Campus Is This Socialist Supporter the Iowa H.S. Teacher Who Handed Out a Pro-Communism Cartoon?

One of Friday’s highest trafficked and most-commented on stories on The Blaze website was the item about a curious flyer handed out to High School students in a Des Moines high school.

Is this the teacher who handed out Pro Communism Cartoons In An Iowa HS?

The school has yet to directly respond to phone calls or emails from The Blaze. We did publish the entire, unedited reaction post from Roosevelt High School’s website and have linked to what they claim is the full hand-out given to the students.

However, many questions still remain.

  • Why is the school’s principal, Ms. Danielson, not responding to any of our requests for clarification or comment?
  • Why did the school publicly denigrate the radio coverage of the flyer, but refuse to appear on Simon Conway’s show?
  • Who is the teacher and what do we know about this person?

The first two questions remain unanswered. The third question about the identity of the teacher involved in this history lesson, appears to have been solved.  Based on information that has since been scrubbed from Facebook, we believe the teacher is a man named Patrick Brennan. Here is how we came about the information.

A Blaze reader from the area forwarded us the following screen capture of a now-deleted Facebook page from a woman who claimed to be the wife of the teacher in question.

Is this the teacher who handed out Pro Communism Cartoons In An Iowa HS?

(The Des Moines Register blog post referenced in this Facebook post is available here.)

If it was not perfectly clear that Stephanie Layne Brennan is claiming that her husband is the teacher in question, we offer this comment that was also added by Stephanie after someone asked her to clarify her initial post.

Is this the teacher who handed out Pro Communism Cartoons In An Iowa HS?

The Blaze also managed to acquire Ms. Brennan’s personal email address and wrote to her on Friday, requesting further clarification. There has been no response of any kind from Ms. Brennan.

Additional investigative work turned up some interesting Facebook posts (also now scrubbed from the web) from a man claiming to be Stephanie’s husband, Patrick Brennan.

Is this the teacher who handed out Pro Communism Cartoons In An Iowa HS?While we have not connected with either of the Brennans via email or phone to confirm or deny that this Facebook user is the same one mentioned by Stephanie, we note that Patrick’s profile appears to connect him to the woman in the Facebook post above.

His work status claims that he is a “Mental Health Instructor” and not a teacher at Roosevelt High School in Des Moines. However, his wife claimed that Patrick is new to the job of teaching at Roosevelt. “My husband has only been teaching for three weeks.”

Reviewing more of the screen-capped pages from Patrick’s now-sanitized Facebook account we note the following.

  • His profile picture seems to show that his loyalties are with pro-union people;

Is this the teacher who handed out Pro Communism Cartoons In An Iowa HS?

  • Patrick Brennan’s pro-union stance seems to also be backed up by his posted feelings on Wisconsin Governor, Scott Walker; (the profane descriptions are from Brennan)

Is this the teacher who handed out Pro Communism Cartoons In An Iowa HS?

  • From the same screen capped images on Patrick Brennan’s Facebook wall comes a statement supporting the Occupy Wall Street movement;

Is this the teacher who handed out Pro Communism Cartoons In An Iowa HS?

  • Based on the previous postings, would it surprise you to know that Patrick Brennan is also a professed supporter of the Socialist Party of America?

Is this the teacher who handed out Pro Communism Cartoons In An Iowa HS?
If this is the teacher who handed out a flyer to high school students that seemed to subtly support the concept that Communism was better than Capitalism, wouldn’t his public support of the Socialist Party USA make sense?

Our offer to speak directly to Mr. & Mrs. Brennan still stands. We would like to hear and post your side of the story. You have our contact information. The ball is in your court.

 

Investigative update:

Additional information uncovered during our background searches on Roosevelt High School and Principal Danielson turned up a controversial incident from the Fall of 2007.

Dr. Alveda King (the niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.) was scheduled to speak at the school, but was abruptly disinvited after Principal Danielson received a couple of complaints and discovered that Dr. King’s speech (predominantly about the Civil Rights struggle) also included suggestions about abstinence and support for the pro-life movement.

The cancellation made the headlines in the community and according to a published report from Life News, even the ACLU found it to be unwise:

Surprisingly, the pro-abortion Iowa ACLU said the school was wrong to make the decision and representative Ben Stone told the Register that Danielson is doing a ‘disservice’ because it makes the school appear to be shielding its students from various viewpoints on abortion.

 

Comments (328)

1 ... 3 4 5 6 7
  • Dudley Do-Right
    Posted on February 5, 2012 at 2:00pm

    If this is the same Patrick and Stephanie Brennan, this is interesting on their band’s webpage, “Johhny Reefersee” And if this is the same Patrick Brennan, what kind of message is he sending our students ?

    http://www.reverbnation.com/page_object/page_object_favorites/artist_909562#!?favorites_page=2

    Report Post »  
  • mrsalvage2
    Posted on February 5, 2012 at 1:58pm

    But why is the Bolshevick collecting the money under the Capitalism Side?

