Stolen Fervor?
By Mitch Berg
My dad taught high school – writing, English and especially Speech – for close to forty years. He taught in two districts – Rugby and Jamestown, ND. It’s not hard to prove it; everyone in Jamestown either had dad, or their kids did, or their parents did. There were not a few two-generation families of students in that town.
Of course, you could ask him about it. He’ll probably tell you all you wanna hear. He’s kinda proud of the work he did. Justifiably so.
Any good teacher should be!
So yesterday, Sheila Kihne at Activist Next Door noted that her Freedom Of Information (FOI) request to the NYC School District came up with no record of a Mark B. Dayton having been employed there forty-odd years ago.
Now, it could be that the bureaucrats reponding to the FOI request did their perfunctory least to answer Sheila’s question. It could be that someone typed “Mark V. Dayton” instead of “Mark B. Dayton” into a computer. It could be, as a commenter on Sheila’s post noted, that the forty-year-old teacher records aren’t on the computer yet. It could be that, being civil service employees in the most sclerotic bureaucracy east of Chicago, they really don’t give a rat’s ass.
But Mark Dayton could settle this right now; we know he’s not above settling the things he wants to settle – he just released his NY teaching license, which at least proves he went to college and got certified. Yay!
That’s how easily he could shut down those who are asking the questions about his classroom time. It’d take about five seconds. Just tell the world – where did he teach, and when?
Because a teacher should be proud of the work they did.
September 1st, 2010 at 1:31 pm
Can Dayton even prove he was born in the U.S.? Where is his birth certificate?
September 1st, 2010 at 1:39 pm
Ha ha ha! Birth certificate! Funny!
Nah, I have no doubts either Obama or Dayton are American. And I know Dayton had a teaching license.
But where did he teach?
It’s a simple question. Obama proudly tells people he taught ConLaw. Dayton’s job – middle school science teacher – was arguably more important and of greater use to our society, and much more deserving of pride.
So hopefully he’ll set us all straight shortly.
September 1st, 2010 at 2:07 pm
Can Dayton even prove he has an IQ above room temperture?
September 1st, 2010 at 3:09 pm
Now come on, Kermit, Dayton is smart. He just appears to have never held an honest job, that’s all.
September 1st, 2010 at 4:13 pm
I’m also having trouble picturing Dayton as a science teacher, doesn’t have the mindset.
September 1st, 2010 at 5:03 pm
You’re right, Speed.
In science, wishing and believing doesn’t make something true.
September 1st, 2010 at 5:11 pm
Ya know, given that education is where all kids that dropped out of engineering school went, this just may indicate that Dayton is not the brightest light in the chandelier.
And for that matter, spending a boatload of money to go to Yale for a teacher’s salary…..never has made much sense to me. I know the concepts of “noblesse oblige” and such, but still….
September 1st, 2010 at 5:37 pm
My dad taught high school – writing, English and especially Speech – for close to forty years.
Where’s your proof?
September 1st, 2010 at 5:57 pm
Except for “global warming”, of course.
September 1st, 2010 at 6:08 pm
Right here Mitch!
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/08/31/090831fa_fact_brill
September 1st, 2010 at 6:56 pm
I am, of course, not being serious with my questions, Mitch.
I accept your claims about your own views at face value. Unlike your commenters who like to throw views on me that I don’t hold.
September 1st, 2010 at 7:18 pm
The precision of my writing, my metal-shredding public speech skills, and my knowledge of American literature.