Korean Job Discussion Forums

Tancred · Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2007 7:56 am Post subject: Dave on CBC

Hi,

I didn't see this posted, although to be fair, I barely even checked.

I don't have a link but on CBC this morning our own Dave Sperling was interviewed to give his opinion on....well, I'm sure you can guess.

Anyway, I thought Dave handled the questions well, although the idiot they had on before him was demonizing ESL teachers like a hopped up Inquisition judge.

Anyway, you might see the interview here, but I'm on dial-up right now so I can't search for it. www.cbc.ca

T.

mithridates · Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2007 8:10 am Post subject: Re: Dave on CBC

Tancred · Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2007 8:19 am Post subject:

I'd check the link but we'd probably discover life on Titan before my dial-up would download the video.

Although even if it isn't the one, I have to say that I generally find anything having to do with Giant Hog Barns immeasurably interesting.

BTW, the program is literally called CBC News: Sunday, and the two hosts, whose names I don't recall, are actually VERY good interviewers and I could tell that they weren't buying in to the lynch-mob mentality proffered by the previous guest. I wish I could post the link for you, because it was fun to watch Dave go to bat for the ESL community.

T.

Tancred · Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2007 12:38 pm Post subject:

For what it's worth, here's the link...I don't know if there's a video link to it but it is on tonight I believe if any of you actually get access to the CBC.

http://www.cbc.ca/sunday/2007/10/102107_7.html

mindmetoo · Joined: 02 Feb 2004

spliff · Joined: 19 Jan 2004 Location: Khon Kaen, Thailand

Where'd they get that male interviewer from? He asked "who get's left holding the bottle".... Shocked

Bibbitybop · Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Location: Seoul

I thought Dave would be a better public speaker, but I guess I'd be nervous on national tv, too.

He should've mentioned the OUTRAGE we feel and the fact that one poster (Kermo) was partially responsible for IDing Christopher Neil.

I wish the program would look at some statistics instead of using scaretactics. ESL teachers are no more likely to abuse kids than parents, police, other teachers, plumbers, etc.

And I wish they would've talked about the fact that police checks won't help catch pedophiles as they often don't have criminal records.

Stupid, typical mass media programming.

htrain · Joined: 24 May 2007

I don't know why but that Sperling family hog story made me raugh out roud.

Dome Vans · Guest

twg · Joined: 02 Nov 2006 Location: Getting some fresh air...

When he asked if he was under investigation back home, I laughed because the interviewers were like, "Oops! Caught using sensationalism!"

The_Eyeball_Kid · Joined: 20 Jun 2007

Patrique · Joined: 04 Oct 2007 Location: Sajik-dong, Busan

Patrique · Joined: 04 Oct 2007 Location: Sajik-dong, Busan

Also- how the eff do you "regulate" this problem? I'm sure there is worth in criminal background checks if it comes to that, don't get me wrong, but most of these dudes don't have criminal records at all. They wouldn't have caught Neil.

The interviewer also doesn't challenge at all the notion that Neil's ESL teaching was a "cover" for his abuse. So as as I know, he didn't abuse any of his students. So if he couldn't have gotten a job in Asia, what would have stopped him from working at home and flying to Asia for "vacations"? I'm just saying, it wasn't the ESL teaching that provided him with the opportunity to abuse children.

ajgeddes · Joined: 28 Apr 2004 Location: Yongsan

Wasn't Neil a qualified teacher in Canada?

bijjy · Joined: 11 Sep 2005 Location: Daegu

Has the first speaker actually looked at any statistics? Are ESL teachers really more likely to offend than doctors who fondle patients, priests and alterboys, or north american teachers and students? Those professions have lots of regulations, screening and schooling and yet it doesn't seem to stop people if they intend to do wrong.

Even if there were more stringent criteria for ESL teachers.. it sounds like they wouldn't have caught Neil because he apparently didn't have a bad Canadian criminal record. Secondly, didn't Neil have a Thai friend who helped procure children for him? It sounds like he kept his teaching separate from his child abuse.

I think Dave Sperling sounded great on camera! Just his whole laid back manner of speaking helps convey the idea that the overseas ESL field isn't to blame.