On Thursday morning, NBC’s Today partnered with a panel of far-left teachers (who came off like they were picked by their union) for “a fascinating conversation...on what’s happening in” schools and, not surprisingly, they bemoaned how parents and others have made the profession “so toxic and unbearable” by banning teachers from “be[ing] themselves” and insist they’re “not...indoctrinat[ing]” students.
Today was rather psyched as they teased correspondent Vicky Nguyen’s report three times. Fill-in co-host Sheinelle Jones boasted in the first that they would play “what teachers wish you knew” and “how you can help them.”
Co-host Craig Melvin lamented in the second that teachers have had to grapple with issues ranging “from burnout to banning books to how to keep schools safe.”
Jones gushed in the lead-in that the “diverse group of educators” had a “fantastic” discussion and Nguyen agreed, adding that the profession has been through so much “since school shut down at the start of the pandemic.” Of course, there was no mention of how teachers unions were hellbent on keeping them closed.
Before noting the genuinely bad issue of a massive teacher shortage, Nguyen lamented that “the subject matter” for teachers “extends far beyond classroom walls...[f]rom book bans to protests over how to keep schools safe.”
Asked “why so many teachers are leaving,” history teacher Sari-Beth Rosenberg blamed “the global pandemic, the gun violence pandemic, even just feeling under attack” from non-teachers while fellow far-left history teacher Nick Faroni said it “should be concerning” teachers view their job as “toxic and unbearable.”
Music teacher Nick Williamson peddled disinformation of his own by insisting “[t]eachers aren't even allowed to be themselves” and especially teachers like himself who are gay because many “can’t share their identity...with fear of being fired or discriminated against by students or parents.”
Williamson made an obvious reference to Florida’s Parental Rights in Education bill, which only prohibits discussion of sexuality through the third grade, so unless someone is eager to discuss matters of sex toys with kindergartners, gay teachers aren’t at any real risk.
Nonetheless, Faroni agreed with this lie, arguing that “[i]t should not be political for a child to walk into class and feel seen, heard, and exist” and “we’re not trying to indoctrinate” children.
It was only here that Nguyen gave a counterpoint to this left-wing panel by interviewing recently-retired teacher Norman Rangel separately as, after the February 2018 Parkland shooting, “he got approval from the school and parents to train and carry a concealed firearm[.]”
However, Faroni quickly pushed back and opined that anyone who thinks teachers should be armed needs to realize “we should reevaluate society, not reevaluate schools.”
A classic white male you’d find on MSNBC, Faroni continued spinning nonsense, invoking fears of communism after World War II. Williamson had more as well, gushing that Gen-Z will bring about “major...change” (click “expand”):
FARONI: I mean, you look in the 60s, teachers were called communists because we — we open minds. People in power do not like an independent, critically thinking group of people.
NGUYEN: Despite their diverse experiences, they say their kids are what inspired them to start teaching and they're the reason they still do.
WILLIAMSON: The proof is in the pudding with gen-z. They have so much access to information. They’re sharing their voice. There’s a major shift in change happening with these kids.
ROSENBERG: Right.
WILLIAMSON: They’re not settling for anything. They are holding us accountable. So, guess what’s going to happen when they're adults?
As if she were coached by Randi Weingarten herself, Rosenberg’s final thought consisted of telling parents to “[s]hut off the noise from the politicians” raising concerns about teachers because “[t]hey're not being honest with you about who we are.”
“We need your help. We need your support. Let's work together to create a wonderful community. A good community makes a good society. A good society makes a wonderful world,” added Spanish teacher Patty Guerra-Frazier.
The cast then called on parents to do more to back teachers by ensuring they have the proper “resources” to succeed and teach children instead of criticizing them.
In other words, they went full Terry McAuliffe (click “expand”):
MELVIN: That was such a powerful conversation, Vic. I mean, for folks who are watching and listening right now, what are some things that people can do to help out their teachers, to help out their schools?
NGUYEN: Yeah. It’s so important. If you're a parent or guardian, to speak up, right? This is so important for parents to support their teachers and demand excellence in your schools. But you've got to ask the questions, like, what kind of resources do our teachers have? How many kids are there in a class? What are you, as a district, doing to recruit and retain teachers? How are you paying them? But these are all things that parents have to be vocal about to back up the teachers.
