# Idiot Teacher Strikes Again

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiot-teacher-strikes-again/341449>\
**Category:** The BBQ Pit\
**Created:** [January 24, 2006, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiot-teacher-strikes-again/341449 "2006-01-24T21:31:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 7

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**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiot-teacher-strikes-again/341449/121 "2006-01-25T18:47:17Z")

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> [@Scumpup](#):
>
> You have a sarcastic sense of humor that occasionally delights…

You sound like you’re reviewing a bottle of wine.

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**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiot-teacher-strikes-again/341449/122 "2006-01-25T18:48:50Z")

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> [@FinnAgain](#):
>
> For the record I hadn’t even considered it as anything other than a joke about the parenting skills of our dear apologist.

I took it as a joke, too. No worries.

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**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiot-teacher-strikes-again/341449/123 "2006-01-25T18:55:24Z")

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> [@Miller](#):
>
> You sound like you’re reviewing a bottle of wine.

Yeah. Your notes of pepper, oak, and chocolate are why I read your posts.

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**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiot-teacher-strikes-again/341449/124 "2006-01-25T19:05:23Z")

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> [@Scumpup](#):
>
> Jebus X. Cripes, are you a douchebag. “Most Steelers fans” are working class people sitting in front of the TV scarfing junkfood and cheering for their team. Don’t know why this particular issue lights the fuse on your tampon, but then again, I don’t really care either. (This coming from somebody who doesn’t follow football.)

My animosity come from 8 years of holding Ravens’ season tickets, and every time I walked into that stadium when the Steelers were in town I was verbally abused, spit upon, assaulted, kicked, had beers thrown at me, had a wife who was sexually assaulted and was insulted. 9 other times a year I went to that stadium when other teams were playing and had no problems whatsoever, so don’t tell me it’s me and not Steeler fans. I do know a very few descent Steeler fans, Airman Doors is one, he’s essentially too honest and nice to be a thug. There was a poster named Steelerphan who was a fairly descent guy, but he changed his name to I forget what and I’ve lost track of him,I dunno if he still posts. Other than that, I think all of them should be laid out by a 2X4 to the back of the head an hour before game time and not revived until the final whistle blows.

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**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiot-teacher-strikes-again/341449/125 "2006-01-25T19:20:36Z")

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> [@Weirddave](#):
>
> My animosity come from 8 years of holding Ravens’ season tickets, and every time I walked into that stadium when the Steelers were in town I was verbally abused, spit upon, assaulted, kicked, had beers thrown at me, had a wife who was sexually assaulted and was insulted. 9 other times a year I went to that stadium when other teams were playing and had no problems whatsoever, so don’t tell me it’s me and not Steeler fans. I do know a very few descent Steeler fans, Airman Doors is one, he’s essentially too honest and nice to be a thug. There was a poster named Steelerphan who was a fairly descent guy, but he changed his name to I forget what and I’ve lost track of him,I dunno if he still posts. Other than that, I think all of them should be laid out by a 2X4 to the back of the head an hour before game time and not revived until the final whistle blows.

Don’t want to go so far as to say that you are a liar, but I’m curious why you would return to the stadium repeatedly for Steelers games if you and your wife were subjected to all this abuse.

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**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiot-teacher-strikes-again/341449/126 "2006-01-25T19:26:41Z")

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> [@Weirddave](#):
>
> \<snip\>
> 
> There was a poster named Steelerphan who was a fairly descent guy, but he changed his name to I forget what and I’ve lost track of him,I dunno if he still posts. Other than that, I think all of them should be laid out by a 2X4 to the back of the head an hour before game time and not revived until the final whistle blows.

Um, **Weirddave** , **The Mad Hermit** _was_ **Steelerphan**. Says I, Penelope of her Odesseus, all protective like. I must defend my knight in shining armor’s honor after all. 🙂

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**Author:** ![The\_Swan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_Swan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Swan)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiot-teacher-strikes-again/341449/127 "2006-01-25T19:27:40Z")

