Should Teachers Be Online With Their Studens?

The question was asked today: "Should teachers be online with their students?" I have somewhat to say on that subject. The answer: "It depends on the teacher and somewhat on the students." Teachers have been getting some undesireable press, of late, concerning sexual misconduct with their students. The number of these incidents is alarming, but understandable. If a teacher, counselor, physician, or lawyer is to have influence (be believable and motivational) there has to be present a personal and positive bond and relationship. In this age of "E-" everything, it is almost impossible to exist in this society without embracing and partaking of the technology.

Being online with students can be a very positive part of that relationship and very helpful to the educational environment, or it can be the disaster we too often see in the headlines today. Teachers often find their students online in chatrooms or social networking sites. In that casual environment they can lose the official status and demeanor and become a friend. That in some cases leads to an emotional and even romantic bond which can turn sexual all too easily. Teachers have hormones just like teenagers and can be attracted to a pretty face, a great body, or a winning personality. Students are likewise likely to be attracted to teachers in the same way. For me it is completely understandable.

However, I have someone on Twitter I consider a great friend. His name is Jeff Swift He teaches at BYU and uses Twitter, and I believe Facebook, to enhance his classes and further his relationships. He is a great teacher....the best I have ever encountered. He is a person and teacher to be honored, admired and emulated not immolated as some teachers I have known should be. He is not alone in using internet resources in the classroom. I believe he returned from a conference not long ago on that subject. He is joined by a host of modern and enlighted instructors. He uses Twitter to make assignments, to discuss lessons and to comment on things his students say. He also asks for help from others using Twitter to evaluate resources or look for ones he needs. I can't see him ever getting into trouble as others in his profession have done. The differece?

First he is strong and focused on his task as a teacher. He knows who he is and is not distracted that way by his students. Second, he is married to a wonderful and supportive wife and family. He doesn't have to look elsewhere for excitement or appreciation. Third, he is devoted to his faith and has a firm relationship with his God and the principles set down that form his religious beliefs. In my conversations with him and my reading of his posts, he leaves no doubt that all of this is true.

He is not a monk, nor recluse from society. He is involved in politics and educational topics. Sometimes I fear he is too open in some of his involvments but those are his own and do not involve students.

A teacher is like a second parent and must maintain that relaltionship of authority and a stable role model. He must not drop the role and labels he has when dealing with students. If he does he loses some of the respect and honor he needs to stand at the head of the class and direct and shape the minds and lives of his students. Jeff is such a man. He not only teaches, I believe he also makes his students better for having known him. I count him among my most honored friends. Jeff can and does use the internet effectively. Teachers like him can and should be online with their students. Teachers of less vision and strength of character should avoid the internet for contact. I've said my piece and I stand by it.

I know Jeff will critque my blog here and he is welcome to do that. He will undoubtedly say as a persuasive essay I was short on examples and too much on testimonials. I saw each error I made and decided to just role with it and see what grade I would get. LOL I wish I had had the opportunity of his classes when I attended BYU, but I don't know if Jeff was even born when I was there in my freshman year of 1979. All his students are blessed to have him and know him. I am sure they know that.

Any comments anyone has are welcome and hoped for

Chris Cuomo is one of the best in interviews and GMA-type pieces. I admire him as a person and as a television personality. He has an excellent moral compass and a wonderful tender heart. If he were not on GMA I am not sure I would watch it. You really get a sense that he cares about the issues and the stories he covers. In addition he works to be fair and keeps his own feelings out of his interviews and reporting....unless you know what to look for. His championing of issues of faith are so compelling. I am grateful I have him on my follow list on Twitter and I am very grateful for the interaction we occassionally have. He is the greatest.

He receives a lot of uncalled for criticism for some of the statements he makes on behalf of ABC, and GMA. Today he explained that he has to keep his own opinions out of the limelight which surrounds him. Some people are trying to make him accountable for stories appearing on GMA. He explains that he only reads the news sometimes or makes comments as required on stories appearing on the show. When he speaks on Twitter, he speaks for himself. When he speaks on GMA or ABC News, he is not representing himself or his own views. I accept that on face value and continue to admire, respect and enjoy him. I invite you to do the same.

Random Thoughts frm Twitter

Dear Family and Friends:

McCain is saying he supports the surge as outlined by Obama but he does not support the hard-sounding end date for withdrawal. That's ok, he supported the surge as outlined by Bush but did not support paying for it. We fought a long and costly war for a people who seemed not to appreciate our sacrifice (bunch of waring tribesman and Islamic factions!) and Bush and McCain kept wanting to cut taxes. I know they intended to pay for the war by contributions from the Iraqi oil and that was all well and good, but someone needed to kick our intelligence people in the pants for having such bad info to dispense. WMD? SURE! People will follow us as liberators? SURE! Shall I go on???? Well, when none of that was happening, we were kind of in it and we had to figure out a way to nation build and get ourselves out of it. That was going to mean tax hikes to pay for the war. How high was the national debt when we left? What idiot let THAT happen? Let us not let that happen again!