(....)
ALEXANDER: Instead of complaining, being [sic] a part of the solution. Like, help those teachers.
JONES: Exactly.
ALEXANDER: They need you. That’s how communities succeed.
MELVIN: My mom used to also say about parents. She’s like, you know, it really bothered her when a parent would show up at the school when there was a problem. But the same parent —
ALEXANDER: Exactly.
MELVIN: — wasn't there for a PTA meeting. Like, they weren’t checking in on the kid. They only showed up when they had something to complain about.
Teachers do change lives and many of us were blessed to have had a few. But that’s not what any of this is about and, deep down, many of these far-left politicos know it.
Thursday’s lecture against parents concerned about far-left indoctrination and bias in schools was brought to you by advertisers such as Allstate and Cadillac. Follow the links to see their contact information at the MRC’s Conservatives Fight Back page.
To see the relevant NBC transcript from September 1, click “expand.”
NBC’s Today
September 1, 2022
7:36 a.m. Eastern [TEASE][ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Coming Up; 8:12 AM; Teachers Talk Back-to-School]
SHEINELLE JONES: Coming up, what teachers wish you knew as we head into the new school year. Vicky Nguyen got together with a group of educators to talk about the challenges they face. How you can help them and the inspiring reasons why teaching remains their dream job.
(....)
8:01 a.m. Eastern [TEASE]
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Talking with Teachers]
CRAIG MELVIN: Plus, show-and-tell.
PATTY GUERRA-FRAZIER: We need your help. We need your support. Let’s work together to create a wonderful community.
MELVIN: We talk to a group of teachers about the state of your schools from burnout to banning books to how to keep schools safe. What they’re saying and want you to know as the school year gets underway.
(....)
8:08 a.m. Eastern [TEASE]
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Coming Up; 8:14: Teachers Talk Back-to-School]
JONES: But first, Vicky Nguyen has a fascinating conversation with teachers every parent needs to hear. Vicky?
VICKY NGUYEN: Good morning, Shinelle. We are heading back to school thousands of teachers short, so we sit down for an important roundtable discussion about the state of education right now in 2022 and what we can all do to help our students succeed. You’ll want to see this. That’s coming up right after these messages.
(....)
8:14 a.m. Eastern
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Teachers Talk Back-to-School]
MELVIN: We are back with our ongoing back-to-school series and this morning's focus is on the state of teaching.
JONES: This is so good. Our Vicky Nguyen sat down with a diverse group of educators to get the real story on what's happening in your nation's classrooms. This is fantastic.
NGUYEN: Good morning. Such an important and fascinating conversation. We have been following the state of teaching since school shut down at the start of the pandemic. Teachers were tested like never before the past two years. So, at the start of this year, we gathered a group to talk about the struggles and their triumphs. What they want everyone to know about the work they're doing that we rarely see. As more than three million teachers start school nationwide, the subject matter extends far beyond classroom walls.
TEACHERS PROTESTING: We are the change!
NGUYEN: From book bans to protests over how to keep schools safe and a massive teacher and this year’s biggest challenge so far: a massive teacher and school staff shortage. The largest teachers union estimates 280,000 vacancies across the U.S. In Florida, schools are recruiting veterans to teach, earning their certifications as they go. In Arizona, students earning a bachelor's degree in education can start teaching before graduating.
NICK FARONI: It seems like every district’s just putting a band-aid over a bullet wound.
NGUYEN: We sat down with teachers from New York and New Jersey. Nick Faroni and Sari-Beth Rosenberg teach history. Eric Williamson, a music teacher. Patty Guerra-Frazier teaches Spanish. From five years to more than 20 years working with students, these educators want to let you know what it's like teaching right now. [TO TEACHERS] Why are so many teachers leaving this profession?
GUERRA-FRAZIER: The workload is immense. No one came into this profession to be rich. A simple thank you and just showing gratitude that we are educating your children is all we need.
SARI-BETH ROSENBERG: Whether it's the global pandemic, the gun violence pandemic, even just feeling under attack.
FARONI: Well, I think what people don't realize this is our dream job.