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> [@Weirddave](#):
>
> You looking for a link? I don’t have one. however, I spent a few minutes on the phone this morning with the police in all the cities of AFC north teams. Here’s the results.
> 
> Baltimore: The BCPD handles security at Ravens Stadium, and when The Steelers come to town they absolutely put more officers in the stadium to deal with the problems that ensue. (Source: Agent Simmons in the overtime unit of the BCPD 410-396-2140)
> 
> Cleveland and Cincinatti: Security inside the stadium is provided by private companies, but the police in both these towns( Officer Krauser in Cincy, 513-352-1222 and Cpt Casper in Cleveland 216 632-5000) did verify that they put extra men on duty outside the stadiums during Steelers games specifically to deal with rowdy fans, and both indicated that the teams themselves do beef up the security presence inside the stadium to deal with problems during the games.
> 
> For purposes of comparison, in the interests of fairness, I asked both of these officers if such beefed up security was necessary when the Ravens came to town, and they both said no. I also called the Pittsburgh Steelers and asked them the same question, their director of Heinz Field security, Jim (412-255-2725), indicated that they provided no additional security when Baltimore plays in Pittsburgh.
> 
> If you want to know the situation when Pittsburgh plays in the other 28 NFC cities, I suggest you get on the phone yourself, but I think I’ve proven my point here.
> 
> The Ravens sucked this year, and I’ll be the first to say so. What does that have to do with the subject at hand? Having trouble divorcing your fandom from the reality of most Steelers fans, are you? Casey1505 is doing a wonderful job of demonstrating how the typical Steeler fan justifys any abuse or thuggish behavior when it’s done in the name of the almighty Pittsburgh Steelers. :rolleyes:

Still not buying that spolice presence is “doubled”. If what you say is true, then it may be also true that police presence is increased due to the fanaticism of Baltimore’s fans, and their tendency to get rowdy when a team they dislike comes to town. How many visiting Pittsburgh fans actually attend games in Baltimore, Cleveland, etc. I’d be willing to bet it isn’t a huge number. You have done absolutely nothing to convince me that Pittsburgh fans are any worse than any other team’s.

Is police presence increased when the Steelers visit the stadium of a team that isn’t considered a big rival?

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**Author:** ![The\_Swan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_Swan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Swan)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiot-teacher-strikes-again/341449/128 "2006-01-25T19:35:54Z")

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> [@Weirddave](#):
>
> My animosity come from 8 years of holding Ravens’ season tickets, and every time I walked into that stadium when the Steelers were in town I was verbally abused, spit upon, assaulted, kicked, had beers thrown at me, had a wife who was sexually assaulted and was insulted. 9 other times a year I went to that stadium when other teams were playing and had no problems whatsoever, so don’t tell me it’s me and not Steeler fans. I do know a very few descent Steeler fans, Airman Doors is one, he’s essentially too honest and nice to be a thug. There was a poster named Steelerphan who was a fairly descent guy, but he changed his name to I forget what and I’ve lost track of him,I dunno if he still posts. Other than that, I think all of them should be laid out by a 2X4 to the back of the head an hour before game time and not revived until the final whistle blows.

Ah, let the anecdotal bullshit begin. According to opposing fans, the following collegiate teams have the absolute worst fans in the country:  
LSU, Georgia, Florida, FSU, LSU, Tennessee, Texas, Oklahoma, UVA, UNC, Clemson, Ohio State, Penn State, Alabama, Auburn, Arkansas, etc. etc. etc.

Personally, I’m not sure why anyone would want to spit on you. In my experience it’s just easier to chuck fans off the upper deck.

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**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiot-teacher-strikes-again/341449/129 "2006-01-25T19:48:34Z")

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> [@Scumpup](#):
>
> Don’t want to go so far as to say that you are a liar, but I’m curious why you would return to the stadium repeatedly for Steelers games if you and your wife were subjected to all this abuse.

It’s our stadium, our team, our city. You’d let opposing fans drive you away from your own stadium by being dicks? Man, that’s fucked up. I ignored, fought back or notified the police as appropriate but we belonged there, they didn’t.

> [@The Swan](#):
>
> Still not buying that spolice presence is “doubled”. If what you say is true, then it may be also true that police presence is increased due to the fanaticism of Baltimore’s fans, and their tendency to get rowdy when a team they dislike comes to town. How many visiting Pittsburgh fans actually attend games in Baltimore, Cleveland, etc. I’d be willing to bet it isn’t a huge number. You have done absolutely nothing to convince me that Pittsburgh fans are any worse than any other team’s.

