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Submit your OVERTIME question now for Bill and his roundtable guests, and selected questions will be answered on the HBO.com website, immediately following the Friday premiere of Real Time on 3/13/09.
Please be aware that concise, single-topic questions have the best chance of being selected.
Refresh the Bill Maher homepage right before midnight if you do not see the "Watch Overtime" video link.
Please note: Video is optimized for use with Windows Media Player. Mac users will need Flip4Mac to view the stream.
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Re: Submit Questions for Overtime: 3/13/09
Mar 14, 2009 2:56 AM
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Bill Mahr, I was really pissed when I heard you sound off about teachers tonight. I LOVE Obama and I am generally pleased with his actions thus far. However, there are lots of concerns about his position on education that don't take the complications facing teachers into consideration. The one thing I appreciate is his emphasis on early education and prevention. But teachers get a really unfair deal and are blamed for the ills of our educational system, rather than looking at all the factors that contribute to the failures. I work as a consultant in NYC schools and I mostly work in low income, high crime and highly stressed areas. The results of testing measure success in schools but tests are unfairly compared between wealthy nieghborhoods with lots of resources and parent involvement and areas where students are living with trauma, stress, violence and a lack of parent involvement. How about taking into consideration the environment, the lack of support and resources and the fact that teachers are working very hard and are very committed to the children they teach and then are penalized when test scores don't measure up to other communities. They should get extra pay just for their commitment. Merit pay is a fine idea, but it needs to be based on more than test scores. Success needs to be measured in a way that captures all the nuances. Statistics show that later school achievement is more dependent on a parent's literacy level than anything else. Isn't this where we need to start with programs like Even Start and Head Start. The whole family needs to be helped, not just the children.
Elena Morrice
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Re: Submit Questions for Overtime: 3/13/09
Mar 14, 2009 2:53 AM
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Bill, as a teacher I do agree with you that there are some teachers that should not be teaching, but there are some of us that put in extra time and resources into our work! I would like to hear some positive comments about that! As Mr. Dyson stated, there are many factors that are now taking place inside the classroom, such as language, poverty, violance, and politics. Thanks to Bush we are left with constant testing and little time for teaching! There is no more music, art, or independent thinking taking place in the classroom. We are preparing a generation of test takers who only see themselves according to the label they are given. When I asked a few of my tutoring students why they were in my classroom, they answered,"because we are far below basic". I hope president Obama doesn't just get caught up in the politics of education, such as NCLB did! I would like to see teachers taking part in how you evaluate individuals and not just focus on a one size fits all test score. I do agree with president Obama, that parents do need to step up to the plate, but who will hold them accountable? How will you measure their progress or lack of progress. Will they also be given an assessment?
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Re: Submit Questions for Overtime: 3/13/09
Mar 14, 2009 2:46 AM
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It never ceases to amaze me how many people either claim they are unaware of the cultural subtext in this country or deny it exists. How is that possible?
As an African-America, female, Iraq War veteran who has seen the world, been to north, south, east and west there is no conceivable WAY that someone is such a bumpkin that they don't know about the racial subtext in this country. That conservative guest must be some kind of idiot.
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Re: Submit Questions for Overtime: 3/13/09
Mar 14, 2009 2:44 AM
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And so was Bill Maher quest Michael Eric Dyson rasist and asshole
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Re: Submit Questions for Overtime: 3/13/09
Mar 14, 2009 2:42 AM
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I agree. In general, people do not know how many good teachers there are. The problem is not only with the unions. Teachers today deal with children coming to school drunk and high. They deal with children who are conveniently labeled by psychologists and psychiatrists. Some use these labels to get out of trouble and to get their school schedules dumbed down and then they are pushed through the system. Many of the parents do not make an attempt to get their children to school or return a call to a concerned teacher.. Look at the absentee rates in our school systems. How can kids learn if they don't attend school. Then there are the legal drugs that many children are on because they were "labeled" Some parents can't work their way through a child that is a little hyper. Give that child a pill to calm them down after a 15 minute appointment with the local doctor.
