Why are college students making posters of “good role models and leaders” in the first place? Isn’t that a little elementary school-ish for a college assignment?

The real travesty in this situation was not the use of political photographs but the assignment itself. I invite Provost Cope to address the nature of this and the many other projects that form the foundation College of Education guiding philosophy.
As both a teacher and a graduate of UMSL, I can honestly say UMSL is too far removed from what teachers need most: strong knowledge of their subject and how to teach it.
Instead, the focus has always been on Mickey Mouse nonsense otherwise known as Character Education which that has no relevancy in teaching. As the article mentioned, the focus with Character Ed is to build positive self-esteem, learn right from wrong, etc. While the intentions of Character Education are noble, they have taken the place of what should matter.
I am left to think that in a time of economic uncertainty, growing unemployment, and a long term war; we are content with mediocre or even uneducated kids that will graduate with no employable skills so long as they feel good about themselves.

It’s not political??? Are you kidding me. What hogwash. What are students taught at UMSL?

” Don’t worry about the rules… just call it something else… Leadership”

What did Doctor Cope teach the students? Make your own rules!

My tax dollars at work.

By the way my poster work credits were completed by 6th grade.

Imagine my surprise.
A university leader caving to the political left.
Who could have predicted it?
The liberal ideology has infected and infested American institutions of higher (so-called) education (read: indoctrination) for over a generation and now we reap their reward.
The inmates are running the asylum.

you idiots…

The assignment was for an Introduction to Teaching class - the idea was to create a poster that communicated to MIDDLE SCHOOL CHILDREN!

please read the original article before popping off…

“the idea was to create a poster that communicated to MIDDLE SCHOOL CHILDREN!”

This must be how good little liberals learn to indoctrinate the youth of our country. I would bet my last dime that had they removed a McCain and/or Palin poster, there would have been no apology forthcoming.

“Subject: Character Educaiton Poster Project”

Hmm. I won’t touch whether the assignment was useful or worthy of being included in a university’s curriculum. However, I will suggest that Provost Cope has now twice shown an inability to edit his actions or his words, as he misspelled “education.” It is likely if he had taken the time to fully understand the context of this poster, he would have saved himself from the editing error. It seems like he might want to take more time to think when reacting or responding to situations.

To Politically Incorrect & Proud and timb44:

You really should read the entire article before you submit a comment and show the rest of us what idiots you are. Maybe you should both try taking the 6th grade over, you obviously need some remedial reading work.

Ain’t no big thing… a couple of months from now it will be required to hang is picture… well everywhere. Every government building, court, school, open wall of any kind… and soon after… every child’s bedroom.

Obama is an example of character. He is one of bad character. After twenty years of going to his church he denounced Rev. Wright, his friend, mentor, and spiritual leader, to further himself politically.

Sorry, claiming a political figure as a “role model” in the month before an election absolutely reeks of bias. If a college student cannot find non-political role models, then they probably need a few more social studies classes under their belt. Candidates shouldn’t be called leaders, save that for people who have proven themselves.

What a load of BS! Putting a candidate for President on a poster with Ghandi, illustrating “good role models”, a few weeks before an election, isn’t political? Even somebody without a Ph.D. ought to be able to figure that out. Then again, her Ph.D. IS from Ohio State …

Jim Bower: The assignment was to encourage “character” — regardless of what he may or may not have done in Hanoi, I find little to emulate in the character of a man who goes AWOL from a burning ship while others are dying, or who dumps the wife who stayed faithful to him while he was imprisoned because she was injured in an accident and is no longer the fashion model he married. And as for Gov. Palin’s character, I believe the Republican-controlled Alaska state legislature has already spoken on that subject. If you want a Republican who actually represents character, you might try someone like John Ashcroft. I may disagree with the man on a myriad of issues, but he showed real character when he refused to sign Alberto Gonzales’ illegal wiretap authorization. Or you could pick Jack Danforth, who, while an ordained Episcopal priest, has had the courage to stand up to the current brand of political demgogary which is unfortunately claiming to be Christian.

Sarah Palin is the executive of 20% of the land mass of the United States, one of only a few of the female governors in the country and an outstanding role model. Did the students consider her for this project in the interest of “inclusion and diversity?” She doesn’t seem to be very “included” in such activities. Why aren’t the feminists up in arms over this? Is it only OK to be a female leader if you bow to Gloria Steinem each morning?

I for one am glad that she is only a heartbeat away from the oval office if McCain every steps down.

Junior and his playmates must have brought some political pressure to bear on the Provost. Fair is one sided when your dealing with the black community. There’s the society standard for fairness, and then there’s the black society standard for fairness. The first one you reach for, the latter you try not to trip over.

As a teacher of 28 years this doesn’t come as a surprise to me at all. Education leans so far to the left that it’s about to tip over. Personally I don’t think that some one who admits to cocaine usage and works closely with and writes an introduction for a book written by a domestic terrorist has character that should be emulated. Obama obviously has no problem cutting people out of his life when it becomes politically expedient i.e. Rev. Wright. He also sold his grandmother out to be a racist on one hand and then a progressive on the other when it became the thing to do politically. Rarely do I find a socialist to be displaying good character.