So....we lent out all this money to keep the banks and others from failing and now they are doing so great that they can give their exec's bonuses higher than many small businesses make in a year. How can we allow that? When we, the people, are their creditors and they took our money then why can't we make some demands on them and recoop some of our loses. By taking tax payer money they were basically admitting to bankruptcy. I believe the we, the people have a right to make some "suggestions" which THEY, the debtor ought to follow. Without us they would be going under. Without THEM, we the US of A, supposedly would have gone under. I think we need to come to some understandings between us as to how things are going to go, but one of them certainly must be that 200 million people should not be upset about how their money is being spent. It certainly is a hardship on people out of work and with no health insurance to watch the big bucks be given to these guys who live like sultans and their cronies.

Celebrities who are high profile, at that, need to accept what goes with the territory. I really enjoy watching Tiger on the golf course, and I think he is a great guy off. However when he pulls out at 2:30 in the morning and runs into a tree and destroys a fire hydrant then there ensues the circus where his wife runs out with a club and breaks the back window so she can get him out of the car, etc etc etc..... This deserves the answers the public is asking: What was he doing out driving like that at 2am and what got him to have that accident close to his very own driveway? If it was a Cadillac malfunction, I think the people should know. If he was not drinking, then why was he not in control of himself and the car?

I really don't care if he is having an affair or not. That is his own business and between himself and his wife, but I think he needs to make himself more credible and understandible than he has. He needs to come clean enough so that he seems human and not this great mystery.....that he isn't!

Healthcare Revisited

I have to agree with Joe Scarborough, host of MSNBC's Morning Joe. The Democrats have no one to blame but themselves. They have a majority in both houses, a very popular president in office but their enemies are basically in their own "house." President Obama is doing a good job of representing the party, but his own people are preventing him from leading. Somebody needs to open a door for him, and help him to garner support from the right people and to ogranize in an effective way. Why aren't the democratic leaders (majority leaders and committee chairpeople) standing up and supporting him instead of putting out arguments which cause contention and weaken his support base and instead give him something to lead with! When healthcare gets defeated, it will not be because it is a bad idea or that Obama or the Democrats don't have a plan, even a good plan. It will be because the party in power has too many turncoats and gainsayers within its ranks.



The Republicans NOT in power have used their contentious spirit which they have polished over the past 8 to 16 years or more, to whip up the doubts and fears amongst the American people to a fever pitch. Now, they are helping to bring out the worst of the party in power. The issue, as I see it, is that the American people have been made afraid(by Republicans) that they cant trust their elected government to come up with a healthcare plan. Obama is trying to use his rock star status (quickly waning) to bring up moral support for his thoughts on the issues of Healthcare. There is a real problem in that the people have been de-focused from real issues and focused on this issues of their fears and the hob goblins the Republicans have set up before them.

The most basic need in this country's healthcare system is to cover those without care. I heard one of my relative say that he thought you could just go into a hospital and tell them you needed care and couldn't pay them. They would be obligated to treat you and later you could then decide on paying them as you could. He thought the healthcare system was doing just fine and needed no reform! There is a clear lack of understanding of how this whole thing works on HIS part, obviously....but still something needs to be done and nothing is being done....FAST!!

How about we start with the uninsured. Let's make a blanket statement that every American has to have medical insurance of some kind as well as prescription coverage. That leaves all those Americans who want to keep what they have on their own and only makes us consider those who have NO insurance. That also leaves out the "under insured" but they have not spoken up and so we leave them alone. We have to appease those who are yelling about getting healthcare support and reform. We also have a responsibility to take care of those who cannot take care of themselves...what are Republicans proposing for THEM? I propose that we have that public option for those who have no healthcare. We also mandate that employers keep covering the employees they are now covering. There. See how easy that is? Then we extend Medicare to all who have no healthcare and pay for it by tabacco and alcohol taxes. Anything we can do to move funds where it should be going. Taxes we are already collecting for any kind of health hazzard should be included in the pot. i know we have people in Washington who can figure this stuff out if they would get their heads out of somewhere they don't belong and their hands out of Lobbiest pockets.

Let us work together. I don't know if my ideas have any merit, but all I hear is that the president doesn't have a plan but the president's plan won't work. The Democrats are trying to bancrupt the country and kill off the Insurance companies, small business and run everybody to public healthcare. Another one of my relatives told me that she was afraid of losing her job! Negative, negative, negative. Can we please make it work this time?

