Public School Assignment: Compare Bush To Hitler
A teacher at a Washington, D.C. public school thought it would be a good idea to ask students to compare President George W. Bush to Adolf Hitler.
Click here for reuse options!The assignment was given out this week at McKinley Tech Middle School in Northeast and has angered at least one parent who complained about the homework.
A copy of the assignment, made by the parent, instructs students to draw examples from two texts they were assigned and to fill in a Venn diagram with similarities and differences between the two men.
“Now that we have read about two men of power who abused their power in various ways, we will compare and contrast them and their actions. Please refer to your texts, ‘Fighting Hitler — A Holocaust Story’ and ‘Bush: Iraq War Justified Despite No WMD’ to compare and contrast former President George W. Bush and Hitler. We will use this in class tomorrow for an activity!” reads the text at the top of the assignment.
Copyright 2014 Liberaland
By: Airedelapaz
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Tommy6860 September 11th, 2014 at 17:46
I just can’t….!
Tommy6860 September 11th, 2014 at 17:46
I just can’t….!
Guest September 11th, 2014 at 19:09
wow, after all the s%#*t i have seen on billboards and marquees and fox news etc etc about the president…someone is upset about this??
Skydog2 September 11th, 2014 at 19:14
Keep politics out of the classroom.
majii September 11th, 2014 at 20:10
I can tell you’re not a teacher. I’m a retired social studies teacher. In a social studies classroom, it’s impossible to “keep politics out of the classroom.”
Stick to what you know, not what you think you know.
Norm Hull September 12th, 2014 at 09:39
I agree politics should be discussed in the classroom and teachers should feel free to state their opinions if asked, but allow the students to draw their conclusions. An assignment comparing Bush to Hitler is an obviously loaded question
Guest September 11th, 2014 at 19:09
wow, after all the s%#*t i have seen on billboards and marquees and fox news etc etc about the president…someone is upset about this??
Skydog2 September 11th, 2014 at 19:14
Keep politics out of the classroom.
majii September 11th, 2014 at 20:10
I can tell you’re not a teacher. I’m a retired social studies teacher. In a social studies classroom, it’s impossible to “keep politics out of the classroom.”
Stick to what you know, not what you think you know.
Norm Hull September 12th, 2014 at 09:39
I agree politics should be discussed in the classroom and teachers should feel free to state their opinions if asked, but allow the students to draw their conclusions. An assignment comparing Bush to Hitler is an obviously loaded question
Bunya September 11th, 2014 at 20:23
I really can’t say anything bad about Dubya. After all, he was just the rodeo clown sent out by the GOP to take the slings and arrows for all their f*ck ups. Now, if the teacher would havewanted a comparison between Hitler and Cheney or Hitler and Rumsfeld…….
roccolore September 11th, 2014 at 21:50
What about Hitler and Obama. Would that be okay?
jasperjava September 11th, 2014 at 23:17
No, that’s ridiculous and offensive.
Hitler was a right-wing extremist, a hateful bigot, and a warmonger. In other words, he would have fit right in with the Tea partiers and the neo-cons in the Republican Party.
William September 12th, 2014 at 00:48
Also, Hitler was a painter BEFORE he invaded countries. Bush became a painter after.
Dwendt44 September 12th, 2014 at 00:49
And neither were good at it.
roccolore September 12th, 2014 at 06:49
Hitler was anti-Jewish and pro-abortionist. Hitler would fit in with you Democrats who stage “peace rallies” defending Hamas.
Norm Hull September 12th, 2014 at 09:37
The GOP only cares about Jews because of their insane end-times ideology that states the Jews need to be in Israel. But yeah I guess the 70% of Jews who are Democrat hate themselves. You should tell them what’s best for them
Dwendt44 September 13th, 2014 at 12:13
Hitler outlawed abortions, made it a capital offense. Sounds like some right wing nut jobs I’ve heard.
Democrats are not anti-Jewish, stop listening to the talking heads on squawk radio.
roccolore September 13th, 2014 at 13:14
Left-wing nut jobs support pro-abortionists like Margaret Sanger, who was a Hitler defending. They still think Kermit Gosnell is a victim.
Dwendt44 September 14th, 2014 at 12:46
Response to:
Lie #1: Sanger denounced Hitler and his actions.
Lie#2: She was pro-choice, there are few, if any ‘pro abortion’ folks.
Lie#3: I doubt anyone thinks Gosnell is a victim.
Spirit of America September 12th, 2014 at 01:37
Both sides thinks it is ok if they are doing it to the other side, neither side thinks it is ok if it is done to them/theirs. It used to be both sides showed a bit of civility and decorum, that’s gone out the hypocrisy door….