    (Animal Farm anyone?)

    Is that not what the Book taught us, they are both the same in the end? Both end in Tyranny where some citizens are more equal than others?

    We can expect nothing less from the fruits of the trees of the 19th Century Robber Barons who created Communism from the religion of Capitalism. Their religion is a failure.

    3 Original State’s Constitutions taught us that Capitalism ends in Tyranny of monopolies, and therefore are enemies of Liberty of THE PEOPLE.

    Time to think outside of the Box and look at Biblicism.

    There can be no freedom, no liberty, and no commerce, without the LAW TORAH.

    Report Post » mrsalvage2  
  • TruePatriot424
    Posted on February 5, 2012 at 1:56pm

    im 17 and a junior in high school and i am absolutely sick of the leftist agenda taught in my school and schools all over the country this year in my american history class i was taught that FDR‘s presidency saved the country and still helps us today and that Reagan’s presidency hurt the poor and killed the economy, im the only one who has enough information to speak his mind about conservatism and im sick of it

    Report Post » TruePatriot424  
  • welovetheUSA
    Posted on February 5, 2012 at 1:53pm

    How can anyon go though college and “Think” socialist way is the way to go…..it has Never worked in any country in the world., period.

    Report Post » welovetheUSA  
  • diablamonkey
    Posted on February 5, 2012 at 1:41pm

    what was interesting is the commie side- where does the money come from?- either printing or borrowing?- oops looks like we are there. without the fruits of our labor the Unions, the Gov’t and the freeloaders would have NOTHING!

    Report Post »  
  • THETAXMAN
    Posted on February 5, 2012 at 1:08pm

    The greatest problem I see in this case is the reluctance of the “system” to allow opposing ideas to compete it a great debate. Allowing only one side is wrong. Both the left and right have committed this sin.

    Report Post »  
  • khutch1965
    Posted on February 5, 2012 at 1:00pm

    If my kid was in that class I would demand a diifferent teacher.

    Report Post »  
  • Mr_Meaner
    Posted on February 5, 2012 at 12:38pm

    I found some old information about Brennan.
    It features the same old cast of villains; SEIU, liberal PACs, New York democrats, etc.

    Apparently he was heading up the Iowans for Screaming Howard Dean “movement”, back in 2004
    If it’s the same guy, he’s a leftist hack from the New York political machine

    The vehicle for 1199’s investment in Howard Dean is a new political action committee called Take Back America SEIU. Its $1 million budget is financed half by Local 1199 and half by the main SEIU, according to union officials. Since the SEIU international draws some of its funding from the big New York local, 1199’s members are bearing most of the cost of the campaign.

    The $1 million commitment is more than a drop in the bucket. So far, Dr. Dean has bought $3 million in Iowa airtime out of a total of about $8 million in campaign advertising in that state, according to the Associated Press. The union is focusing on television advertising in Iowa, Ms. Cunningham says, because the SEIU is relatively thin on the ground in that state.

    part 1

    Report Post »  
    • Mr_Meaner
      Posted on February 5, 2012 at 12:41pm

      The operative directing the Iowa campaign is Patrick Brennan, a 28-year-old from Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. He has good connections in New York’s political establishment—he ran Bill Mulrow’s unsuccessful campaign for state comptroller in 2002, and his brother, Martin Brennan, is the state director for Senator Charles Schumer. On a recent afternoon, Mr. Brennan was unshaven and pressed for time. He had packed up his office at 1199’s 42nd Street headquarters—the only decoration in the bare room seemed to be a small map of Iowa on the wall behind him—and was rushing to La Guardia Airport to catch a 7 p.m. flight to Chicago, with a connection to Des Moines.

      Mr. Brennan’s $1 million budget is particularly valuable because it’s so-called hard money—coming in small sums from thousands of union members—so it’s not subject to the tough restrictions on advertising in the weeks leading up to an election. He is, however, forbidden from coordinating his campaign with the official Dean effort or with the SEIU.

      http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1056242/posts

      Report Post »  
  • rafa2design
    Posted on February 5, 2012 at 12:28pm

    If they think the high school’s are bad, wait until they find out about all the socialists who are teaching your sons and daughters in colleges/universities.

