A very compelling story from Aurora, Colorado is still unfolding. A student named Sean Allen openly taped his geography teacher on a regular basis as a study aid. The teacher abused his post to indoctrinate his charges with left wing rants derived from the loony websites. On a regular basis. Kid takes tape to Dad to school and eventually to talk radio.  Michelle Malkin is providing all the links you need to hear tape highlights, see local TV news coverage, and more. Michelle is updating the story.

Don't miss Mary Katherine Ham's hilarious and yet sobering dissection of the games being played by the students and the teacher on Hughhewitt.com. It is a classic telling of truth by one who knows. And full of wry wit.

My mind ventures to wonder if we ought to think about encouraging, not limiting, the rights of students to record their teachers in public schools. Based on what I heard, the teacher was stealing money from the public by not doing his job. He was appropriating students' time, school facilities, and part of his paycheck in order to indulge his own urge to propagate conspiracy theories.

The public has a clear interest in making certain that schools perform their desired function. Shouldn't we pass laws allowing public school students the right to record any classroom session paid for with public funds?

The MP3 revolution is upon us. iPods are ubiquitous. For as little as fifteen bucks a tiny device clicks in and turns the iPod into a digital recorder. Suitable for uploading to the web by any kid in America.

Think of the historic opportunity we have to improve education by decentralized monitoring of classroom conduct. I am certain sanctimonious arguments are made to respect the privacy and intimacy of he teacher—student bond. The learning process depends on trust. Laymen just don't understand the complexities.

Spare me. These are public employees, union members more than independent professionals, and they are hired to teach geography not spew political hyperbole. We need to monitor them. They shouldn't say anything in the classroom on our dime that they aren't willing to see heard on the internet.

Thomas Lifson   3 2 06