Ahh, I getcha. It’s the same 50,000 + season ticket holders who are at the stadium week in and week out who all of a sudden change when a team wearing black and gold shows up, NOT the black and gold fans who enter the stadium that one particular week who are the problem. Riiiiight. My I introduce you to a little concept known as “constant” and “variable”?

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**Author:** ![The\_Swan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_Swan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Swan)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiot-teacher-strikes-again/341449/130 "2006-01-25T19:53:01Z")

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> [@Weirddave](#):
>
> It’s our stadium, our team, our city. You’d let opposing fans drive you away from your own stadium by being dicks? Man, that’s fucked up. I ignored, fought back or notified the police as appropriate but we belonged there, they didn’t.
> 
> Ahh, I getcha. It’s the same 50,000 + season ticket holders who are at the stadium week in and week out who all of a sudden change when a team wearing black and gold shows up, NOT the black and gold fans who enter the stadium that one particular week who are the problem. Riiiiight. My I introduce you to a little concept known as “constant” and “variable”?

Are you saying that behavior is a constant? You conveniently ignored the part of my post where I suggested it may not be. As a football season ticket holder, I have noticed an enormous difference in my particular fanbase’s behavior when the “enemy” comes to town.

How many visiting fans usually come to Baltimore for a game?

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**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiot-teacher-strikes-again/341449/131 "2006-01-25T19:58:01Z")

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> [@The Swan](#):
>
> How many visiting fans usually come to Baltimore for a game?

A lot. Baltimore is practically next door and Pittsburgh fans are known for traveling well.

Naturally people will say things that shouldn’t be said, and naturally there will be altercations. It happens with any rivalry like the one the Steelers have with the Ratbirds.

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**Author:** ![The\_Swan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_Swan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Swan)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiot-teacher-strikes-again/341449/132 "2006-01-25T20:07:12Z")

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> [@Airman Doors](#):
>
> A lot. Baltimore is practically next door and Pittsburgh fans are known for traveling well.
> 
> Naturally people will say things that shouldn’t be said, and naturally there will be altercations. It happens with any rivalry like the one the Steelers have with the Ratbirds.

From what I can gather, the stadium in Baltimore holds 70,107. Of those, 62,000 are season ticket holders with PSLs. In addition, there are apporx. 2600 fans in luxury suites. That means there are a maximum of 5500 seats. I’m sure that some of those seats go to Ravens fans, since there is a page on the Ravens site that allows folks to sign up for individual games.

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**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiot-teacher-strikes-again/341449/133 "2006-01-25T20:09:26Z")

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> [@The Swan](#):
>
> Are you saying that behavior is a constant? You conveniently ignored the part of my post where I suggested it may not be. As a football season ticket holder, I have noticed an enormous difference in my particular fanbase’s behavior when the “enemy” comes to town.
> 
> How many visiting fans usually come to Baltimore for a game?

I’m saying that if you have the same 50,000 people week after week at a stadium, and each week you are introducing a different 20,000 fans of the opposing team, with few problems, and the one week that you have a greater than normal number of altercations is the week that the Pittsburgh fans are in the stadium, then blaming the 50,000 for this is not logical. IME fans from other teams (the exception here being Oakland Raiders fans who are almost as bad as Steeler fans) come to the game, enjoy the stadium, have a good time discussing football and even smack talking with the home team fans, but Steeler fans are looking to fight.

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**Author:** ![The\_Swan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_Swan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Swan)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiot-teacher-strikes-again/341449/134 "2006-01-25T20:12:05Z")

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> [@Weirddave](#):
>
> I’m saying that if you have the same 50,000 people week after week at a stadium, and each week you are introducing a different 20,000 fans of the opposing team, with few problems, and the one week that you have a greater than normal number of altercations is the week that the Pittsburgh fans are in the stadium, then blaming the 50,000 for this is not logical. IME fans from other teams (the exception here being Oakland Raiders fans who are almost as bad as Steeler fans) come to the game, enjoy the stadium, have a good time discussing football and even smack talking with the home team fans, but Steeler fans are looking to fight.

How do you arrive at the 20,000 number?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiot-teacher-strikes-again/341449/135 "2006-01-25T20:14:11Z")

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> [@The Swan](#):
>
> From what I can gather, the stadium in Baltimore holds 70,107. Of those, 62,000 are season ticket holders with PSLs. In addition, there are apporx. 2600 fans in luxury suites. That means there are a maximum of 5500 seats. I’m sure that some of those seats go to Ravens fans, since there is a page on the Ravens site that allows folks to sign up for individual games.