    Report Post » rafa2design  
  • Dudley Do-Right
    Posted on February 5, 2012 at 12:17pm

    Here’s a band from Des Moines called Still Shine Railroad that lists three members, Patrick and Stephanie Brennan, and another member. I don‘t have facebook but someone might want to look up the other member to see if he’s posted anything about it. What are the odds that there’s another Patrick and Stephanie Brennan from Des Moines?

    http://www.reverbnation.com/stillshinerailroad

    Report Post »  
  • dmerwin
    Posted on February 5, 2012 at 12:02pm

    To Desert Rose.
    You ask why people would attack this man and perhaps ruin his career. Couple of things, due to the liberal nature of the teachers unions I would bet his career is enhanced and not damaged. Secondly, his wife’s statement of her pride in her husband “******* off fox news” demonstrates very clearly that they were looking for some confrontation. Well they got it. Why would this couple have an outlet and the Blaze readers not?

    Report Post » dmerwin  
  • mr molotov cocktail
    Posted on February 5, 2012 at 11:56am

    the founders were socialists…. they hated the old european class system the old monetary european system….
    hell the founders were socialists
    they hated the old torrie class system ……. from europe get your history right!

    The refusal of King George to allow the colonies to operate an honest monetary system, which freed the common man from the clutches of the money manipulators was probably the prime cause of the revolution -Benjamin Franklin

    Report Post » mr molotov cocktail  
    • academica2020
      Posted on February 5, 2012 at 12:17pm

      You should write a book, because you have just come up with a completely new argument. The Founders were socialists before socialism even existed. Now remember, you are going to have to create a thesis statement and then back it up with a lot of primary source material, not subjective opinions. If the book is subjective, based on your personal interpretation of what people did or said, it would be a novel, i.e. a book of fiction.

      Report Post » academica2020  
    • academica2020
      Posted on February 5, 2012 at 12:18pm

      Just make sure you polish your writing skills a bit, or folks won’t get past the introduction.

      Report Post » academica2020  
    • academica2020
      Posted on February 5, 2012 at 12:31pm

      “Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened.” Winston Churchill

      Report Post » academica2020  
    • academica2020
      Posted on February 5, 2012 at 12:33pm

      “Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery.” Winston Churchill

      Report Post » academica2020  
  • candcantiques
    Posted on February 5, 2012 at 11:46am

    Anyone who is a member of the socialist party is a traitor to the Constitution of the United States. We all know CLEARLY what the punishment is for being a traitor. Get er done.

    Report Post »  
  • Divothead
    Posted on February 5, 2012 at 11:44am

    “My husband has only been teaching for three weeks and he has already managed to piss off Fox News”

    This what passes for education in too many schools these day: opinion and political philosophy is taught instead of fact. Brennan questions how Wisconsin can allow free elections when the better question would be how the PTA and school board in Iowa allows teachers like him to be alone with their children.

    Report Post »  
  • erock33
    Posted on February 5, 2012 at 11:31am

    unfortunately, with all this coverage and mr. Brennan’s views, he will probably be highly recruited by many public schools to teach. That’s why I send my kids to private christian schools, even though I am forced to continue to pay insanely high property taxes to support public indoctrination schools. I don’t mind brennan presenting his views to his class as long as there is another person he can bring in that can teach the kids the opposing viewpoint with clarity.

    Report Post »  
  • JEANNIEMAC
    Posted on February 5, 2012 at 11:29am

    http://www.westernjournalism.com/thanks-a-lot-georgia-for-shredding-our-constitution/
    The Georgia judge hearing the eligibility case wimped out.

    Report Post »  
  • chicago76
    Posted on February 5, 2012 at 11:16am

    The village charter will tell you about elections. The village must have a charter. There will have to be elections and if not the village may be in violation of the charter and you can sue the village council. They may be liable for an awful lot of money for intentionally violating the village charter. The village could even be disbanded and they lose their jobs. That is probably the best way to get their attention. Sue to disband the village.

    Report Post »  
  • mr molotov cocktail
    Posted on February 5, 2012 at 11:15am

    we are in a plutocracy the oligarchs run things supreme….
    fact is what destroyed the roman empire was the plutocrats
    you shall see plutocracy leads to dictatorship
    ceasar was killed for one reason he wanted to give the land back to the average citizens-over the plutocrats
    welcome to the new america where might will be right
    you support plutocrats which lead to dictatorship
    tryanny is absolutism-
    with out equal justice equal law YOU HAVE AIDED IN THE DEATH OF THE REPUBLIC
    tyranny happens
    god bless the ceasar and real tryants~hail the new empire hail the new socialist revolution
    the end of the old order is coming welcome to the new world order~
    god bless blazers who have aided the plutocrats to change the face of the world
    without your aiding them capitalism would of been around another hundred years or so

    Report Post » mr molotov cocktail  
    • progressiveslayer
      Posted on February 5, 2012 at 11:25am

      Where do you get your mushrooms?

