Teachers Boycott The Record
therecord.com/news-story/6264336-teachers-uni...
therecord.comPosted Feb 5, 2016, 6:09 AM UTC
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therecord.comD'Amato is so embarrassing. I have no idea how someone like that can even have space to publicly publish their opinions, as though they're even worth reading. This person has done nothing but take the opportunity to have a public voice for granted.
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I'm almost invariably disappointed with the opinion pieces in The Record. And not in a "I disagree with this so they shouldn't publish it" kind of way, but rather in a "this is actual misinformation or it serves only to incite anger and outrage at other people in the community" kind of way. D'Amato is easily the worst offender, but it seems like a more pervasive problem with what The Record is willing to publish.
Just last week, there was one that was literally just spouting gender stereotypes around shopping. I wish I could find it, because I can't do justice to how incoherent it was; it was a whole level above your typical D'Amato rabble-rousing. The author is a lecturer of journalism at a university, and the only explanation I could think of was that it was to point out how you can get absolute garbage published in The Record. Like, maybe he brought it in to class for everyone to have a laugh about.
If I see another "DAE think LRT construction sucks?????" opinion article I may vomit.
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We all have the right to disagree with D'Amato. You don't like what she has to say? Oh well, move on. But boycotting is a tad over reactionary and wrong. We are starting to act like the States here, jeez.
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Her opinions and voice would be better suited for a blog, not a city-wide publication. Her writing truly shows any single person ever could be doing what she does.
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So you quote me but change my words to make your point, hmmm that's very fox news of you, thanks.
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I like to get high and post on reddit too.
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The irony is this article is not open to forum discussion in spite of Melinda Marks statement 'The Record is committed to providing this community with news, analysis and opinion but also a place for dissent and vigorous debate. Our pages offer a forum for discussion not only for journalists but the public as well.' Instead of this being a wake up call they have decided to stick their head in the sand and deny anything is amiss. We need balanced news reporting and we cannot get that at The Record.
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D'Amato is awful, but she is just a columnist. Her positions are not presented as fact. Teachers are responsible for introducing young minds to information they may not like or want to receive. Part of that involves how to be tolerant of different opinions.
Guelph just cancelled their daily print edition. Is this really sending the right message to kids? If you disagree with a newspaper, put it out of business.
Furthermore, the Union is encouraging members to use the Toronto Star as a source instead, as if almost oblivious to the fact that this is the Record's parent company. Maybe they know that every other news publisher is practically frothing at the mouth to say even worse things about teachers.
You are absolutely right in that someone has their heads in the sand here. You're just wrong about who it is.
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No debate.. Article mentions that clod D'Amato and that always gives the comment mods a panic attack.
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Maybe it's because they don't want people to personally attack their staff member. Sure she's controversial. So what? Is no other journalist or columnist controversial? It's her opinion. People don't have to read it.
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Indeed, and the teachers she bashes don't have to subscribe to it or use it as a teaching resource, The Record is ooooold hat at people not reading it. The Merc stopped its print edition... do you think The Wreckord is that far behind?
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In fairness, I've literally never seen intelligent discussion on the comment section of The Record. Or really any news site for that matter.
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the facebook page for the record occasionally has some good discussion commenting on stories.
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NYT, Washington Post, CSM all have good comment sections
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The teacher's union has proven time and time again that it wields far too much power. Unions are only good when the help keep things in balance between the workers and the 'powers that be'. Once they start attempting things like actually VOTING for things like boycotts that affect the teaching of our children then it means that they think they are more important than the teachers they are supposed to represent. The Teachers Union is not the organizational arm of teachers - it has become it's own entity looking out primarily for itself. They need to be taken down a few pegs....
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they're too big now, no stopping them really..
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I might be entering the teaching field and I agree. Our union holds far too much power.
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I am genuinely confused by the reaction to the boycott.
The paper has the right to publish what they want, and The Record and other papers regularly choose content that will sell papers. That's half the point of an opinion columnist like D'Amato, she generates controversy. People link to and discuss the controversy.
The point of a union is to use the collective strength of a group of people to forward that group's agenda. If the group stops buying a commercial product and that causes that product to change as a result the system is working as intended.
It's perfectly understandable to disagree, to think that D'Amato is an asshole or that the union are idiots. But none of what any entities involved in this issue is in anyway a violation of free speech, freedom of the press or individual, corporate or other entity's rights.
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Printing whatever sells isn't news it is yellow journalism. Presenting only one side of a story is not journalism. I have no problem with D'Amato's free speech but by not offering opposing views the Record is slanting the story and engaging in biased reporting. In a region of over half a million people we deserve better.
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I think that the teachers union misused their power of influence by advising their union members to boycott a newspaper.
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A lot of thin skinned losers live in KW with no clue on how to be human. People that hate unions and teachers are fucking stupid as a bag of shit. People that support The Record are complete assholes and dickheads. This town is full of conservative racists, nazis and idiots who think their own shit don't stink. Some day soon they are all in for a rude awakening when the poor unwashed masses rise up and start chopping off their aristocrass nuts. I will be cheering from the sidelines!! I can't wait to say I told ya so. Morons.
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Being offended is your right. Not being offended is NOT a right. D'Amato is a loon - she doesn't know shit, so all she can do is write opinion. If you're that butt hurt over an irrational columnist then no one wants you teaching our kids.
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You'd rather hide your kids from differences of opinion? Try talking with your kids about real life instead of relying on everyone else to raise your kids.
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If we are to endure the Palinesque rantings of hyper-conservative opinionatos like D'Amato then the Record should offer a counter opinion. This is called balanced news reporting. The Record has refused to do this and that is why they are just another conservative rag engaging in 'yellow journalism'. This region deserves better.
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Even if we assume that is true it doesn't mean the teachers union acted ethically.
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The union has a responsibility to protect the interests of it's members and identifying local media as biased against them is exactly what they are supposed to do along with giving an appropriate response which I believe they have done. At least they aren't picketing out in front of The Record's office or protesting in front of Luisa's house.
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This is ridiculous. If you dont agree with an opinion, you dont buycott it. That isnt how free speech works. Schools are a public institution.
Teacher union things ;)
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