district and remove that poor kid. What a witch!
November 6, 2008 at 7:17 pm
The family of the young girl singled out should run not walk to the nearest qualified attorney and file suit against the school district. It’s bullying in the most sickening form possible.
November 6, 2008 at 8:35 pm
[Post's Contact Info updated.]
November 6, 2008 at 8:58 pm
[Post's Contact Info updated.]
November 6, 2008 at 10:08 pm
[...] got this link from FR. Don’t let sick bastards like Diantha Harris abuse your children! What Do You Believe? __________________ Never Forget [...]
November 6, 2008 at 10:20 pm
I wrote to the principal, the teacher, and every member of the school board. I hope they are inundated – this just about killed me watching that poor kid’s face, and the bulling teacher’s comments – “because of the candidate you support, your dad could spend anothe 100 years in Iraq.” What and IDIOT.
This video will be all over the Internet, if not already, i hope!.
November 6, 2008 at 10:50 pm
Beyond disgusting. I posted it on my site as well. Thanks for the info.
November 7, 2008 at 12:57 am
Wow I feel so bad for that little girl.
I get beat up like that all the time for being a conservative in Canada, but being an adult I can handle it and can fight back.
The absolute abuse of authority and breach of trust in this example is astounding.
November 7, 2008 at 6:48 am
The tv-show called “Från Bill till Barack” (From Bill to Barack)is swedish and was sent on swedish public broadcasting network. The journalists are two experienced reporters known for the high quality of their work. I saw this documentary when it was shown here in sweden a few days before the election and could not believe it. Like mosts swedes I supported Obama but this kind of abuse must rightly disgust anyone. What kind of citizens do you get with teachers like that? So the documentrary is Swedish not Finnish although also broadcasted on Finnish-tv as they buy programmes from Swedish tv. Not really important though…
November 7, 2008 at 8:08 am
Thanks Andreas,
However … I wouldn’t be too smug about Swedish schools. I regularly listen to Radio Sweden and so know all about the schools with 100% Muslim classes where they learn to “be tolerant of Muslims,” and the schools where boys are forced to come to school in dresses with girl’s names, and the schools where boys aren’t allowed to piss standing up ["they'll become too dominant and arrogant if they do..."].
Therefore: “Like mosts Swedes I supported Obama.”
I’m sure Obama would love Sweden, where alien hordes rape the young Abba-clones and the Swedish men apologize ad nauseum to the barbarians for not making life cozy enough.
A nation of Obamites.
Or have I misunderstood?
Re: “What kind of citizens do you get with teachers like that?”
- Obama Supporters [i.e. Dummies].
http://www.sr.se/rs/english/
November 7, 2008 at 8:50 am
Where is the school board on this? OOPS, they’re in the tank for Obama and his Marxist doctrine as well so do plan on the school or the school board taking action on this. I have noticed that this teacher and the school system are getting some prime time nationwide exposure on this one.
November 7, 2008 at 11:35 am
You can send this teacher a message at her current job by going here:
http://www.mmes.ccs.k12.nc.us/faculty_and_staff.htm
5th grade teacher
November 7, 2008 at 8:40 pm
I believe this woman is just one of many who are brainwashing or intimidating our children. When I think it’s time for my child to worry about lying politicians, gay weddings, abortions, and sex ed, I want to be the one who decides what she hears. Not opinionated authority figures bashing her for her parent’s choice. I hope the girl’s family sues her for child abuse.
November 7, 2008 at 8:40 pm
If anyone knows the name of this little girl or her family, please post it so that some of us here in NYC can write to her family to show our support and sympathy and to tell her how brave and honorable her parents are, and that she is not alone.
[Hmmm... Probably not a good idea -- Some Obamite will just be checking to see if she owes child support ... (Joe Plumber reference, for anyone who wasn't following the inanity of the presidential election). Why not send a Christmas present c/o the school? Address above. - Ed.]