I went to my doctor for a regular visit and when I got the bill it was over $100! A year ago it was $50. We can't afford Healthcare like that!

Afghanistan & the Islamic world

World and Ancient History is my thing....what I studied in college. I also love comparative religions and the cultures that they inspire. Therefore I am somewhat familiar with the Arab and the Islamic world. They are rich in heritage, traditions, and of course, their faith. They look back to the Crusades and the atrocities and suffering they endured at the hands of the west, but the West grew up! They are still living in the 12th Century! They have reason to mistrust America and the West, but they have extremists who work to undermine peace and offers of help because of the 12th Century. Now admittedly some of my ancestors rode and fought in those Crusades, others of my noble and royal house sent those Crusades out (King John). However, I want the west to be able to help Israel, Iraq, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. We have much that we can learn from each other....but they have to stop fighting us and just regulate their contact with us. I have no doubt that they need protection from certain elements and segments of the west, but they need to stop hating because of the deeds of the past (centuries back).

Seems to me that things are getting out of hand. The Shiite/Sunni conflict is destroying their chance at democracy. Of course, they don't seem to be ready for democracy. They don't see how it works in Saudi Arabia and in Turkey. They would like more of a Sadam Hussein type leader except one who would be more generous and kind. Won't work like that. They are ruining their culture and stopping its progress on the world stage. It seems to me that the Western world is pretty well civilized but the Islamic world, as well as most of Asia is falling into chaos!

I wish they would get it together and become peaceful nations and progressive cultures. Is there a chance?

Healthcare, worthy of the row that we have?

Republicans said they knew they would not win the defeat of now Justice Sonia Sotomayor but they wanted it to be a “teaching moment.” I suppose that means that they wanted to get their issues and opinions out during the conformation process. We all should know that Justices serve for an indefinite term and frequently vote their heart and mind and not the views they were confirmed to support. It is amazing how that works….usually for the good. We will see how her decisions go. She was nominated to replace a justice thought to be a liberal influence and thus the Devil’s appointee to the mind of Republican/Conservatives (are there any Republican/Liberals?). It may be seen that she will decide on behalf of the law and the constitution with a little cultural insight thrown in.

There is precedent for cultural influence on the Court. Take any issue of cultural passion and follow it thru the centuries. Slavery and women’s right’s to vote and work to name just two, are decisions pronounced and later reversed according to popular beliefs. I can’t see any remedy for that but we cannot panic over a decision by Ms Sotomayor seemingly with cultural bias.

On to healthcare: That issue has become a firestorm with flames fanned by conservatives who are trying to defeat a Democratic congress and president and not to discuss the issues and work out a workable and livable plan for healthcare reform. The firestorm, created by the Republicans, is claimed by them as a sign that the people are behind them. It is SOOOOO transparent! To parody the Fox News slogan: “Fair and Balanced” is what was wanted, unfair and unbalanced is what we got. President Obama wanted Dems and Reps to get together and come up with a good plan. The president said what his parameters would be but then turned it over to Congress to come up with a plan like that or another plan they thought was better. Congress turned into a cage of animals feuding and marking their own territory. They raged and shouted, accomplishing nothing. Republicans, all thru the campaign were nasty and plotting. John McCain was not, but his campaign workers were. Now the administration is continuing to fight to overcome the wrath and venom of Conservatives who want nothing more than the defeat and humiliation of the President of the United States. It is a tragedy!

THIS should be a teaching moment. There should be non-partisan discussions of how we make a good plan. Conservatives seem to only want reform of regulations on the insurance industry. It seems that they want the insurance industry (the fox) to be involved in the reform process (in the hen house). The Democrats understand that a more radical surgery on the system is needed – BADLY. The most radical thing proposed is the “Public Option” that will be a government funded and regulated option if the Private and Commercial Options (what we have now) do not supply the needs of the poor or the dissatisfied of the population. The Conservatives are furious over the cost of the plan on top of the current stimulus plans. However, instead of working on a plan to manage the debt or create an option to cover the uninsured or underinsured Americans without raising the national debt they choose to promote a shouting match purporting to represent the majority of Americans. An oft quoted proverb: “Vox populi, vox Dei” does not mean it is best. If you follow the roots of that proverb it comes from Isa 66:6. It is criticizing the acceptance of the voice (noise) of the people versus the other voices mentioned. Sometimes we have to consider that the people may not have been exposed to all the information and have not been educated concerning all the issues and ramifications of things. Their priorities are their wallets and purses, alone. They want police, public works and teachers but don’t want to pay for them. Politicians work on their re-elections at the cost of the people’s needs. There needs to be “stewards” in America: statesmen who will be upright, of good character and full of charisma, to lead the people to a better America. So far we have bad tempered children who fight amongst themselves and create chaos and broken systems and then blame someone else for the ills of the nation. It has got to change! THIS is the teaching moment, NOT Justice Sotomayor!

