Teacher's dad reports death threats over Bush-Hitler comparison

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
March 8, 2006

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DENVER - The father of a Colorado teacher who compared President Bush's State of the Union address to speeches made by Adolf Hitler said he and his family have received at least 12 death threats.

Jay Bennish is on paid leave from Overland High School in suburban Aurora while Cherry Creek School District investigates whether his Feb. 1 lecture violated a policy requiring that balancing viewpoints be presented in classes.

Bennish's father, John Bennish of Beverly Hills, Mich., told The Detroit News in Wednesday's editions that people have called his house threatening to kill him or his family.

"This has been totally lopsided and one-sided," Bennish's father said of the news coverage of his son's lecture.

Jay Bennish has defended the 1 lecture, saying he was trying to encourage his students to teach. he told NBC's "Today Show" Tuesday that excerpts of a recording made by one of his students were unrepresentative of the full lecture.

"This is 20 minutes out of a 50-minute class. The rest of the class provides the balance," he said.

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