CBS4) AURORA, Colo. Hundreds of students at Overland High School walked out of class Thursday morning in support and protest of a teacher who was at the center of a controversy over comments he made about President Bush during a geography class.

"Now I'm not saying that Bush and Hitler are exactly the same, obviously they're not, OK," Jay Bennish was heard saying on a recording of his class lecture on the day after President Bush's State of the Union Address. "But (there are) eerie similarities to the tones that they use."

The students left class for about an hour and lined the streets near the school Thursday morning. Many students said they were frustrated and angry about how Bennish had been criticized on talk radio.

"I think he inspires so many students and he's a great teacher," one student said during the rally. "I mean he makes people do there work and he makes people care about things."

"It's not about missing a day of school but rather our future," said Stephanie Edge, a student in support of Bennish. "I don't think that education should be censored."

Another student, Sean Allen, had recorded the lecture Bennish gave. Allen brought the comments to the attention of an online columnist and radio talk show hosts.

A group of students staged a counter rally in support of Allen and against Bennish Thursday morning.

"Teach don't preach. Sean was right," the second group of students shouted outside Overland.

"It's his right to give his opinion but it's his duty as a teacher to give the other side of the story to let the young minds, these 10th graders, form their own opinions," said Corey Kropp, a Bennish opponent.

Bennish was on paid leave while the Cherry Creek School District investigated the comments.

"After listening to the tape, it's evident the comments in the class were inappropriate. There were not adequate opportunities for opposing points of view," Tustin Amole, a spokeswoman for the district said.

Amole said the investigation would be completed late next week. She said no disciplinary action had been taken against the teacher.

Amole added that Bennish told school officials he had received threats as news of the allegations spread, but she did not speculate on what the threats were and who made them. She said Bennish was the subject of similar complaints a few years ago, but said that case was resolved after he met with a parent and the school principal.

Allen reportedly decided not to attend classes Thursday after he appeared as a guest Wednesday evening on KHOW radio with hosts Craig Silverman and Dan Caplis. Allen said he got critical feedback from fellow students after the radio show.

(© 2006 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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