My family hasn’t had insurance for 10 years. My diabetes has advanced and I am now disabled. With insurance I probably would still be working. My wife, without insurance had a stroke and was also diagnosed with high blood pressure and diabetes. She is also disabled, but until a fall last year was working a few hours a week. She is now recovering from that fall and surgery on her shoulder. With insurance she most likely would not have had that stroke and would have had her diabetes under control. We have suffered from great debt trying to take care of ourselves. We need help because we are unable to help ourselves. How many others are uninsured or underinsured who need help from somewhere? What are those of us to do?

Medicare finally covers me and my wife because of our “disability status” so we are not yet suffering from our current needs. Who knows if that will change? Medicare is an inadequate and corrupt system I am told…..so FIX it! The system purports to cover a group of a multitude of senior citizens and disabled people. It should be extended to cover all of the needy. The Veterans Administration is also a government run system and it runs pretty well….make it BETTER! The U.S. Military has doctors and hospitals who serve all in domestic as well as far flung places, and does it pretty well I understand. Figure out how we can use the techniques and methods to get civilians the same kind of care. These are the issues that need to be discussed and voted upon. Sure the funding is a horrible roadblock. So work on what to do about it, not draw lines in the sand to make negotiation difficult or impossible. We have got to talk civilly and effectively on a bi-partisan level.

So far we are not doing that and it is polarizing the people as well as the Congress to the point of a stand still or ending up with a debacle of at least inadequate or worse situation than we have. What say we quit feuding or being political as we are and reform our healthcare system to something that will work and that we can pay for. Everyone should be taken care of, be able to afford it and access it. The government should be able to afford it and keep tabs on it so that it works. I KNOW we have smart people in Washington SOMEWHERE! If not I know a few reporters, anchormen, and commentators who are a lot smarter than people I have heard talking who hold office!

Politics today seems to be a yelling match of opposing opinions! Originally in this country, politicians were elected (IE: hired) to represent their constituents. It was considered that the common people were not competent to represent themselves in a pure democracy so a “representative democracy” was formed by electing the rich, the famous, the prominent and others of such standing who were the brightest and best to understand issues and make decisions. Today we are no longer a nation of illiterate, uneducated, and isolated folk. We elect them and send THEM to congress! They are called Republicans and Democrats!

When I was in school in political science classes, I was taught that in Congress there were Conservatives, Moderates, and Liberals. The titles of Republican and Democrat made no difference. The Conservatives and Liberals would seek out there own kind from amongst the elected representatives and senators to support their causes and bills. It mattered not whether it was a Republican or Democrat who was approached it only mattered if it was a conservative or liberal. Moderates were the ones who could be swayed one way or another and help make up a majority of support one way or another. As I was taught, a Liberal was one who wanted change in the way the government was being handled and a Conservative was one who wanted things to stay the way they were. Today a Conservative is a Republican and a Liberal is going to Hell and taking the country with them, otherwise known as a Democrat.

What we have in this country now is a yelling match and a war between Conservative Republicans and Democrats who are labeled as “The Liberals.” I, for one, am a Moderate AND a Democrat by Registration. Our good Utah Representative in the House, Jim Matheson, seems to be a Conservative Democrat. He is so Conservative that I don’t know how he calls himself a Democrat at all! I liked the way he talked and spoke and saw him as the best of the candidates and voted for him. I get his emails these days and he seems to follow Republican leadership in the house and not Democratic. I am very disappointed in him. As a Moderate, I support and vote for whomever attracts me and sounds the most like the way I think. Sometimes that is a Democrat and sometimes that is a Republican, or even a Libertarian, etc. I vote on the issues, not on the party.

The polarization in this country is spurred on by the “religious right” which, admittedly is losing influence, but the monsters they created are going strong, still muckraking and blowing things out of proportion. Stalin and his thugs worked the Russian revolution by pretending to represent the common people and called themselves the Bolsheviks meaning “The Majority” while calling the rest of the people Mensheviks, meaning “The Minority.” In reality the Conservatives and Moderates in the country were a much larger percent of the population. The Bolsheviks succeeded because they shouted so loudly and were so violent that the name they made for themselves clouded out the truth of issues and independent opinion. When they were done, the common people came to realize the mistake they had made and were imprisoned behind an iron curtain of tyranny and despotism. Now, Conservatives are doing pretty much the same thing in shouting so loudly and pretending to represent the majority opinion on every issue with big money and prestige being wielded in their defense. We need more civility and calm discussion in this country. I don’t know how we will do that as long as we have Republicans trying to undermine the bi-partisan climate which was proposed by President Obama.

What can we do to get this country back on track and off of the shouting match?