Heh. You’re forgetting the PSLs that are held by ticket brokers, that’s prolly 10K seats right there. You’re right, and in recent years there have been a lot fewer Steeler fans in the stadium, but a couple of years ago there were 15-20K easy.

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**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiot-teacher-strikes-again/341449/136 "2006-01-25T20:24:58Z")

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> [@Casey1505](#):
>
> This whole entire thread, I thought it happened Friday, before the game.

Nope, the OP is from yesterday afternoon.

But you are correct in that the incident happened on Friday. The teachers commment came Monday or Tuesday, after the investigation started. So it doesn’t look like he was using this as any sort of legit teaching tool.

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**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiot-teacher-strikes-again/341449/137 "2006-01-25T20:48:16Z")

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> [@Scumpup](#):
>
> Der Trihs, I have to wonder where you went to school.

Piner Elementary, Comstock Junior High, Piner High. All in California. Comstock was especially bad, and is locally notorious for it.

> [@Casey1505](#):
>
> Here’s my logic. I have a son.

I feel sorry for him.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiot-teacher-strikes-again/341449/138 "2006-01-25T20:56:42Z")

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> [@Der Trihs](#):
>
> I feel sorry for him.

Your pity would mean the world to him, I’m sure.

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**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiot-teacher-strikes-again/341449/139 "2006-01-25T21:27:52Z")

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> [@E-Sabbath](#):
>
> (Long, but from a much longer work. Probably still fair use.)

This is exactly what I thought of when I read the article. It’s bad enough that the teacher engages in what is clearly well and beyond good natured ribbing; but that he encouraged the rest of the class to participate is abominable, taking the situation from mere bullying to mob aggression. Now, outside of class, other kids are going to think it’s just fine to harass and bully the kid; why not, if an authority figure is egging them on _in class_?

I had a couple of Scout leaders who were like this. It’s not fun to be at the receiving end of this kind of bullying, even if it is “harmless” paper throwing. The rationale–that he deserved it by wearing a Bronco jersey in “Steeler Country”–is the same kind of magnificent bullshit that justified segretating blacks because they’re "mud people’.

I don’t mean to pain all Steelers fans as this kind of asshole, but I have to admit that a substantial fraction of those I’ve seen tend to display a disproportionately aggressive attitude, even outdoing the kind of jerkishness often displayed by Chiefs fans. Add me to the list of people who’ll pony up to buy **Casey1505** an “I’m an obtuse dick” forehead tattoo.

Stranger

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**Author:** ![The\_Mad\_Hermit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b5ac83/32.png) [@The\_Mad\_Hermit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Mad_Hermit)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiot-teacher-strikes-again/341449/140 "2006-01-25T22:41:09Z")

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> [@Stranger On A Train](#):
>
> I don’t mean to pain all Steelers fans as this kind of asshole, but I have to admit that a substantial fraction of those I’ve seen tend to display a disproportionately aggressive attitude, even outdoing the kind of jerkishness often displayed by Chiefs fans. Add me to the list of people who’ll pony up to buy **Casey1505** an “I’m an obtuse dick” forehead tattoo.
> 
> Stranger

Again, what does being a Steeler fan have to do with this? If I was as much of a thug as you are accusing, I would hgave kicked Weiddaye’s ass all over Gettysburg, during the Dopefest there.

If you had said this using “African Americans” or “latinos” or just about any ethnic group, would you get away with it? How about “Democrats” or “Republicans”? Or how about “French” of “Chinese”?

Ah, the broad brush of stereotyping. The us vs. them mentality that allows you to feel superior to “lesser people” and you can sleep at night satisfied fo your place in the world.

Just so I don’t get misunderstood, I’ve been following the story on the news- my opinion, based on what I’ve heard and read, is that it started as harmless fun but the teacher took it much too far when he failed to appreciate the mood of the student. The only reason this is a national matter is the fact that the STEELERS ARE IN THE SUPER BOWL- (woohoo)!

It was just on the local news again. It seems that the class was an honors courseon ethnic problems, that each student had to sign a waiver because they would be subject to ethnic humiliation as part of the course, and the other students in the class wonder why it was such a big deal. The stuidents are making T-shirts in support of the teacher.

Do you think they would be this supportive if the teacher was being a dick?

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