A child with a label can basically get away with murder. He/she is now able to use their labeled condition to get out of homework, to get out of gym class, to take easier tests tailored "just for their needs" To get out of class, miss school, etc. etc.
Most people don't know that there are drug deals currently going on in schools daily. Weapons are taken to school by the children. Once again, where are the parents. People, it comes down to responsibility and respect and these kids don't have it. When we were in school you didn't dare get in trouble because you had to meet your fate with your parents. Today parents think no matter what their child does, they can do no wrong and for this reason they bring social workers and attorneys to school with them to negotiate for their children. EXCUSES!!!!!
Does anyone have any idea how much stress a teacher is under. My niece is a teacher and has been punched by a middle school child. I once saw a principal get punched by a high school student. From what I hear it was the second time that week. My daughter is a high school teacher. We worry everyday for life. She can't turn her back on these kids. They have no respect therefore they do not listen. They think the world revolves around them. They demand extra attention because they don't get it at home. Kids used to walk to school. Today we pay huge salaries, insurance and the costs of buses to pick these children up not at the corner down the road, but in a lot of cases the bus stops right at their home. This is laziness. The parents are good for blaming the teachers, but the children are babied. The teachers today are expected to deal with side effects of medications, teach toileting, teach many other languages because of the right of the illegal immigrants to an education. We pay for all of these people plus some of the subjects the children are taught in school have no business being there. Why does a 3rd grade health class book have a whole chapter on divorce? Well the district told me that 65 percent of the children in our district come from divorced homes. Well excuse me but that is discrimination to those of us who come from the traditional mom and pop home. There was nothing in the book about that. Those subjects are not needed.. Reading, math, history, spelling, vocabulary, writing, and gym are needed. This with repetition, repetition, repetition. That is how we remembered the presidents names, the Preamble to the Constitution, when the war of 1812 was, our multiplication tables, division, addition, and subtraction. What has happened to our school systems? The systems have failed due to government intervention by people in the education department who haven't taught these children and have no idea how to teach.Yes there are some bad teachers, and we should be able to get rid of them. The future teachers don't look all that promising either. They came from this laxed education system of the past 20 years. We have dumbed down our system to "reach out to the children with labels or any other excuse" The honest and hard working children's have to suffer for that. Many of these kids use their labels to get them into "Mall School" where they may show up for a few hours of instruction per day but end up with the same diploma that the kids going to regular school every day, working their butts off, get. How fair is that.? No more calculators in elementary school. Teach the basics. Many of these children can't give change or tell time unless it is digitally, displayed.
There is too much Federal and State testing. There is so much studying for these tests that the students lose class time learning the basics of the subjects they are going to be tested on. These are just a few of the things a teacher deals with everyday and in my opinion don't get paid enough. Yes, by all means get rid of the bad teachers, but these kids need work ethic, manners, discipline, and respect. It just doesn't exist. (Achievers deal with all these problems too.)
They are held back from expanding their minds by those who don't know any better).
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Re: Submit Questions for Overtime: 3/13/09
Mar 14, 2009 2:40 AM
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>Get over the racism people (both sides) Obama is just as white as he is black, GET OVER IT!
Every time Obama policy's or life style will be question it will be considered a rasist remark. Rush is not a rasist Just a asshole who hats Liberals, DUH! and what about the remark about Sarah Palin and her daughter I quessit's OK to stereotype people as White trash.
Yeah, I think that Rush is a racist, as well as an asshole.
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Re: Submit Questions for Overtime: 3/13/09
Mar 14, 2009 2:36 AM
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Get over the racism people (both sides) Obama is just as white as he is black, GET OVER IT!
Every time Obama policy's or life style will be question it will be considered a rasist remark. Rush is not a rasist Just a asshole who hats Liberals, DUH! and what about the remark about Sarah Palin and her daughter I quessit's OK to stereotype people as White trash.
