Bronco Jersey No Laughing Matter In Beaver County

BEAVER FALLS The parents of a Beaver County high school student are fighting mad after they say their son was humiliated for wearing a Denver Broncos jersey to school last week.

[Bob Young - Idaho]

I am a Bronco fan, but I am not going to wear a Steelers shirt to school the week of the big game.

At least he did wear the number 7 (Ben or John)

[RKG]

The kid needs to stop whining and if He's going to represent his team he needs to learn that he's gonna take some heat in Steelers dominated surroundings. If he thought a little ribbing from a teacher is "Un nerving" wait till how his fellow students react.

[dt t]

i hope that who this happened to files a nice law suit against john kelly and the beaver falls school system.

[lta]

dt t wrote:

i hope that who this happened to files a nice law suit against john kelly and the beaver falls school system.

I hope so too.

"If he felt uncomfortable, then that's a lesson; that's what [the class] is designed to do," Kelly told The Denver Post. "It was silly fun. I can't believe he was upset." - Yeah and I'm sure if Mr Kelly was treated the same in front of his peers he would take it as good old silly fun.

[RK Metz]

#1. RKG - You are way off base. Vannoy was not subjected to "a little ribbing". he was flat out harrassed. This same "teacher" (?) says he did the same thing to a 9th grade student the week before. Mr. Kelly is no "teacher', he is plainly put a bully.

#2. Mr. Thomas Karczewski, the principal seems to imply that because there is only one "Broncos" fan in school it is not a serious matter. He has as serious a problem as Mr. Kelly if this is true.

#3. The school board had best look into this very closely and make corrections to both Mr Kelly's and Mr.Karczewski mindset.

#4. Joshua, stick to your guns and do not back down. Your parents have ewvery right to be fighting made...so do you...more so.

[pdj]

A professional teacher would not force his beliefs or team favorites on students. This needs to be investigated by the Supt. and school board.

[Justin]

Im glad everyone got there comments in but now its my turn since i am in that exact class and was present during this "Incident". First of all the class is called Ethnic Relations. it is the study of Religions, culture, and most of all actions between people of different ethnic backgrounds. if Josh felt humiliated then good for him because that is what the class is about. Near the end of the year we have a project that we do for a long period of time. we have to wear the star of david with a big E in the middle of it and no matter what we are told we have to do it. for example, if we are told to sit in the middle of the class then you better do it or you lose points. This is to represent the jews during the holocaust. everyone in the class is aware of this project and probably 50 percent of them took the class wanting to do the project. so before anyone makes any more comments think about what the class is about not what happened and the opinion of 1 student.

[krk]

If he wants to wear his jersey for the Broncos 2 days before the game w/the Steelers, then let him,it's his free right!
People need to remember that just because you live in a city w/a certain sports team, that not everyone is a fan of that team, they can like whoever they want to
I've lived in MI all my life, but have been a Bears fan since i was a young gal and would go to a Lions/Bears game with my Bears shirt on, not a Lions to appease the fans!
This teacher may be the most die-hard Steelers fan, but that doesn't mean all his students must be!
And i'm sure if the tables were turned and this happened to the teacher by a student, the student would be suspended so fast his head would spin! He needs to remember he's an educator first, Steelers fan after that.

[Margaret Rhodes]

Apparentlly Beaver Falls, and maybe all of PA, is a good place not to go. I hope this town doesn't need any new businesses or want any new residents.

[Batman]

dt t wrote:

i hope that who this happened to files a nice law suit against john kelly and the beaver falls school system.

I'm with you, Beaver Falls HS needs a little wake up call on allowing teachers to do STUPID things like this. What was going through this clown's minds? A lawsuit would serve them well and may even wake up the School Superintendent. Are you awake Ms Nugent?

[RWS]

Role playing is an accepted teaching technique to understand the concept being learned. Humiliating a student unexpectantly, on purpose, for being different is something totally different and to put in simple terms just mean. If your class is learning about the Holocost then I would ask you and your class to observe how easy it is for a group of intelligent people to be manipulated by their leader to inflict pain and suffering on another.

[Batman]

Justin wrote:

Im glad everyone got there comments in but now its my turn since i am in that exact class and was present during this "Incident". First of all the class is called Ethnic Relations. it is the study of Religions, culture, and most of all actions between people of different ethnic backgrounds. if Josh felt humiliated then good for him because that is what the class is about. Near the end of the year we have a project that we do for a long period of time. we have to wear the star of david with a big E in the middle of it and no matter what we are told we have to do it. for example, if we are told to sit in the middle of the class then you better do it or you lose points. This is to represent the jews during the holocaust. everyone in the class is aware of this project and probably 50 percent of them took the class wanting to do the project. so before anyone makes any more comments think about what the class is about not what happened and the opinion of 1 student.