November 7, 2008 at 9:06 pm
As a public school teacher, just let me say I am APPALLED that this happened. Most teachers are not like that. At least not where I teach (deep, deep South).
November 7, 2008 at 11:51 pm
The Obama sheeple would be amusing if they weren’t destroying the Country.
November 8, 2008 at 2:51 pm
My heart goes out to this little girl, who showed much more restraint, grace, tolerance and respect than did her so called “teacher”. This student has every reason to be proud of her father. We should all be commending him for his service to our country and appreciative of the sacrifices his family is making because of that service. It’s not easy for the spouses or children of military personnel to be without their loved ones for months at a time and it’s disgraceful for this teacher to coldly and intentionally play upon the emotions and fears which undoubtedly exist because of the very real costs these families pay.
That this teacher has the audacity to afterward haughtily proclaim she has not “brow beaten” anyone and insinuates that she instead has shown respect by allowing each child to freely express their own preference for president, shows the depth of her dishonesty and self deception. She did NOT allow them to freely state who they supported. She says they are entitled to their own personal opinion, but her behavior exposes her real prejudicial and biased motivations. She pressured some (under the feigned assurance that it was ok) to admit they supported McCain and then she ripped into them for it. She obviously does not believe that it is “alright if they are pulling for John McCain”, as she claims. Come on! These kids aren’t stupid, they can see through her. I’m not in the least surprised to hear her smugly proclaim that Obama won the mock election held in her class. Her contempt is very transparent. To say that she behaved in an extremely inappropriate manner is an enormous understatement. But her lack of self awareness about her cruelty is what’s astonishing. If she honestly believes she wasn’t “brow beating” that little girl, one wonders what she would consider “brow beating”? Corporal punishment? Or worse?
Such unfair manipulations and intimidations are beneath her calling as a teacher and come criminally close to emotional abuse. While this child’s father and other brave military professionals like him make sacrifices in one respect or another everyday to defend the freedom our nation takes for granted, his daughter’s “teacher” presumes upon those very freedoms to coerce her own agenda and in the process of doing so is exploiting the very children her profession entrusts her to nurture and educate.
She is doing a disservice to every student in her class, not just those who don’t think the way she wants them to. Her intolerance, ridicule, criticism and denial of the truth only serve to foster a feeling of strife and division. Doesn’t she know it is an honor to teach kids? That each impressionable mind is a precious gift and should be humbly handled with utmost care and kind consideration? That her actions can have lasting influences positively or negatively for their futures and ultimately all our destinies? I pray that she would recognize the privilege and opportunity she has been given to guide her students towards worthy virtues like respect, honesty, and goodwill toward others. Her “teaching” method or whatever she calls it is NOT what our children need and should NOT be encouraged or tolerated in our public school system.
A teacher should be required to teach the truth at all times, but even more so during an election year. While she falsely misleads her students to believe that McCain wants to fight a war with Iraq for a hundred years and tells this little girl McCain wants her daddy to remain there for that long – the truth is ignored.
The truth is, it’s because of the courageous men in our nations history and those presently who are also willing to lay down their very lives to protect the liberties our constitution guarantees that our citizens have the privilege and right to vote for any candidate they choose. The truth is, our armed forces protect our freedoms not only from foreign threat, but also from domestic as well. Their success is confirmed by the fact that there has been no terrorist attack within the USA since 911. Not only that, a black man was just elected president by a predominantly white constituency. The truth is, that would not have been possible without the kinds of freedoms our military has fought to preserve.
What class is she trying to teach anyway? Obviously not math, or reading, or language. If this was a government or civics class, why is she not teaching about these freedoms? Why does she not insist that they be safeguarded and exemplified in her classroom, both through her instruction and EXAMPLE?
As a Christian, I am offended that she would in her disgusted and shocked tone, call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, in her rebuke of this child’s preference for McCain. Why is the ACLU not threatening lawsuits against this school if the principal doesn’t immediately fire her for stepping beyond their hallowed boundary of separation of church and state? It’s obvious her disdain would be more accurately reflected if directed against the parents who dare to think differently than she does. Like most bullies, is she afraid to pick on someone her own size?
At the very least, this woman shows a tremendous lack of judgment, insensitivity and compassion which are necessary qualities and characteristics of any good teacher. At worse, her behavior is emotionally abusive. Either way, she needs to resign and take some time to seriously re-evaluate why she became a teacher to begin with. If she can’t honestly put her students well being above what ever is lacking in her own emotional makeup that would cause her to behave so shamefully, then she needs to seek employment in another profession. If she refuses to do so, the school board has an obligation to the parents of every child who attends this school, to the state itself, and to every taxpayer who pays their salary, to hold her fully accountable. These children deserve and have the right to be taught by someone who has the ability and talents to properly and respectfully teach them.
November 9, 2008 at 4:32 pm
What this teacher did is appalling and wrong in every way. However, it is unfair to characterize all public teachers to be this way.
I am a public school teacher and I have been for 2 years, and did my student teaching in a public school. However, I attended a religious private school myself. All my life, I heard supporters of the Christian school movement and other right-wing critics of the public schools continually categorize the public school system as liberals (or socialists) with an agenda to twist our children. This is something that I still continually hear from right-wingers today as well. However, during my time working in the public schools, I have found this to be the opposite. I have worked in rural and urban public schools, and found that the teachers in those schools are just as “red and blue” divided as the rest of the country – nearly 50 /50. Now it is true that the unions are typically liberal supporters, but that is not true for many of the members. In fact, in the school I am teaching at currently, EVERY teacher that I have spoken to about politics during the recent presidential election was a strong supporter for McCain and the conservatives. Every single teacher on my 8th grade team and another 8th grade team, plus some of the other teachers that eat lunch with me, are all conservatives. Even the vice-president of our local union did not support Obama even though the national union did. My 8th grade team did an election unit where students researched candidates from different levels of government including the presidential candidates and did papers on their positions. In no way, did any of us influence the children’s opinions in one way or another, in fact some students asked me if I was going to vote for Obama because he wanted to give raises to teachers and at first I told them it was none of their business but after they kept asking I told them I wasn’t, but didn’t try to convince them one way or the other.
(By the way, I work at an extremely large school district located in an urban setting that is very diverse, so I have a good sampling of teachers to look at.) The fact is, the stereotype that all public school teachers are liberal or have a liberal agenda is wrong in my experience. But of course, I haven’t worked everywhere in the country, so that could be true in some places I suppose. And of course, there is always a couple bad apples, such as this psycho teacher from the video. However, to be fair, there are probably a few conservative teachers who have pushed an agenda on students before too, but just weren’t caught on video.
What this teacher did was wrong and she should be punished. But please don’t characterize all of us, or even a majority of us, this way. Because the conservatives are only very slightly outnumbered in the public schools from what I have seen.
November 10, 2008 at 10:06 am
thank GOD my son is in private school–the psychological impact that nimrod teacher had on that girl may have reprocussions for years to come. I can’t believe that teacher used her position of authority to manipulate young minds like that. Most children love and respect their teachers and trust in their judgements. And what kind of message did send the other children. And is that young girl now going to start second guessing herself and her parents? HOW DARE HER!!!!
November 11, 2008 at 10:01 am
This is not an isolated incident. Students were being intimidated by their teachers in Florida schools also. This one just happened to be on video. I would bet that most parents don’t have a clue either.
November 12, 2008 at 12:39 am
It just goes to show that the people of the United States chose a person because he was black, not experienced, sort of like affirmative action, but on a larger scale. That’s probably how that teacher got her degree, she can’t even annunciate words correctly, but she sure can quickly make sure “Barrack or Bawrock” is pronounced.
I pray that the new Democrats don’t let the socialists screw up our constitution. Show me where redistribution of wealth is, in all of the amendments.