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Dead Constitution See other Dead Constitution Articles Title: 'Bush trial' students stand by their teacher 'Bush trial' students stand by their teacher Parsippany board hears from government class Senior Kevin Schultz addresses the Parsippany Board of Education meeting held at Brooklawn Middle School Thursday. Shultz wondered, 'Why could doing something as free, as democratic, as American, as this, have anything but praise for it.' Xiaoyuan Jiang, the student who played President Bush described, his teacher, Joseph Kyle, as 'the greatest teacher I have had in my life.' BY ROB JENNINGS DAILY RECORD PARSIPPANY --Xiaoyuan Jiang, the student who played President Bush in a mock war crimes trial in a Parsippany High School classroom defended the controversial assignment and his teacher, Joseph Kyle, at Thursday's school board meeting. Two other seniors and the K-12 district's curriculum director also spoke on behalf of the nationally publicized tribunal, which concluded without a verdict Tuesday, at the meeting. Many of the 180 people in the audience, including about 20 students from Kyle's advanced placement government and politics class, stood and loudly applauded the positive reviews. Others showed no reaction, and a few critics of the assignment left when they were told that a public comment period would not be allowed until later in the night. The mock tribunal, in which Bush was charged with "crimes against civilian populations" and "inhumane treatment of prisoners," sparked widespread debate on national television, the Internet and talk radio. It also prompted a public condemnation, by a 6-1 vote, from the Morris County Freeholders on Wednesday night. Student's view "Why could doing something as free, as democratic, as American, as this, have anything but praise for it,"said Kevin Schultz, one of four students on Bush's defense team. Jeff Feller, father of one of Kyle's students, said outside the meeting that the trial was a mistake. "My concern is the package. It was packaged as a war crimes trial against the president," said Feller. "A responsible person could have found a similar way ... to have held an engaging debate,"Feller said. Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum Kathleen Sleezer charged that critics had distorted the overarching emphasis of the class project by emphasizing its trial component. "There was no president-bashing here," said Sleezer, explaining that the project evolved as the class was studying "executive powers and their limitations, as stipulated by the United States Constitution." "The trial, or hearing, provided the structure to the lesson, but it was not the lesson," Sleezer said. Student prosecutors and defense lawyers began arguing the case before a five-teacher "international court of justice" on Feb. 27. Following a three-hour administrative meeting on Friday, called halfway through the trial, interim Superintendent James Dwyer announced that it would proceed but that no verdict would be rendered. Bush would be proud Sleezer said Kyle's class is populated by liberal and conservative students who "did not create" the war crimes accusations against Bush. She referred to student Xiaoyuan Jiang, who played Bush and was the final defense witness. "I believe President Bush would be very proud of Xiaoyuan Jiang's portrayal of him," she said. Jiang, speaking after Schultz and student prosecutor Stephanie Foltzer, stoutly defended Kyle. The teacher was invited to the meeting but did not attend. "I am very lucky to have Mr. Kyle as my teacher,"said Jiang, calling him "the greatest teacher I have had in my life" and suggesting that other teachers were less motivated. "It is sad that America has so many horrible teachers out there who have no passion for the job," said Jiang -- a remark that later drew a mild rebuke from Dwyer. Board support Perlett and other board members had only praise for the class. A short break was taken, and the meeting picked up with its regularly scheduled agenda. One spectator, Joseph Marion, told a reporter just before leaving that he had hoped to follow up on Schultz's remark that the students "all know Mr. Kyle's political beliefs." "The kids know the political persuasion of the teacher. Well, what is his political persuasion," Marion said. Kyle, in a telephone interview last week, declined to discuss his opinion of Bush, the war in Iraq or the U.S. response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Foltzer said that students essentially took the lead in the project, extensively researching primary sources and news articles. "We are eager to educate ourselves. This mock trial was our way of doing that," she said. High school Principal Anthony Sciaino, who said last week that he approved the trial in advance, was in attendance Thursday. Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread
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