Fox News isn't customarily on the side of teachers who, in Foxworld, indoctrinate innocent children into the dark world of sexual depravity and satanic socialism. But a Texas school principal, who was allegedly fired because she told student to speak English in the classroom, is getting sympathy from Bill O'Reilly and his white soul sistah Laura Ingraham. It isn't surprising, given Bill's very public sentiment about how those nasty brown people are ruining his traditionalist America with their foreign ways. According to Bill, this school official is a victim of un-American "political correctness." And in typical fashion, O'Reilly spun the facts to fit the narrative which, in this case, was about how diversity is ruining traditional America. It was all good....
O'Reilly began with a quote from the TX education code about how English is "the basic language of the state..." He reported, as fact, that when the principal of a school in a Houston suburb "encouraged students to use English in the classrooms, she was harshly criticized and then, Amy Lacey didn't have her contract renewed, in fact she was fired." He introduced Laura Ingraham who was sporting her great big cross which marks her as a great big Christian.
To Bill's incredulous question of how this happened in one of the most conservative states, Laura said that she isn't surprised that this doesn't happen more "given the PC thought police crowd that dominates our public school system and dominates our culture right now." She praised Bill for documenting the left establishes a "red line" which, when crossed, will result in all sorts of nasty things: "You will be drummed out of public life, perhaps. You will be terminated, you will be fired, you will be harassed, you'll be called all sorts of names." Bill, working only on allegations, said "that's what happened to this woman." Ingraham blithered about how "this poor teacher" came up against this "red line whereby they decided to make an example of her."
O'Reilly told us "how bad it is." He recounted how the principal was "encouraging" kids to speak English because all the state tests are in English. Not wasting an opportunity to bash those nasty brown people, she claimed that those who supposedly objected to the principal's English speaking requirement "think it's an affront to our culture, I mean our country, our homeland." Ingraham engaged in her classic xenophobia: "This is a problem, Bill,that we have with our obsession with diversity..." She continued that "the diversity can only go so far, you can't have a teacher who's trying to communicate in her own way, her desire for the students to do better."
O'Reilly said that "the worst part of the story" was that the principal was attacked (Oh, the irony!) by "some students who said you're violating my rights." Ingraham chimed in "militants." She grinned, "they're learning early." He lamented that there was no counter protest "to help" the principal. Ingraham chimed in "they're afraid." The conversation wasn't about immigration; but Ingraham cited a Reuters poll about "the threat" of "illegal immigration" to "our culture and our beliefs."
This is the no-spin zone? O'Reilly spun the principal's version of the story without adding that, according to the School Superintendent, "The formal notice of termination Lacey received from the board listed eight reasons for not renewing her contract. Those included failure to fulfill her duties, incompetence or inefficiency, inability to maintain discipline, insubordination and failure to meet professional conduct standards." O'Reilly said the principal was just trying to help the kids.
The medium is the message - or is it the massage!
According to TEA (Texas Education Association), Hempstead Middle school has 366 students. 75.4% are economically disadvantaged and based on their test scores in the demographic column, about 55-57% are Hispanic. The school did meet standard on the last STAAR (state assessment) test. They did not earn any areas of distinction.
If any student was talking in the classroom (Spanish or English) during instruction time, then those students should have been dealt with individually if it caused a disruption in the class. I’ve never heard of a principal coming on the intercom and making a statement like the one Lacey made. Very foolish in a town whose Hispanic population has risen recently. Reports say about 50% of the city of Hempstead is Hispanic.
We all know why FOX News cashed in on this story!
If this principal was fired for telling Irish-American students to speak proper English, the Fox “News” Irish Republican Army, would have applauded her termination.
Ms. Laura, a single mother, should be searching for a husband to help raise her children. According to her Fox “News” colleagues, single mothers are bad for the nation.
a. Spew her Bigotry in Jesus name
b. call attention to her cleavage
c. ward off Vampires at Fox
d. ward off possible sexual harassment from Junior O’Reilly
e. All of the above