Bunya September 12th, 2014 at 09:59
If Obama started an unnecessary war for profit, tortured detainees, allowed an attack inside the US, tanked the economy, spied on its own citizens and a whole host of other atrocities, then yes. I would say compare Hitler to Obama. But, since that didn’t happen (and it doesn’t look like it’s gonna happen anytime soon), there just isn’t any comparison whatsoever between Hitler and Obama. It’s like comparing apples to Ford Falcons.
Thomas Martin September 12th, 2014 at 09:28
Bush’s ‘strategy’ always was to be the public face of whatever company or office he had and let the ‘experts’ have the freedom do the work they were supposedly suited for. Which can work as a leadership strategy if you know how to hold them accountable for failures. He obviously did not.
Bunya September 11th, 2014 at 20:23
I really can’t say anything bad about Dubya. After all, he was just the rodeo clown sent out by the GOP to take the slings and arrows for all their f*ck ups. Now, if the teacher would havewanted a comparison between Hitler and Cheney or Hitler and Rumsfeld…….
roccolore September 11th, 2014 at 21:50
What about Hitler and Obama. Would that be okay?
jasperjava September 11th, 2014 at 23:17
No, that’s ridiculous and offensive.
Hitler was a right-wing extremist, a hateful bigot, and a warmonger. In other words, he would have fit right in with the Tea partiers and the neo-cons in the Republican Party.
William September 12th, 2014 at 00:48
Also, Hitler was a painter BEFORE he invaded countries. Bush became a painter after.
Dwendt44 September 12th, 2014 at 00:49
And neither were good at it.
roccolore September 12th, 2014 at 06:49
Hitler was anti-Jewish and pro-abortionist. Hitler would fit in with you Democrats who stage “peace rallies” defending Hamas.
Norm Hull September 12th, 2014 at 09:37
The GOP only cares about Jews because of their insane end-times ideology that states the Jews need to be in Israel. But yeah I guess the 70% of Jews who are Democrat hate themselves. You should tell them what’s best for them
Dwendt44 September 13th, 2014 at 12:13
Hitler outlawed abortions, made it a capital offense. Sounds like some right wing nut jobs I’ve heard.
Democrats are not anti-Jewish, stop listening to the talking heads on squawk radio.
roccolore September 13th, 2014 at 13:14
Left-wing nut jobs support pro-abortionists like Margaret Sanger, who was a Hitler defending. They still think Kermit Gosnell is a victim.
Dwendt44 September 14th, 2014 at 12:46
Response to:
Lie #1: Sanger denounced Hitler and his actions.
Lie#2: She was pro-choice, there are few, if any ‘pro abortion’ folks.
Lie#3: I doubt anyone thinks Gosnell is a victim.
Spirit of America September 12th, 2014 at 01:37
Both sides thinks it is ok if they are doing it to the other side, neither side thinks it is ok if it is done to them/theirs. It used to be both sides showed a bit of civility and decorum, that’s gone out the hypocrisy door….
fahvel September 12th, 2014 at 03:22
time for silence – exposing yourself as a jerk seems self defeating.
roccolore September 12th, 2014 at 06:47
Actually, you exposed yourself as the jerk first.
Bunya September 12th, 2014 at 09:59
If Obama started an unnecessary war for profit, tortured detainees, allowed an attack inside the US, tanked the economy, spied on its own citizens and a whole host of other atrocities, then yes. I would say compare Hitler to Obama. But, since that didn’t happen (and it doesn’t look like it’s gonna happen anytime soon), there just isn’t any comparison whatsoever between Hitler and Obama. It’s like comparing apples to Ford Falcons.
Norm Hull September 12th, 2014 at 09:28
Bush’s ‘strategy’ always was to be the public face of whatever company or office he had and let the ‘experts’ have the freedom do the work they were supposedly suited for. Which can work as a leadership strategy if you know how to hold them accountable for failures. He obviously did not.
majii September 11th, 2014 at 20:30
The issue here is, imo, not with the assignment, but with whether it can be proved that both Hitler and GWB abused their powers of office. I’d have to examine the materials the teacher provided to the students before assigning this exercise in order to be able to make a definitive decision. If the materials provide proof that both abused the powers of their offices, this would be an acceptable assignment.
I think what has some up in arms is the idea that the teacher equates Hitler with Pres. Bush. I don’t think that is what s/he was trying to do. Since I taught social studies for 33 years and have some expertise in the area, I think s/he was trying to compare the leadership styles/actions of the two leaders.
I think some may also be offended because they are loathe to admit that all presidents have at one time or another overstepped the boundaries of their office. Historians say that Pres. Lincoln did it when he suspended habeas corpus during the Civil War, that FDR did it when he tried to “pack” the Supreme Ct. with justices who were sympathetic to his politics, that Nixon did it when he tried to cover up his role in the Watergate break-in, and so did Reagan and Oliver North in the Iran-Contra Affair.
