Should there be limits on teachers' freedom of speech?

I had a horrible experience which is cited in a book I wrote. For further information go to my website above. I won in the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. Was out of school for 3 years, followed, tormented, a major conspiracy against me formulated by the superintendent, principal, teachers, minister, school boards. JUSTICE PREVAILED.

The first amendment states freedom of speech, and as another commenter to this poll stated "its not a carte blanche endorsement of 'any words at any time'" I do not believe it gives people the right to say any words at any time either. But an opinion is an opinion and if its not being forced on anyone then they have 100% right to do so. If it is a forced opinion then that's a different story, like teacher telling kids to believe what they believe forcefully. But if they're simply stating something like "I'm going to vote for McCain" or "I'm going to vote for Obama" without telling them forcefully that they should (even though kids can't vote but you get the picture right?), then they should be able to say it, no consequences, no questions asked.

Educators should have the freedom to speak about topics related to the subject they are teaching, but should not have the power to take up class time that should be devoted to teaching their subject to lecturing about their private beliefs. If a person is that motivated to want to tell about their private beliefs, there are other venues for that. I don't want some right wing, moral majority radicals trying to brainwash my children; nor do I want ANY radical imposing their ideas on my kids during school hours.

I have never seen such hypocrisy. We talk so proudly of our freedom of speech, but every time anyone says anything controversial some one gets offended. The sad truth is that each one of us would be offended if we allow ourselves to be. Where in the constitution does it say we have a right not to be offended? The people that rant and rave the most about freedom of speech are the first to call for the firing or worse for anyone that makes a statement they don't agree with. The Imas situation is a prime example. I don't agree with what he said and it wasn't right for him to say it, but he did apologize and I felt he was sincere. The same people that were offended probably have RAP CD, s that has offensive language that is much worse that what was said by Imas. Equality and equity should be observed across the board or not at all. If words are offensive they are offensive in every case not just when a specific individual uses them. Teachers are Americans too and should be allowed to state their opinion about subjects that affect them and their students. The political correct society will destroy our constitutional rights, because those that oppose our freedoms will use these attitudes to erode our rights.

While I generally agree that words and opinions I choose to express are best kept relatively neutral for the sake of my students and my relationship with them, I see it as a professional responsibility -- not something that should be monitored by others, least of all legislators who haven't the first clue about what I do or what it takes to do it. If discussion of religion, racism, history, science, or anyone mistaking any of these things for the other, I need to be able to broach the discussion intelligently and honestly with my students. In my elementary art classes, you can be sure that they do come up. Rather than declaring any absolute knowledge of issues that have multiple perspectives, we should be framing questions and outlining the debate as it stands. The important thing is to find the balance that allows the discussion to remain respectful of all sides of a debate or issue, and allows students with ideas or upbringing different than my own to still feel they can and should contribute in class. Without that sense of respect and personal safety, they won't see me as any example of what I need to be: someone who they can trust. Someone who honors them as learners and people, and someone to build a learning relationship with. Perhaps the most subversive thing we can do as teachers is to get them to think for themselves...

Teachers may and probably should explain some of their views on important issues when such discussions are relevant to the content of the class and appropriate for the age-level of the students. What teachers should not do is proselytize, for either political or religious reasons.

Educators often do not have freedom of speech or action. In the classroom is one thing, but it has been interesting to be an educator who got it that technology makes a difference in teaching and learning. What that has gotten me is a lot of administrative decision making to move me from schools, from the use of programs, Kidsnetwork, from using programs that supervisors did not know, Voyage of the Mimi 2 ( fortunately that program was not claimed by anyone and was allowed ). Once I did a radio program and my principal called me to the office and yelled at me because I said that technology and other media could replace the constant use of books in a classroom. That time they moved me to a high school to teach students who were considered dropouts, That worked for me. The high schools was wonderful. Then I was moved to an elementary school. I was not moved because of any difficulty. I wanted to teach students again, but I was given the job of technology teacher. The problem with this was the use of programs and resources. The teacher who was the technology assistant and support for me, only wanted me to use shareware. I could not believe it. The reason for this was because it was safe. Oh my! I was not allowed to use NASA resources because they were on the Internet. The Internet, I was told was a bad place for a school computer. Never mind the good things. It was unbelievable. I finally was able to demonstrate, using AOL and a telephone line that there was substance in the resources that I was using. But being a technology advocate has its problems. The problem in the last school was that we read newspapers on line. We were only supposed to read the kiddy newspapers. We were accessing the space program news reports. Too much for me.

I am an educator. It is my job to educate my students to see all sides of an issue before they make a decision. I believe I have a right to express my opinion after the students have made their decisions. I always accept and respect my students' points of view and I ask them to do the same with me. Being polite and respectful of all viewpoints is far better, in my opinion, than being politically correct.

As you all are aware, the first amendment right of free speech is not a carte blanche endorsement of "any words" said at "any time." As educators and citizens, we have a responsibility attached to the freedom. Educators are in a somewhat unique position to influence attitudes and thoughts. We are disseminators of information and "truths" to our students. Expectations are that teachers will guide the student in a non-biased manner to discover their own truths. I believe the classroom as a forum for new and/or controversial ideas increases in importance as you progress up the educational ladder, i.e. a high school classroom is more appropriate than a gradeschool classroom. This said, I am not sure why an educator would need to try and sway a student's opinion to match his own. To answer the question posed, yes, educators must place a stricter limit on the expression of their own opinions in the classroom of their workplace.

There already put constraints on the freedom of everyone's speech. In New Hampshire and other states teachers, especially social studies teachers, have to sign a loyalty oath. This oath makes it hard to speak of decent. If you are speaking about racial slurs or the seven deadly words of radio and tv, that is called moral turpritude and will automatically get you fired. Please don't talk to me about freedom of speech. Teachers don't even have the rights of tenure. Tenure is only a job description. When a professor is tenured it is to protect the professor's freedom of speech. How else does education push people forward? High schools and some colleges have no push anymore. In most states, if you put up any political information, you have to put up the information of the opponent also. I think the state's grand standing on this issue. As a matter of fact all the stuff in these polls is a grand stand. There is, has been and will be accountability in education twice or thrice that of any other business in the country. It is a heck of a lot more ethical. The men and women who take advantage of children are dealt with quickly and firmly. Even Elliot Wiggington was banished. Think about the last studio executive who was banished from the field for inappropriate touching--can you?