TEACHERS: Yes. Yeah
FARONI: The fact that people are leaving their dream job because it's become so toxic and unbearable should be concerning everybody.
NGUYEN: This 2022 and it seems like the challenges teachers face are greater than ever before.
NICK WILLIAMSON: Teachers aren't even allowed to be themselves, so I identify as a Black, out, gay male teacher, but some teachers can’t share their identity with their students or within their school district with fear of being fired or discriminated against by students or parents.
FARONI: It should not be political for a child to walk into class and feel seen, heard, and exist.
WILLIAMSON: Yes.
FARONI: We’re not trying to indoctrinate. We just want every child to feel safe, feel loved, and feel heard.
NGUYEN: Safety also top of mind. Norman Rangel of Texas retired from teaching in May. He was in March of 2018, after the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, he got approval from the school and parents to train and carry a concealed firearm in class.
NORMAN RANGEL: When those shootings took place, every student came to my mind. The thought just goes over and over in your head, what if that was us?
NGUYEN: By no means do you think all teachers should be armed?
RANGEL: That is correct. I don't think it is something should be forced on anyone.
FARONI: For me, I would say that a school is a sanctuary. If we're at the point if we’re even questioning whether a teacher should carry a gun, we should reevaluate society, not reevaluate schools.
PROTESTERS: Protect our kids!
NGUYEN: As for politics and education.
FARONI: I mean, you look in the 60s, teachers were called communists because we — we open minds. People in power do not like an independent, critically thinking group of people.
NGUYEN: Despite their diverse experiences, they say their kids are what inspired them to start teaching and they're the reason they still do.
WILLIAMSON: The proof is in the pudding with gen-z. They have so much access to information. They’re sharing their voice. There’s a major shift in change happening with these kids.
ROSENBERG: Right.
WILLIAMSON: They’re not settling for anything. They are holding us accountable. So, guess what’s going to happen when they're adults?
NGUYEN: Your final thought on what you want people to leave this conversation knowing about the state of teaching.
ROSENBERG: Shut off the noise from the politicians. They're not being honest with you about who we are. Think back to the teachers you had in school. You probably look back fondly on at least one or two teachers. That’s who we are.
GUERRA-FRAZIER: Teamwork makes the dream work.
WILLIAMSON: Say that.
GUERRA-FRAZIER: We need your help. We need your support. Let's work together to create a wonderful community. A good community makes a good society. A good society makes a wonderful world.
NGUYEN: Don't you love that? It's so true. We at least had one teacher —
JONES: Sure.
NGUYEN: — who made such a big difference for us. And so, we just kind of have to remember that —
MELVIN: Yeah.
NGUYEN: — and know that education is a team sport. It takes all of us.
MELVIN: That was such a powerful conversation, Vic. I mean, for folks who are watching and listening right now, what are some things that people can do to help out their teachers, to help out their schools?
NGUYEN: Yeah. It’s so important. If you're a parent or guardian, to speak up, right? This is so important for parents to support their teachers and demand excellence in your schools. But you've got to ask the questions, like, what kind of resources do our teachers have? How many kids are there in a class? What are you, as a district, doing to recruit and retain teachers? How are you paying them? But these are all things that parents have to be vocal about —
MELVIN: Yeah.
NGUYEN: — to back up the teachers.
JONES: I'm glad we're shining a light on teachers.
MELVIN: Well, and your mom was a teacher.
JONES: My mom, both of my grandmothers. Yeah.
MELVIN: Yeah. My mom. My mother-in-law too.
ALEXANDER: My grandmother. Instead of complaining, being a part of the solution. Like, help those teachers.
JONES: Exactly.
ALEXANDER: They need you. That’s how communities succeed.
MELVIN: My mom used to also say about parents. She’s like, you know, it really bothered her when a parent would show up at the school when there was a problem. But the same parent —
ALEXANDER: Exactly.
MELVIN: — wasn't there for a PTA meeting. Like, they weren’t checking in on the kid. They only showed up when they had something to complain about.
NGUYEN: Being part of the solution, I think, that’s exactly right.
MELVIN: Yeah.
NGUYEN: That's the right approach and mind-set.
MELVIN: Great conversation.
JONES: We love you, teachers.
MELVIN: Yeah.
JONES: We do. Thank you.
