Kansas Teacher Fired for Conservative Views Gets Job Back Amid Media Firestorm

[Amused]

See my above edit.

 

[AreaCode707]

I'd love to hear what the assistant principal has to say for herself at this point.

Weseman confirmed to FOXNews.com that Latham will be back next year. He said administrators erred by not conducting enough in-class evaluations.

"To make a long story short, they didn't do what they were supposed to," Weseman said. "Obviously there are implications to procedures not being followed."

Latham conducted himself in a "respectful and dignified" manner throughout the process, Weseman said, adding that the "injustice" claimed by Latham had been confirmed.

Yay for the administration being man enough to own up to its' errors. Hopefully those involved in bring politics, not just on a conversational level but on a vindictive level, will be disciplined.

I chose my quoted piece of the article carefully. I didn't pick from the teacher's side of the story or the news commentary but from the quotes the administration supplied themselves.

 

[Harvey]

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: Harvey

Originally posted by: Amused
.
.
Latham, who was criticized by a student for not airing President Obama's inaugural address during class, filed a grievance with his school district earlier this month after he was told in April that his contract would not be renewed.
.
.
This is pretty outrageous. What are your thoughts?

As a teacher of American history and government, I think Latham was remiss in not airing an historical event like the innauguration speech of ANY President, even a criminal turd like George W. Bush. The speech, itself, is not an opinion about American history and government; it IS American history and government. The best way to teach it is to include baseline factual events and data in the cirriculum when they're available, rather than talk ABOUT second hand narrations of them.

That said, Latham is entitled to his opinions, and he's entitled to challenge his dismissal. The end point of the story is that the school district heard his case, reversed their position and re-hired him so "the system" worked, so to speak.

He has never aired an inageral of ANY president, but DID go over the full text of the speeches with his students. Which, if you think about it, is better than sitting them in front of an idiot box for multiple classes.

As always, the content of the speech is what matters, not the presentation.

I disagree. Teachers always have the opportunity to review the content of a political speech. A Presidential inaguration is, in and of itself, an historical event in real time that cannot be replaced by any post facto narration. Without the event, there is nothing to discuss or review.

If it's true that he never aired an inagural speech of ANY president, it further suggests he really is unqualified to teach American history and government.

At any rate, it's obvious the bias existed and was the cause of his dismissal. EVERYONE, right, left, or libertarian should take up his cause. Unless, of course, you believe people should be let go for beliefs that are not in line with yours... then you better hope and pray your beliefs are the ones that become dominant...

At any rate, it's obvious HE CLAIMS the bias existed and was the cause of his dismissal. Nothing in the story supports any further conclusion. And... IT'S ALL OVER.

Harvey's first two laws of physics:

1. Everything in the universe is made of two things, matter and doesn't matter.
   
2. Most of it doesn't matter.

This story is the latter.

 

[Craig234]

Removing continuation of discusssion thread per above edits.

 

[Moonbeam]

The teacher either did or did not bring his politics into the classroom inappropriately.

The school board either did or did not fire him for just reasons.

It seems to me we can't actually determine any of the above. What we can do is reflexively react with our past baggage and come down on this or that side and with massive conviction we must be right. I was sure as sin that the Gov of SC was somewhere with a woman, but I did not post those feelings because I knew they were pure speculation of my part.

What we do know is that the school board violated procedure in firing this guy and he got his job back. To me that is the end of the story.

 

[Fern]

It's unrealistic (and disingenuous) to demand any type of absolute proof as to the cause of school admin. This isn't going to court, so that leaves only their 'confession' of bias and that ain't gonna happen.

We had TV's in classrooms when I was kid, I never saw any presidential inauguration. (I did see one of NASSA's rockets take off once in elementary school, but that was the one that blew up at launch. That was the end of those broadcasts.)

Fern

 

[Balt]

Originally posted by: Amused

"I had been called into [Gentry's office] and was told I was picking on Obama in class," Latham said earlier this month. "But I didn't cover anything else that wasn't already covered by anybody else in the news."

That's a horrible justification. You can form any idiotic opinion you want and then find someone somewhere in the media who is saying something similar, especially if you consider people like Hannity or Olbermann "news".

Whether a teacher is liberal or conservative they should keep their political opinions to themselves. This is quite possible even in an American government class. The best teachers I ever had could argue both sides of an issue so well that you couldn't tell what end of the political spectrum they were on.

Anyway, the school didn't follow the correct procedure so they screwed it up and his dismissal was inappropriate.

 

[JS80]

Originally posted by: Balt

Originally posted by: Amused

"I had been called into [Gentry's office] and was told I was picking on Obama in class," Latham said earlier this month. "But I didn't cover anything else that wasn't already covered by anybody else in the news."

That's a horrible justification. You can form any idiotic opinion you want and then find someone somewhere in the media who is saying something similar, especially if you consider people like Hannity or Olbermann "news".

Whether a teacher is liberal or conservative they should keep their political opinions to themselves. This is quite possible even in an American government class. The best teachers I ever had could argue both sides of an issue so well that you couldn't tell what end of the political spectrum they were on.

Anyway, the school didn't follow the correct procedure so they screwed it up and his dismissal was inappropriate.

So what's the correct procedure then for firing a teacher for his conservative beliefs?

 

[Harvey]

Originally posted by: JS80

Originally posted by: Balt

That's a horrible justification. You can form any idiotic opinion you want and then find someone somewhere in the media who is saying something similar, especially if you consider people like Hannity or Olbermann "news".

Whether a teacher is liberal or conservative they should keep their political opinions to themselves. This is quite possible even in an American government class. The best teachers I ever had could argue both sides of an issue so well that you couldn't tell what end of the political spectrum they were on.

Anyway, the school didn't follow the correct procedure so they screwed it up and his dismissal was inappropriate.

So what's the correct procedure then for firing a teacher for his conservative beliefs?

He said the school district didn't follow the correct procedure to dismiss him. Where did he say it's appropriate to fire a teacher "for his conservative beliefs?"

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by: JS80

Originally posted by: Balt

Originally posted by: Amused

"I had been called into [Gentry's office] and was told I was picking on Obama in class," Latham said earlier this month. "But I didn't cover anything else that wasn't already covered by anybody else in the news."

That's a horrible justification. You can form any idiotic opinion you want and then find someone somewhere in the media who is saying something similar, especially if you consider people like Hannity or Olbermann "news".

Whether a teacher is liberal or conservative they should keep their political opinions to themselves. This is quite possible even in an American government class. The best teachers I ever had could argue both sides of an issue so well that you couldn't tell what end of the political spectrum they were on.

Anyway, the school didn't follow the correct procedure so they screwed it up and his dismissal was inappropriate.

So what's the correct procedure then for firing a teacher for his conservative beliefs?

He shouldn't be fired for his conservative beliefs as long as he allows those with a differing opinion to express themselves and not use it against them in grading them. This goes back to my question to Amused about if he believes a Holocaust Denier should be able to express his views in the Class Room. That's about as unpopular opinion as one can have in America yet his right to free speech is guaranteed by law. Should he be fired for having what many would find an offensive opinion or belief?

 

[AreaCode707]

Originally posted by: Moonbeam
The teacher either did or did not bring his politics into the classroom inappropriately.

The school board either did or did not fire him for just reasons.

It seems to me we can't actually determine any of the above. What we can do is reflexively react with our past baggage and come down on this or that side and with massive conviction we must be right. I was sure as sin that the Gov of SC was somewhere with a woman, but I did not post those feelings because I knew they were pure speculation of my part.

What we do know is that the school board violated procedure in firing this guy and he got his job back. To me that is the end of the story.

When you make sense you make an awful lot of sense.

 

[JS80]

Originally posted by: Red Dawn

Originally posted by: JS80

Originally posted by: Balt

Originally posted by: Amused

"I had been called into [Gentry's office] and was told I was picking on Obama in class," Latham said earlier this month. "But I didn't cover anything else that wasn't already covered by anybody else in the news."

That's a horrible justification. You can form any idiotic opinion you want and then find someone somewhere in the media who is saying something similar, especially if you consider people like Hannity or Olbermann "news".

Whether a teacher is liberal or conservative they should keep their political opinions to themselves. This is quite possible even in an American government class. The best teachers I ever had could argue both sides of an issue so well that you couldn't tell what end of the political spectrum they were on.

Anyway, the school didn't follow the correct procedure so they screwed it up and his dismissal was inappropriate.

So what's the correct procedure then for firing a teacher for his conservative beliefs?

He shouldn't be fired for his conservative beliefs as long as he allows those with a differing opinion to express themselves and not use it against them in grading them. This goes back to my question to Amused about if he believes a Holocaust Denier should be able to express his views in the Class Room. That's about as unpopular opinion as one can have in America yet his right to free speech is guaranteed by law. Should he be fired for having what many would find an offensive opinion or belief?

Denying the Holocaust is denying a fact. So they are not comparable. So no, a Holocaust Denier should not be able to express his wrongness in the classroom. Just like we shouldn't allow a science teacher to teach that the world is flat.

 

[Bowfinger]

The problem with this "story" is we really have no idea why Latham was released because the school isn't talking, and likely never will talk. That leaves him free to claim whatever he wants. Maybe it truly was due to his political beliefs. Maybe he molested his students. Maybe he's just an incompetent asshat. Likely it is a combination of several factors. There are thousands of reasons people lose their jobs, and it is quite common for the jilted employee to be less than fully forthcoming about his own termination.

