The Truthiness According to John Dendahl

Proving once again that he is actually head writer for "The Colbert Report", part-time gubernatorial candidate John Dendahl has blamed NM teachers for low test scores because (quoting from today's Journal story):

"'Public school teachers skimp on basics because they are too busy teaching 'the three S's --sexuality, self esteem, and Socialism.'" He added in a phone interview that "most of the teachers in schools are of a socialist inclination...they do indeed brainwash children against the capitalist system.'"

Later in the day he toned down his remarks, supposedly, to mere apoplectic ranting via email:

"'It is my impression— from conversations with parents, some personal experience in classrooms and a great deal of reading— that many teachers, perhaps a majority, neither understand nor support the capitalist system,' Dendahl said in the e-mail. 'Many advocate views on economics that are socialist. Some punish students through the grading process for expressing conservative opinions.'"

Head Writer Dendahl reminds me of those dysfunctional family members who burn with repressed resentment, then spew out their resentment when the family has a big argument. You just know this guy has seethed with politico-economic theory hatred toward teachers, and the test scores have provided the mechanism for him to finally let go of this passionate Mel Gibson getting arrested by a Jewish cop level anger and rage.

And no, I don't know what Dendahl has against teaching self-esteem.

As for sexuality and Socialism, Dendahl and other intellectual Don't Ask Don't Tell types consider the bringing up of either subject to be the equivalent of advocating for it. The only correct way to properly teach these two subjects (which we all know only leads to pregnancy, homosexuality and voting Democratic) is to not teach them at all. In the case of Socialism, simply bringing up the concept is automatically a "brainwashing" attack on Capitalism. Or so the argument goes.

And no, I don't know what Dendahl has against teaching self-esteem.

I rambled on about the test scores themselves in the last entry, and won't rehash my harping about the simplistic nature of the "analysis" of those scores by Head Writer/Politicians like John Dendahl here. I will say that I expect more of the same level "analysis" from all sides of the "debate" on the issue, and that is really the only depressing aspect for me of the whole testing imbroglio. And yes, it's really depressing.

So it's fortunate that Head Writer Dendahl goes so over the top that the arguments swing back from depressing to howlingly funny. Just like that Stephen Colbert guy. I'll continue to admire Head Writer Dendahl's work on "The Colbert Report", and if I'm wrong, and Dendahl isn't actually Head Writer for the show, I certainly will give a sparkling recommendation that Stephen Colbert hire him after Dendahl gets his ass handed to him in the November election.