      Report Post » progressiveslayer  
    • academica2020
      Posted on February 5, 2012 at 11:54am

      Forget the mushrooms! Who taught you your writing skills?
      Must have been at a public school in a pro-union, deeply blue state.

      Report Post » academica2020  
    • academica2020
      Posted on February 5, 2012 at 11:57am

      And, if you feel compelled to school everyone here on political science, history and sociology. Get better source information.

      Report Post » academica2020  
  • chicago76
    Posted on February 5, 2012 at 11:05am

    The socialist and marxists have power way out of proportion same with gays, because they are organized. The Red states need to organize and demand fair treatment by the government. Does it surprise anyone that the blue states control all of the imports, including oil, and that they make huge profits off the Red states when the blue states controlled Federal government forces higher prices on the Red states? Does it surprise anyone that the Blue states made huge profits off fanny and freddie while the Red states lost trillions? Does it surprise anyone that the Blue states love giant government when they can make the Red states pay for it?

    Report Post »  
  • football lady
    Posted on February 5, 2012 at 11:02am

    If the husband is as mature as the wife, then these children are in big trouble. Her comment certainly showed off her maturity level which is NOT VERY!

    Report Post »  
  • BlazeMom
    Posted on February 5, 2012 at 10:59am

    Cowards! Stand up for what you believe and defend your communist position Mr. and Mrs. Brennan.

    Report Post »  
  • doncorleone
    Posted on February 5, 2012 at 10:55am

    Looks like a “viable” obolshevik ‘12 re-election campaign poster to me.

    Report Post »  
  • dmerwin
    Posted on February 5, 2012 at 10:53am

    He likes Olberman, nuff said.

    Report Post » dmerwin  
  • BobKlein
    Posted on February 5, 2012 at 10:49am

    I know this is off course but I do need help. I live in a small Village in Northern Michigan. I am a former employee of the Village util I injured my knee and had surgery on it they found an excuse and got rid of me. My main question is this though. We have a Village Manager and a council. One of the council members owns a party store and has sold it to the village managers son. The managers son had to get a loan from the village for 50 grand to help purchase the property. Does this sound legal? I mean the Village Managers son gets to buy a store from a council member while using funds he got from the Village. If this is legal I will shut my mouth but with my first hand experience with these guys is that they keep giving money for business that do not last and now it seems that they are really not doing something right. Advice anyone.

    Report Post » BobKlein  
    • dmerwin
      Posted on February 5, 2012 at 10:54am

      Sounds like an Obama stimulus package. Probably legal, definitely nepotism.

      Report Post » dmerwin  
    • BobKlein
      Posted on February 5, 2012 at 11:07am

      My whole town is a stimulus package. I worked for them for four years and at my own grandmothers funeral I was promised a full time position by the Mayor guess what that was first hand experience on how they can lie with no remorse. Two years ago we through the stimulus package upgraded the whole town. My Boss the DPW guy and me we’re the only two Village workers. He got hundreds of overtime I got 6 hrs. The manager of the village would print out papers to give to me to read as in a way to turn me progressive I wouldnt though. After I injured my knee at work this was there excuse to get rid of me just like the others. They havent had a full time employee besides the managers in atleast ten years. No one knows when the local elections are or who is running. Everything is done in secret like how they layed me off. And now I see this the mamager securing a village loan for his son to buy a party store from another council member. I do not know. The damn thing about it though is my town wouldnt exist if my family didnt settle it and now we are nothing.

      Report Post » BobKlein  
    • chicago76
      Posted on February 5, 2012 at 11:11am

      Depends upon whether it is a real loan or not. Not enough information. Was a contract signed? Does the village loaning money to villagers violate any village charter? Is there any law in the village against members of the council loaning village money to other members? I suspect that these people think they are getting around any laws in the village by doing it the way they did it. Not enough info.

      Report Post »  
    • BobKlein
      Posted on February 5, 2012 at 11:21am

      I will get more info but I do know the loans come directly from the village. It usually is a 5000 dollar loan for small business but they often fail. Wood drying kilns noodle factories print shops lets just say with my four years there they have spent millions on nothing. They all end up closing. I am trying my best to figure this out but I keep falling into silenced ears or they say I have an agenda against them. I know I lost my job due to my knee but I tell them the truth has no agenda. I will get more info.

      Report Post » BobKlein  
  • libwhacker
    Posted on February 5, 2012 at 10:45am

    Start teaching and quit your GD brainwashing NOW!

    Report Post » libwhacker  
1 ... 3 4 5 6 7

Sign In To Post Comments! Sign In

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER!

Glenn Beck Radio

Listen to Glenn Beck 24/7 Listen Now