60 minutes

Yea, I've got a friend, LittleBug, who got really picked on by a teacher because he mentioned he didn't believe in evolution - actually mocked in front of the class. He was being bullied at the time anyway, and you can imagine that that didn't make it any better. I get all hot under the collar when I think about it!

At the same time, I'm sure there have been cases the other way round - I seem to recall hearing some horror stories about religeous instruction classes too. I guess the moral is that it's really important for teachers to realise different kids / kids parents will have different points of view, and that they should respect these (without compromising their own, of course).

LB - That is actually a hard one, I would explain to them what I believe and why, but I wouldnt "ban" them from the activity if they chose to participate (and they were of an age old enough to choose for themselves) - for example if my kids came up to me and said "Mum im gay" I wouldnt say, I dont believe what you feel is right.

Like someone earlier said (im sorry i cant recall who), they are people in their own rights, not mini versions of me so I cant expect them to have all the same beliefs as me - just as I dont have the same beliefs as my Mum.

ETA: double post

Edited by LittleBug

Babe wrote: :pondering: this thread is making me think abit... I don't think I have a problem with a teacher that happens to be gay, or muslim or obese for that matter. I think for me its more how out there they are with it IYKWIM? If they're going to be around my child for so much of the day I want to be sure they aren't going to be pro-active about their lifestyle/beliefs. Its not their job and yes while they are individuals, if they're in a teaching role I would want them to put their specific beliefs, etc to the background. I'm totally happy to discuss homosexuality, religions, eating habits, etc with my children, give them all the facts and go from there but I don't want any of that in their faces all day... Does that make any sense?? Still processing that train of thought anyway...

Perfect sense Babe, that's what I'm trying to say. Most respectable teachers do not let their private lives influence their teaching in any negative way. In a public school, religion does not come into it. I think the mark of a good teacher is when they portray the values of the school community, which is why they should have been hired in the first place.

It seems a few of you who are a bit worried about gay teachers/atheist teachers etc have had pretty out there experiences. I guess I'm lucky in that I haven't had much like that, I've had a pretty rounded education with no teacher standing out with forcing their own views onto me, so maybe that's why I'm not put-off by it? I don't know.

I have taught with a gay man who drove me nuts with how out there he was with it. He told me after 5 mins 'in case you can't tell, I'm gay' then asked me dodgy questions about how sexually frustrated I was while DH (then DP) was away for 6 months! To say that to a colleauge is disturbing, and I can only guess that the reason he was a reliever and not a permanent teacher (had been relieving for many years with no luck) was his over-the-top attitude (and way too personal, way too quickly). If that's the only experience I'd had with gay people, I'd probably be scared off them too. Thankfully I've had great experiences with all sorts of religions, sexual orientations and races. I'm starting to think I'm very lucky with that.

I do believe that others are entitled to their opinions, I just can't understand where they are coming from in this day and age. Some of you said you'd be happy to live centuries ago - well we're not and we adjust our lifestyles as we evolve. I for one am glad we have a generally more open society these days.

Oh and on the marijuana topic, my family has recently done a lot of research on this as a close family member is in terrible pain (has been for nearly 30 years) and can barely get out of bed. He's on morphine 24/7, can't work or do anything he loves anymore. All of the research we've come across (and a lot from the states since some states introduced medical marijuana, and the netherlands) has shown there is no drug even close to marijuana in its medicinal properties. Now I'm not condoning it for Joe Bloggs down the road to get high all the time but I would prefer this particular family member to use that (which he is planning on doing as soon as we can work out the best way for him to take it as he can't smoke it due to a torn oesophagus) rather than being on morphine 24/7 and using alcohol (which is a worse depressant and not good for someone whose been on anti-D's for 30 years) to get to sleep at night as he's generally writhing in pain til about 5 in the morning.

Annnnnnnnnnyyyyyyyyyyyyway... back on topic

1) selling your body (which is what nude posing is) shows lack of self-respect (think of it as public viewing of things like this is fulfilling a need by the woman to feel wanted/attractive/loved)
2) no matter what you feel about it, the code of ethics for NZ registered teachers prevents teachers from doing this sort of thing so she nees to be reprimanded. Whether you agree with that or not, it doesn't really matter, she should be punished in some form (as a teacher, you agree to live by that code of ethics and have to go through an advice and guidance programme to prove you meet those requirements, then maintain them). It's a very blatant disregard for the ethics, when they're pretty obvious at all stages of your teaching career.

I'd just like to say (while donning my fame proof suit) Good luck wiht not "allowing" your children to be exposed to or do or whatever when they become teenagers....
We too have very strict boundries/rules and expected standards of behaviour and I think I can very safely say, where theres a will, theres a way... unless you are planning on being with them for every breath, you can't really keep alot of it away. The best you can do is arm them with the knowledge and respect to let them make their own choices (within reason) that sits within your families guidelines....

I say this because no matter how hard I have tried to be at home every living minute that the snotager is here, and how clear we have been about no sex no girls here when we are not etc and good discussions about why and how we feel, those of you who are on my facebook will already know how revolted I was to hear (at tea time yesterday) about the "good times" had in MY bed if you get my drift....

I also caught him in bed with someone a few weeks back and was absolutely recolted, angry upset and dissapointed cos its not somethign we want/allow in our home. Also my kids saw, too.

The nusic we dont like, agree with etc, the fashion, the friends, everything, like i said good luck, cos unless you are planning on handcuffing yourself to them 24/7 its gonna get in somehow....

And Yes, I am sending my kids to the catholic school, I will take them to church, I will try to lead by example (note "try", lol) but a tthe end of the day,I do recognise that when they become teens, this might be somethign they question or don't want, and thats totally up to them.
I like to think of it as "giving them foundations" and lettign them grow into their own people.

Edited by fattartsrock

Babe wrote: Changed my mind on sharing that Agree with you Hopes well put Mmm Pomikiwi if it wasn't brought into school or if my kids didn't find out about it through any other avenue (remembering small-town-itis ) then it wouldn't be a problem. Maybe check out the next post of mine after the one you quoted...

Of course, I know gossip goes around, but still i'm sure the teacher wouldn't wouldn't use that as a cue to talk about what they get upto, lol!

Nothing wrong with Gay teachers.. Mr Garrison is cool. And I'm sure they don't all bring their gay lovers to school to show the class

lol Yumi. I LOVE It!!!!

LOL Pepsi!!!

emz wrote: I do believe that others are entitled to their opinions, I just can't understand where they are coming from in this day and age. Some of you said you'd be happy to live centuries ago - well we're not and we adjust our lifestyles as we evolve. I for one am glad we have a generally more open society these days.

Maybe we don't live centuries ago, maybe society has changed and evolved but that doesn't mean it's necessarily evolved for the best. It's doesn't mean that we have to condone teen sex, sex outside of marriage, drinking, drugs and promiscuous behavior being flaunted on our TV screens and in our magazines.

I know I can't shelter my child from all the influences, I know they are going to come anyway. I just hope that I will have taught her by then that you don't have to follow the majority of society to be happy. I hope I will teach her that marriage is still something to valued and cherished. I hope I will teach her to respect herself and that she doesn't have to dress beyond her years or like a slut, that she doesn't have to fool around in the backseat of her car to be happy within herself.

I hope that she will look at her parents lives, we have been far from perfect, and understand how much happier we are since we stopped living to make ourselves happy and seeking pleasure elsewhere and started living as God wanted us to.