RS: Educators face blowback for protesting Iraq war in schools

[SillyGoose]

Just over three years ago, as the nation readied for war with Iraq, elementary school teacher Deb Mayer stood in front of her class and uttered the word that would get her blacklisted from her profession.

It was a word that got her deemed “unpatriotic” by an angry parent. A word that led to her termination from the Bloomington, Indiana school district. A word that got her labeled as a potential sex offender and ruined her chances of finding work elsewhere.

That word was “peace.”

...

Mayer is one of at least three teachers in the country who have filed lawsuits against their employers since the beginning of the war, claiming their First Amendment rights were violated after they were fired for what they said was an opposition to the war.

more....

http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Educators_face_blowback_for_protesting_war_0209.html

Unbelievable. Read the whole thing - she was told not to use the word "peace" again in her classroom.

[Dogmudgeon]

1. Quick! Call David Horowitz!

Political Correctness haunts the land! It has destroyed the better part of a generation ... laying waste to the best minds and souls of our homeland (long may it wave).

Oh, wait ... it's only Republican conservatives who make Horowitz' list of oppressed minorities.

Never mind.

--p!

[DemInDistress]

2. very interesting...even though the ACLU rejected her case

she still should have sought out a First Amendment lawyer..their out there. The only problem with those types of lawyers is they want up to 40% of the judgment (if any). This case sounds like a winner irregardless of whether this current judge rejects her plea for a jury trial,there are appeals she can make. As for shelling out 50k already well should she go to trial and win a judgment she gets it all..
And for that dad the scumbag he is, wow..sounds like a bush ass kisser to me. enough about him,why give him any attention. The principal well, it will have to explain to a jury why it did what it did and sometimes the school will look like a fool, ergo, settlement out of court. All i could say is keep the faith and don't quit.
Back in 1997 I had a 1st amendment case against Rudy Giuliani, the NYCLU also rejected my case yet urged to to continue looking for an attorney. After 5 tries with various good lawyers I found one willing to take my case and 4 yrs later settled out of court. so.
See some of my case at: http://screwedbyRudy.blogspot.com

[SillyGoose]

3. Wow...I just read your blog about what happened with Guiliani.

:wow:

Good for you for fighting back. That was a dirty, nasty underhanded thing he did to you.

[DemInDistress]

4. thank you and your not a silly goose...I began that journal to

alert Americans to the threat of his royal highness Rudy Giuliani seeking the Oval Office, back in 1997 when I got my ticket Rudy was raging mad that a guy like me could catch the NYPD screwing motorists. Hell I had a red light ticket to fight but Rudy was undaunted,he fished out my 20-30 year old police record and fed that to the press as though it changed what the cops were doing.
I do appreciate the feedback good or bad !! but you goose, made my dad !! ^5 to you

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :hi:

[JohnyCanuck]

5. Help out Mayer's legal defense fund.

Note that according to Raw Story the Wisconsin Air America affiliate has set up a legal fund to help this teacher. If there are any DUers who can help out by sending a few bucks their way, I'd encourage them to do so.

But others have kept her spirits up. Mayer says Howard Dean, whom she had volunteered for in 2004, has taken an interest in her case and checks up on it periodically. And the local Air America affiliate in Wisconsin has set up a legal fund to help Mayer raise money for her court battle.

“If the judge rules against me, she will be saying that a teacher doesn’t have a right to free speech at school,” Mayer said. “If the classroom is not a public forum, then a teacher has no right to free speech.”

[RagingInMiami]

6. To contribute to Mayer’s legal fund,

Send a check to: Deb Mayer, Peace Teacher Legal Defense Fund, 302 Walnut Street, Madison, Wi. 53726.

She needs all the help she can get.

[JohnyCanuck]

9. Thanks for posting that address. n/t

[RagingInMiami]

10. No problem

She says if she wins her case, she will reimburse everybody who donated

[converted_democrat]

7. .....

[Viva_La_Revolution]

8. Kicking because

I'm outraged!

[Nothing Without Hope]

11. K & R. Another story for the collection, another life shattered. n/t

[Pool Hall Ace]

12. It got her labeled as a potential sex offender?

Good lord, that is chilling. :scared:

Recommended.

[StaggerLee]

13. Kick

:dem: