Wednesday, October 06, 2010

Controversial teacher pulls her post

Okay, I'm not getting this. Risha Mullins, the teacher who sparked controversy in Montgomery County, Kentucky for championing the reading of popular teen fiction in college preparatory classes and who has become a fave among the champions of teen pop fiction in the curriculum has taken down her post recounting the depredations perpetrated upon her during a supposed "witch hunt" against her.

The only place you can find it now is as a screen capture from reddit.com.

Now the whole point of her post was how she ran into controversy and then ran away from it--and how she regretted running away from it. But now, after she has attracted national attention once again (the comments on her posts are running into the thousands--as are the hits on this blog which she linked to), she seems to be running away from it again.

Look, girl, just stand up for what you believe. You've obviously got an army of people out there ready to support your cause. It isn't like you aren't getting supported. I disagree with you, but if you keep pulling this stunt you're only hurting your case.

Sheez.

UPDATE: In fairness to Mullins, I wanted to quote her post on why she took down the original post:
I did not remove my post because I am afraid. I reflected on a dark time in my life. I told the truth, and I had the right. But I removed my blog in protest to the hostile, hate-filled rhetoric being sent to my former administration and colleagues in my name.
Fair enough. Looks like these enemies of censorship--you know, the champions of truth, justice. love, and free speech--are harassing her former colleagues. What is it that makes so many people who champion books short on deep insights and long on emotionalism do this kind of thing? It would make an interesting study.

1 comment:

Andrew said...

I found this after reading the blog she had taken down and after reading your blog from Monday, November 30, 2009.

I am just wondering where you saw that the books she had available to read were taught specifically for that class. You said they were for college accelerated classes but I don't see how she had enough of the same books to teach each individual child the same book.

From what I read from her it sounded as if it was optional reading and was not mandatory for the class. It sounded like she still had a main curriculum to follow which, I'm sure, included these classic and challenging pieces of literature you spoke of.

She also said that these books helped improve test scores. So why wouldn't you use something that improves test scores in a college accelerated class? Especially something optional that the child doesn't feel forced to read. Tests from AP courses are the same tests throughout the whole nation, are they not?