Yesterday, the union that represents teachers on the New York City public schools sued the school district over a policy that prevents teachers from wearing political buttons or insignia.
I think that the NYC public schools could save a lot of settlement money if they just give all of that money to me, and allow me to 'splain this to those teachers. Here's what I would tell them:
You are public servants. You are a representative of the government that pays you. As a police officer, (also a public servant) I am not allowed to wear partisan political insignia on my uniform. If the reason is not clear to you, then consider for a moment that I am wearing my McCain/Pain button on my uniform and you have an Obama/Biden bumper sticker on your car. I pull you over. (Not because of your sticker, but because you are speeding.) You could rightfully argue that I singled you out for enforcement because of your sticker, and your proof of my lack of impartiality is the button on my uniform. That's why I cannot wear political buttons, or any other partisan insignia that might suggest that I have a soft spot for one group or the other.
When you decided to teach in a PUBLIC school system, you gave up the right to espouse partisan politics during the course of your duties. Your argument that the ban on political buttons at work violates your right to free speech does not apply. You do not have the right to unbridled free speech when you are working on the puclic nickel. When you get finished teaching your re-written history at the end of the day and you go home, THEN you can put on your political button, and parade around naked giving your "O" hand salute and do your bong hits all you want. However, while you are performing your public duties to children whose parents are required by law to send them to your classroom you will toe the government line of impartiality and teach from the watered down, politically correct government-provided texts. You will dress professionally, without political accoutrements.
You may argue that our jobs are somehow different; that as a police officer, I have a duty to impartiality, while as a teacher, you do not. You would be wrong. If you teach at a private school, then you would be allowed to do whatever that school's policy allows. You could even wear political buttons if the policy permits. If parents were not legally compelled to send their children to your classroom (which would be the case in a private school), then you might have a case. Since those parents have little choice but to enroll their children, then their childrens' right to a free and appropriate public education outweighs your right to free speech through the display of partisan insignia.
It will be very interesting to see how this case unfolds. If the NYC schools settle or fold, shame on them.
No comments:
Post a Comment