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Re: Submit Questions for Overtime: 3/13/09
Mar 14, 2009 2:31 AM
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The school Principals make 100,00 per year. The school boards are a joke making more. In Suburbia there is violence in the schools and non supervision. Not in Florida. In the North East they hide the violence, which is HIGH! It's not the teachers it's the Principals and Superintendents and employees Hiding the violence! Children can't get a Public education unless they ar great fighters and future criminals.
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Re: Submit Questions for Overtime: 3/13/09
Mar 14, 2009 2:29 AM
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I want to back up an earlier commenter 'VVOLIN'. I have several educators in the family. They are very well educated (public schooling) and continue their education willingly. They teach with all of their energy and heart and see massive results. One of them teaches advanced placement chemistry and the other teaches only those with learning disabilities having overcome one herself. Both of them have been recognized numerous times for excellence and inspire creativity and thought amongst their students. The teachers as a whole are not the issue, perhaps there are some bad apples however you don't toss out the whole barrel for a few bad apples. You deal with those bad apples...
It takes 2 to tango and to educate. If a person is unwilling to learn no amount of instruction will help. George Bush and his former classmates know this all to well.
OK enough posting for me tonight...
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Re: Submit Questions for Overtime: 3/13/09
Mar 14, 2009 2:25 AM
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>Rush Limbaugh openly supported Bill Maher after Bill"s "911 terrrorists are not cowards" comment and subsequent loss of his Politically Incorrect show. Bill repays Rush by calling him a "racist" when he is under attack. Bill has openly endorsed "racial-profiling" in aiports after 911. In 1996 Bill endorsed Bob Dole because he was a "war hero".
Bill does not owe Limbaugh anything.
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Re: Submit Questions for Overtime: 3/13/09
Mar 14, 2009 2:20 AM
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Sarah Silverman is a MORON ! Why Was she on ? Offensive IDIOT! Please! As for Princeton GUY! Bette Noire means Black Beast _ Something loved and hated as in " Brian Ferry - " Bete Noire song. He should have used another term. rush limbaugh is a major drug addict pills DRUGS! Bill so dissapointed you didn't Freak Out! About Catholic's and nine Year old in Brazil who was raped by step Dad and Had an Abortion and they said it was worse than the Rape the abortion! Jeez Bill, Boring Tonight ! Sarah MORON! LIKE! MORON! Is she related to someone Big , For she is an idiot with no Talent! You missed the mark with the Catholocs. Need a Great writer Contact ME!Your show Stunk!
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Edited by oceandreamer at 03/13/2009 11:23 PM PDT
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Re: Submit Questions for Overtime: 3/13/09
Mar 14, 2009 2:16 AM
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I think Sarah would have been fine to have as a third panelist - not strong enough to go one on one with Bill. Plus I agree that he's hot for her and was distracting for him. I liked the three person panel the best and I think it worked really well with a celebrity/comic like Gary Shandling (hes' fucking hysterical on this show!).
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Re: Submit Questions for Overtime: 3/13/09
Mar 14, 2009 2:15 AM
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barkway... oh yeah I thought the same thing... Bill has a thing for Sara Silverman... she is a cutie... a day dreamer even...
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Re: Submit Questions for Overtime: 3/13/09
Mar 14, 2009 2:13 AM
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Rush Limbaugh openly supported Bill Maher after Bill"s "911 terrrorists are not cowards" comment and subsequent loss of his Politically Incorrect show. Bill repays Rush by calling him a "racist" when he is under attack. Bill has openly endorsed "racial-profiling" in aiports after 911. In 1996 Bill endorsed Bob Dole because he was a "war hero".
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Re: Submit Questions for Overtime: 3/13/09
Mar 14, 2009 2:12 AM
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i would love to know what bill maher think of the movie zeistgeist addendum ,and if he agree about the truth of the banking system in america???and if it is true?
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