I also think that some are upset, and may be without a valid reason since they know little/nothing about education, curriculum standards, lesson planning, or history.
majii September 11th, 2014 at 20:30
The issue here is, imo, not with the assignment, but with whether it can be proved that both Hitler and GWB abused their powers of office. I’d have to examine the materials the teacher provided to the students before assigning this exercise in order to be able to make a definitive decision. If the materials provide proof that both abused the powers of their offices, this would be an acceptable assignment.
I think what has some up in arms is the idea that the teacher equates Hitler with Pres. Bush. I don’t think that is what s/he was trying to do. Since I taught social studies for 33 years and have some expertise in the area, I think s/he was trying to compare the leadership styles/actions of the two leaders.
I think some may also be offended because they are loathe to admit that all presidents have at one time or another overstepped the boundaries of their office. Historians say that Pres. Lincoln did it when he suspended habeas corpus during the Civil War, that FDR did it when he tried to “pack” the Supreme Ct. with justices who were sympathetic to his politics, that Nixon did it when he tried to cover up his role in the Watergate break-in, and so did Reagan and Oliver North in the Iran-Contra Affair.
I also think that some are upset for political reasons, and NOT reasons having anything to do with teaching, curriculum standards, lesson planning, or history, of which, I’d hazard to guess, they know little/nothing about.
roccolore September 11th, 2014 at 21:49
Democrats would be demanding firings had it compared Obama to Hitler.
Dwendt44 September 12th, 2014 at 00:40
That’s because there is very little comparison between those two.
William September 12th, 2014 at 00:45
“Democrats would be demanding firings had it compared Obama to Hitler.
Because that NEVER happens.
http://www.survivalistdaily.com/obama-hitler-similarities/
roccolore September 11th, 2014 at 21:49
Democrats would be demanding firings had it compared Obama to Hitler.
Dwendt44 September 12th, 2014 at 00:40
That’s because there is very little comparison between those two.
William September 12th, 2014 at 00:45
“Democrats would be demanding firings had it compared Obama to Hitler.
Because that NEVER happens.
http://www.survivalistdaily.com/obama-hitler-similarities/
fahvel September 12th, 2014 at 03:20
fascinating assignment!!!!!
fahvel September 12th, 2014 at 03:20
fascinating assignment!!!!!
Thomas Martin September 12th, 2014 at 09:31
I’m fine with an assignment asking students to critically think of how hitler came to power and compare him to another leader in history, letting them come up with their own comparison. making them do it for Bush is just setting them up to make them tell you what you want to hear. And setting yourself up for a sh*tshow
Norm Hull September 12th, 2014 at 09:31
I’m fine with an assignment asking students to critically think of how hitler came to power and compare him to another leader in history, letting them come up with their own comparison. making them do it for Bush is just setting them up to make them tell you what you want to hear. And setting yourself up for a sh*tshow
Herb Sarge Phelps September 12th, 2014 at 13:58
The biggest problem in this is it cheapens the meaning of what Hitler and the Nazis were about. It really makes it easy since the comparison of current situations to the Nazis and Hitler become meaningless to most and endangers us to being vulnerable to such again. I see fascist ideas being clearly introduced, but because of the saturation of comparing everything to fascism or Nazism well meaning people who see it, fear to bring it up.
I had the chance to spend a good deal of time with a man who was Hitler Youth and SS Officer while I was stationed in Germany. I talked about Hitler, the Nazis, and what to look out for so it wouldn’t happen again, but unfortunately now I am always concerned to say so because I know many will not hear anything else.
So yeah it is unfortunate the use by the teacher, but it is even worse to dismiss things because it is used. Like in most things, continue to read or listen because there might be something missed by letting that statement turn one away.
Herb Sarge Phelps September 12th, 2014 at 13:58
The biggest problem in this is it cheapens the meaning of what Hitler and the Nazis were about. It really makes it easy since the comparison of current situations to the Nazis and Hitler become meaningless to most and endangers us to being vulnerable to such again. I see fascist ideas being clearly introduced, but because of the saturation of comparing everything to fascism or Nazism well meaning people who see it, fear to bring it up.
I had the chance to spend a good deal of time with a man who was Hitler Youth and SS Officer while I was stationed in Germany. I talked about Hitler, the Nazis, and what to look out for so it wouldn’t happen again, but unfortunately now I am always concerned to say so because I know many will not hear anything else.
So yeah it is unfortunate the use by the teacher, but it is even worse to dismiss things because it is used. Like in most things, continue to read or listen because there might be something missed by letting that statement turn one away.
Kmom4kids September 13th, 2014 at 23:25
Hitler was an intelligent psycho who knew how to use mass indoctrination,not much off from right wing propaganda. Bus,well he needed others to think up the evil deeds.
Kmom4kids September 13th, 2014 at 23:25
Hitler was an intelligent psycho who knew how to use mass indoctrination,not much off from right wing propaganda. Bus,well he needed others to think up the evil deeds.