Justin, wake up and wash the dirt out of your ears and eyes. This was not an exercise in racial or ethnic understanding. This was ridiculing a student during a midterm exam. Maybe if and when your idiotic teacher does the same to you next time you take an exam you'll understand the young man's feelings. I did not serve 25 years in the military for this teacher's right to act in such an irresponsible way. BTW, being a football fan is in no way comparable to any ethnic issue.

[Justin]

Batman wrote:

<quoted text>

Justin, wake up and wash the dirt out of your ears and eyes. This was not an exercise in racial or ethnic understanding. This was ridiculing a student during a midterm exam. Maybe if and when your idiotic teacher does the same to you next time you take an exam you'll understand the young man's feelings. I did not serve 25 years in the military for this teacher's right to act in such an irresponsible way. BTW, being a football fan is in no way comparable to any ethnic issue.

actually he probably will do this to everone during a test because of the ethnic relation project. and everyone knows that and are fine with it. let me remind everyone, the news isnt always right. This was just a joke to him and they were both laughing. josh forgot to put this little part in the interview.

[RWS]

This will obviously turn out to be interesting. Someone is misleading the public, this is a public site as is the newspaper that Josh spoke with.

[newt]

Justin wrote:

<quoted text>

actually he probably will do this to everone during a test because of the ethnic relation project. and everyone knows that and are fine with it. let me remind everyone, the news isnt always right. This was just a joke to him and they were both laughing. josh forgot to put this little part in the interview.

This sounds like it has less to do with a "ethnic relation project" and more to do with the teacher having a very fragile ego which he must constantly protect by knocking down his students.

[Amanda]

This is very interesting. I attended Beaver Falls High School and am now a junior in college. I had attended school with Joshua since elementary school and I was ridiculed by him and picked on. Finally when we got older, he just went his own way and somewhat matured. I also took the ethnic relations class. It was the best class I had ever taken in my educational career both high school, and college level. The class taught me so much about diversity and acceptance of others. Those who have not had the opportunity to take this wonderful class should be jealous that they were not granted this privilege. I talk about the "Ethnic Project" in my 'college classes and they want to talk to Mr. Kelly about the curriculum in which he uses for it and adopt the teaching methods for the project. I was with Josh the class after it happened. The day before, he told me that he was going to wear his Denver Broncos jersey to "make everyone mad." Let me remind you, he was never a Broncos fan; he was always a Miami Dolphins fan. I know this because he always had one of those 90’s puffy dolphin’s coats and talked about them all the time. After the incident happened, he came into our world cultures class, sat behind me, and laughed about it. During the time of the incident, the Ethnic Project was taking place. Also, there are quizzes given daily to see if students remembered what they learned from the previous day. They are only ten questions long and fill in the blanks. That is what the students were taking, not a midterm exam. The next semester had already started when the super bowl was going on. Let me also inform all of you that there is a waver that every parent must sign for the student to even be allowed to sign up for the class. Josh’s parents and Josh both had to sign it. My parents and I both had to sign one to. I remember it. This wasn’t a cry out, this was an attention scam. He tried to get money and fame. Little did he know, those of us who know Mr. Kelly, know his wonderful teaching methods, and love our school knows the truth. That is why Josh was not accepted back into the school. If this teacher was so malicious, don’t you think that the student body would back him on what he was doing? The entire student body stood behind Mr. Kelly because we all knew the truth. Those of you in Detroit Michigan and all over the country, I don’t expect you to understand, but also don’t judge something that you know nothing about. The media stretches everything to get people to buy the paper and magazine, that is a fact. The man who served in the military, you fought for teachers like Mr. Kelly to TEACH, not to NOT teach, I guarantee you that. My brother who was a sniper in the Marine Corps for 8 years and is now a Fighter Pilot in the Air Force took this class. When he heard the news on his local news station in Quantico, he was mortified. Not because of the teacher, but because of the student. Open up your eyes, this is the type of education that children need. They need to know how to accept those who are different. I guarantee all of you; this is the best class that any student at any level could ever take. All of you may not believe this, which I don’t really care. I wouldn’t feel right if I didn’t put the exact truth of the matter out there. I love my school, I love my teachers, and I will back them until the day I die. The term is true, Once a tiger, ALWAYS a tiger.