How can politics not be a part of college life? Why would someone with a PH.D. act to prohibit political expression? I’m glad the student had their project restored, but there is something sick going on at a university that doesn’t allow political discussion.

Sadly, the only person who has taken note of what this article is about is the chap that goes by the name “Opinions are like ####” and the only thing he has to offer is to call everyone an idiot.
Everyone else however has really helped solidify my point stated in my first response. Your passions are in the wrong place and are therefore arguing over something that is inferior to the real problem which, in this case, is not politics but the course itself!
What kind of a class is “Introduction to Teaching School?” Do law students take “Introduction to Law?” or how about med students taking “Introduction to Medicine?”
Higher levels of institutions like the college of education at UMSL, unfortunately neglect offer courses of substance.
Opinions are #####—you are my hero and for your eloquence of calling as all idiots, I give you a hockey mom shout out!

This is supposed to be a class teaching college students how to become ideal elementary teachers. With that in mind, the professor should have immediately told the students that this poster was not acceptable. An elementary teacher should not be promoting political candidates in any shape or form. Putting Obama’s photo on a poster in a 6th grade classroom would be inexcusable, and cloaking it under the guise of “good role models” is beyond laughable. The very act of defining him as a good role model is a political statement. The fact that this college prof didn’t point that out exposes the truth that the prof is as biased as the rest of the university culture.

tevious -
Huh?? Of course Law students take an Introduction to Law class, they take it before they even enter law school! And Med students do take an Intro to Medicine class, it’s called “Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology”, and they take it before they enter Med school! This is obviously an education overview class so someone can decide if they want to pursue a teaching degree, they have classes like this in every field.

The poster doesn’t say “Vote for Obama” or outline his policies or anything of a political nature. Had the student used McCain, Palin, Clinton, Bush, or any other successful politician, it should have (and now would have) been perfectly acceptable. Obama was chosen for the poster because he IS an example of a fine leader - he’s going to be the next president!

It’s real simple - you can either agree with, or disagree with the notion that a candidate was tacitly endorsed. The university came to the conclusion that the student successfully fulfilled the requirements of the assignment - it does not endorse a political viewpoint, and therefore does not violate the university’s policies.

That’s what the story is about - all the comments about the class itself, the leftist leanings of universities, the corruption of the Provost, etc., etc, are just goofy rants. Thus, my name.

Why are college students making posters of “good role models and leaders” in the first place? Isn’t that a little elementary school-ish for a college assignment?
— Politically Incorrect & Proud
4:59 pm October 13th, 2008
______________________________________________________________
I think this has something to do with the fact that the average liberal arts college student reads at a 6th grade level, does math at a 3rd grade level (and still can’t balance a checkbook, because apparently decimals and “carrying the one” don’t come into play until the 5th grade), and Socialist Studies has replaced Columbus through Patrick Henry and the real GW - George Washington, with such contemporaries as Stalin, Lenin, Marx, and the Great New Culture.

How sad to think that our schools have become this. THIS.

As a teacher, I am disappointed that the administration caved on this one. I guess the threat of the ACLU always has its weight unfortunately. There are any number of famous persons who could be quoted on the issue of civil rights. We really have to stretch the imagination to believe that this is nothing more than a political statement. There also is no clear reason given for the change of mind. Too bad! Education loses again.
mooselady

OPINIONS …
I hate to to go back and forth with you on this one but:
My question refered to those in LAW SCHOOL and after a thorough search of Wash U’s website, I am hard pressed to find one. The closest thing I come to is “Introduction to Intellectual Property Law.”
So you fail to realize that while you are arguing (most admirably) my point, you are, in fact, proving it.
As you said, med students take “Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology, not as I wrote a class called “INTRO TO MEDICINE.”
So again, I am trying to stress you and all of the bloggers that the issue should not be with what the story was about; i.e the political aspect. MY POINT –(NOT THE PAPER’s) is that the issue we should be addressing is how the College of Education routinely offers up ridiculous projects that have nothing to do with teaching and then bundle it in a pretty little title like “Introduction to Teaching.”
So let me paint it this way—if the poster had been Michael Jordan, no one would have complained and the story would not have been written, correct? I am saying the POST and you and everyone else should be questioning the VALIDITY OF THE ASSIGNMENT with regards to its merit for a teacher.
I am saying we as a society should put our passions in more appropriate places with regards to preparing teachers to actually know what and how to teach and not making posters for elementary, middle or high school. DO YOU GET IT or should I make you a poster?

With the election only a few weeks away, it appears that displaying one of the candidate’s pictures in a classroom is a political statement. If posters of both candidates were in the classroom then it may have appeared to be of some educational value.
As a graduate of the University of Missouri, I am displeased with the behavior of Robin Wiseman and UMSL.