You’ve got to check this out. A high school journalism class created a rap video about saving the whales. You want to know what’s wrong with public education look no further than this.
There’s so many problems here.
One – A journalism teacher is teaching her students about liberal issue advocacy. Well, that pretty much sums up most of the problems with journalism nowadays.
Two -A journalism teacher is cool with “Free Dem Walez” as passable English? Teachers are supposed to teach proper English (especially in a journalism class), not accept student’s way of speaking and spelling.
Three – Listen to this teacher introduce her video by saying “I was always taught that whales and dolphins were safe and happy living in captivity. I don’t believe that anymore. Neither do my students.” She’s indoctrinating her students to accept her beliefs. She has a certain point of view of things and she forces it on the students. And instead of teaching the students…I don’t know…something about JOURNALISM she instead uses class time to teach her students about how whales and dolphins are abused.
Four – The fact that the school not only saw nothing wrong with this misuse of taxpayer money but actually contacted the media to highlight this as a shining example of their work tells you everything you need to know why our public education system is failing.
HT WESH
April 29, 2010 at 4:46 am
Yes, that is what I am telling you. My environmental project is not a classroom project. And the students involved volunteer their time. Their work on this video in no way affects their grade. Four the students are not even in my Journalism class, they are in my English class. The editor of the video is a former student who now interns for tv production at the school. My students in all my classes are graded based on assignments that are part of the curriculum, of which this video and my environmental project are not.
When I started my environmental project five years ago, I wasn't opposed to marine mammals in captivity. However, the environmental groups that supported my project were opposed to marine mammals in captivity and they presented me with information and research that made me look differently at the issue. Just as people change their minds over time about certain issues, so did I. Same with my students – they learned about the same issue and got the same information and over time, they also came to the conclusion about marine mammals in captivity. I don't think it's odd in any way that we have the same viewpoints about this issue. These kids have had these thoughts for years, it is just that they feel it's the time to get their message across – with the recent incident at SeaWorld and the congressional hearings yesterday regarding marine mammals in captivity. It was a timely and relevant situation for us to speak out about.
My project has a website (www.pier2pier.net) that won a U.S. State Department award three years ago. Last year, we were one of 10 finalists in an international youth environmental competition sponsored by Volvo and the United Nations Environment Programme. We did not just jump on the "bandwagon" to save dolphins. We have been involved in a number of projects and campaigns for years.
The incident at SeaWorld involving Tillikum did prompt my students to create this rap message. I have one student, a senior, who spent 40 hours of his own time editing and producing the video. The rappers spent a few days after school recording their parts.
I hope this answers your questions!
April 29, 2010 at 4:54 am
Ms. Aquino: do you or your students eat fish? Have an aquarium? Have anything against zoos? Own pets? Eat meat? Know the difference in kind between human beings and animals? Or is it only "marine mammals" that are singled out for your compassion and activism; and if so, then why only that genus? What is your stance on abortion? Have your students considered making a rap video in defense of children in the womb?
April 29, 2010 at 11:47 am
Ms. Aquino, Odd then that the press wrote up the story as your journalism class created this video. You might want to call the media and inform them they have the story completely wrong.
Where did they get that idea?
April 29, 2010 at 6:05 pm
Anon – 4/28, 4:51… I think you have that backwards, and in a way that is killing child-raising in general and formal education in particular. Your students are the ones who have to get along with YOU.
Not that you should antagonize on purpose or anything, but really, they should have to learn how to do the work you require in the manner you choose, and not be catered to.
April 30, 2010 at 2:57 pm
And in other news….
Don't know if anyone caught this, but…
Marine scientists investigating the Sea World incident have finally finished their analysis of the recordings made by Tilly The Whale before and during the attack.
They found that Tilly was urgently repeating the same series of sounds over and over again. After detailed comparisons of these sounds against recordings of other whales and of Tilly they concluded he was repeating the following:
"I SAID, DON'T CALL ME TILLY!"
Sorry – joke o' the day. (I know it's bad, you don't have to tell me.)
Hey Ms. Aquino – at least you seem well-intentioned and caring for your students. You should be glad that your efforts have "kept them out of trouble". That really is a good thing. (Midnight basketball anyone?) But I don't know – isn't there something else they could glom on to that would be at least as important?
How about fatherlessness? Do you think the impact of absent fathers might be more significant in your (any) community than the plight of "Don't-Call-Me-Tilly" The-Whale?
If you are interested, I could knock you out a decent rap for that and sent it to you. Lyrics, music and all. Maybe I can include some whale rap in it. Maybe it will be catchy. (I learned "rap" in high school too – when it was brand new. But only after I was done with Shakespeare, etc.)
God bless your efforts. Each child is so precious!
P.S. Tilly's problem is that he has no daddy. 🙁
May 2, 2010 at 4:25 pm
The music involved is distasteful to White Anglo Saxon Roman Protestants.
On the same hand, these children would be chased out of traditional SSPX Chapels for not conforming to the personal virtue of the SSPX's wealthy donors that own the respective Chapels they attend.
So where do these little negroes go? Into the welcoming arms of Bloods and Crips, or the Liberals.
It is our fault this teacher is stupid; we have failed to properly catechize her.
Axl Rose, a rock singer has a very interesting song. It is called Sweet Child of Mine. The song is about a man that looks back on what he did and failed to do in his life and calls the results his child.
When you look at these monkies jumping around, you are seeing the child you created.
May God our Lord in His infinite and supreme goodness be pleased to give us His abundant grace, that we may know His most holy will, and entirely fulfill it.
*
May 5, 2010 at 2:08 pm
I am not clear, after Jamie Aquino's comments, as to whether she considers this video to be good authentic journalism or something else.
July 14, 2010 at 1:58 am
She must be teaching them something; their youtube video gets more hits than this blog.