Why you can't fire armbands

[HysteryDiagnosis]

http://www.aclu-wa.org/detail.cfm?id=59


Teachers' Clothing

In the landmark Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District case, the U.S. Supreme Court established that public school students have the right to wear armbands in class as an expression of their views on topics of public concern. This right may be limited only if there is good reason to believe that the speech would cause a substantial and material disruption to education or violate the rights of others. Washington courts have not considered the question, but courts in other jurisdictions have differed over whether teachers have the same right as students to display personal political messages on their clothing. A court ruled that a New York teacher could not be fired for wearing a black armband in protest of the Vietnam War because the armband had caused no classroom disruption, was not perceived as an official statement of the school, did not interfere with instruction, and did not coerce or "arbitrarily inculcate doctrinaire views in the minds of the students." On the other hand, in another case a court upheld a dress code that prevented teachers from wearing political buttons in the classroom because school districts have legitimate authority to "dissociate themselves from matters of political controversy."

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. Well I'm a teacher who would NEVER wear a political button in my classroom

Our job is to teach kids how to think, not what to believe.

[Chulanowa]

2. But there's no law saying you must leave what you think and believe at the door

This is just my opinion, but a teacher who is neutral on everything is worse than useless. No need to try to hammer your particular dogma into their skulls, but you need to demonstrate that you're a human too, with different opinions and ideas than what they may have heard; that's a part of learning as well, after all. Plus there's just a lot of stuff the books don't touch

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. I don't think there needs to be a law

I also don't believe that not expressing your opinion to your students means you are neutral or useless.

During the presidential election, the kids always ask me who I am going to vote for. I then ask them who they THINK I should vote for. That leads to a wonderful discussion and we also usually have a mock election.

Like I said, we teach them HOW to think, not WHAT to believe - or WHO to believe in.

And, FYI, I have taught 30 years and the kids ALWAYS choose the Democrat. Every damn time. Shows they are good critical thinkers without being led to make the choice they make. :)

Anyone who knows me here on DU knows I am passionate about my political beliefs. Most of my co-workers know that I am an active and very involved Democrat. But I just don't share that with my students.

Some of my co-workers are repukes and I certainly wouldn't want THEM sharing their political beliefs with their students. So I have no problem staying quiet about mine. And like I said, the kids are overwhelmingly supportive of Democrats without knowing who I am going to vote for.

[Chulanowa]

8. I remember the one classroom election we had

it was Kindergarten, in Wake Forest, NC. 1988. Our teacher told us we were going to vote for the president! She didn't give us any politics of course, it was just a kindergarten activity. We cut out pictures of who we wanted to win, and stuffed them in a box.

I voted Bush. Because my mother had always been talking about what a dumbass Quayle was.

It was years and years before I realized, "Wait, our teacher had us voting for Bush... or Quayle?" Maybe she figured Dukakais was too hard for a kindergartener to say?

Then I remember that this chick flicked me like a towel to get me to lay still during naptime. So maybe she was just an asshole.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

3. I'm not one for copycat threads... and this will probably get this locked

but if you look back a few threads.... shame on me.

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. I'm not following . . .

Don't understand what you mean. Sorry.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

6. Here goes, and it isn't all that good.... there was thread, "Why you can't

ban firearms".... hence, why you can't fire armbands... weak, shoulda been a self delete. Sorry for the confusion.

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. LOL

I get it now. Thanks for explaining. :hi: