AMERICA’S haywire presidential election is worrying the country's teachers. The norm is for educators to tread lightly in the classroom when it comes to politics. In New York City, a chancellor’s regulation holds that while “on duty or in contact with students” teachers are bound to “maintain a posture of complete neutrality with respect to all candidates”. This means they “may not wear buttons, pins, articles of clothing, or any other items advocating a candidate, candidates, slate of candidates or political organisation/committee”. In 2008, the teacher’s union challenged this rule in court, asserting that it violates educators’ First Amendment right to free expression. The federal judge rejected the plea, noting that while “school officials may not take a sledge hammer to freedom of expression”, they have a legitimate interest in “avoiding the entanglement of their public educational mission with partisan politics”.
The worry is not a small one. Teachers dressed in partisan costume are not particularly well suited to lead an impartial discussion of political controversies. Whether the button says “Lock her up” or “Dump Trump”, a classroom...Continue reading
Source: United States http://ift.tt/2eVOwNX
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