Misplaced Punishment

Video of Teacher's Outburst May Lead to Cell Phone Ban

BRICK -- The Board of Education may toughen its policy on use of wireless telephones in schools, after a videotape showing a Brick Township High School teacher screaming at his students to show respect for the national anthem — and then pulling the chair from underneath one student who refused to stand — was posted on several independent Web sites.

Wait, wait, wait, hold on! A student records a teacher verbally abusing his class and violating another student's right to not stand for the National Anthem, and the proper response is...to ban camera phones??? How about repremanding the teacher!

"We as a Board of Education realize that we are ushering a new era and will be forced to review our policies and perhaps enforce a more stringent districtwide policy regarding electronic recording devices in the classroom," Seidenberger added.

Well, in this era of government-controlled media filtering out the truth when it shines a light on the government's violation of human rights, a statement like the one quoted shouldn't surprise me. I guess it's not so much surprise, as it is outrage.

According to at least one Web site, students knew Mantel "was gonna go nuts because he frequently used to" over disrespect for the anthem, and that the students brought the camera into the classroom "to expose the teacher in case he did anything again."

Go to The Joker's Linkdump or MediaPickle and check out the video. The teacher goes absolutely ape-shit. Way over the line. Especially in light of the fact that the students have a right not to stand.