The act of reinstating him proves absolutely nothing about the REASON for his dismissal. As someone who's been in management for many companies for many years, I can tell you it is likely nothing more than a reflection of the fact that employers are highly sensitive to the risk of wrongful termination lawsuits. The school apparently recognizes they didn't dot all their i's and cross all their t's, so they are rescinding their decision ... for now.

 

[Vic]

A teacher's political views don't belong in a public classroom regardless of what those views are.

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by: JS80

Originally posted by: Red Dawn

Originally posted by: JS80

Originally posted by: Balt

Originally posted by: Amused

"I had been called into [Gentry's office] and was told I was picking on Obama in class," Latham said earlier this month. "But I didn't cover anything else that wasn't already covered by anybody else in the news."

That's a horrible justification. You can form any idiotic opinion you want and then find someone somewhere in the media who is saying something similar, especially if you consider people like Hannity or Olbermann "news".

Whether a teacher is liberal or conservative they should keep their political opinions to themselves. This is quite possible even in an American government class. The best teachers I ever had could argue both sides of an issue so well that you couldn't tell what end of the political spectrum they were on.

Anyway, the school didn't follow the correct procedure so they screwed it up and his dismissal was inappropriate.

So what's the correct procedure then for firing a teacher for his conservative beliefs?

He shouldn't be fired for his conservative beliefs as long as he allows those with a differing opinion to express themselves and not use it against them in grading them. This goes back to my question to Amused about if he believes a Holocaust Denier should be able to express his views in the Class Room. That's about as unpopular opinion as one can have in America yet his right to free speech is guaranteed by law. Should he be fired for having what many would find an offensive opinion or belief?

Denying the Holocaust is denying a fact. So they are not comparable. So no, a Holocaust Denier should not be able to express his wrongness in the classroom. Just like we shouldn't allow a science teacher to teach that the world is flat.

I see, then you must also feel that those who believe in Creationism shouldn't be able to express their wrongness in a classroom either. I think I have to change my opinion and agree with you.

 

[lupi]

Originally posted by: Red Dawn

Originally posted by: JS80

Originally posted by: Red Dawn

Originally posted by: JS80

Originally posted by: Balt

Originally posted by: Amused

"I had been called into [Gentry's office] and was told I was picking on Obama in class," Latham said earlier this month. "But I didn't cover anything else that wasn't already covered by anybody else in the news."

That's a horrible justification. You can form any idiotic opinion you want and then find someone somewhere in the media who is saying something similar, especially if you consider people like Hannity or Olbermann "news".

Whether a teacher is liberal or conservative they should keep their political opinions to themselves. This is quite possible even in an American government class. The best teachers I ever had could argue both sides of an issue so well that you couldn't tell what end of the political spectrum they were on.

Anyway, the school didn't follow the correct procedure so they screwed it up and his dismissal was inappropriate.

So what's the correct procedure then for firing a teacher for his conservative beliefs?

He shouldn't be fired for his conservative beliefs as long as he allows those with a differing opinion to express themselves and not use it against them in grading them. This goes back to my question to Amused about if he believes a Holocaust Denier should be able to express his views in the Class Room. That's about as unpopular opinion as one can have in America yet his right to free speech is guaranteed by law. Should he be fired for having what many would find an offensive opinion or belief?

Denying the Holocaust is denying a fact. So they are not comparable. So no, a Holocaust Denier should not be able to express his wrongness in the classroom. Just like we shouldn't allow a science teacher to teach that the world is flat.

I see, then you must also feel that those who believe in Creationism shouldn't be able to express their wrongness in a classroom either. I think I have to change my opinion and agree with you.

sure thing, right after you are able to hold your presentation demonstrating creationism is false.

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: lupi
sure thing, right after you are able to hold your presentation demonstrating creationism is false.

Young Earth Creationism has been proven false for 150 years.

 

[ZeGermans]

Why would you let a conservative teach a U. S. history class, they believe the US is somehow magically infallible. I'm guessing it doesn't involve a lot of critical thinking.

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: lupi

Originally posted by: Red Dawn

Originally posted by: JS80

Originally posted by: Red Dawn

Originally posted by: JS80

Originally posted by: Balt

Originally posted by: Amused

"I had been called into [Gentry's office] and was told I was picking on Obama in class," Latham said earlier this month. "But I didn't cover anything else that wasn't already covered by anybody else in the news."

That's a horrible justification. You can form any idiotic opinion you want and then find someone somewhere in the media who is saying something similar, especially if you consider people like Hannity or Olbermann "news".

Whether a teacher is liberal or conservative they should keep their political opinions to themselves. This is quite possible even in an American government class. The best teachers I ever had could argue both sides of an issue so well that you couldn't tell what end of the political spectrum they were on.

Anyway, the school didn't follow the correct procedure so they screwed it up and his dismissal was inappropriate.

So what's the correct procedure then for firing a teacher for his conservative beliefs?

He shouldn't be fired for his conservative beliefs as long as he allows those with a differing opinion to express themselves and not use it against them in grading them. This goes back to my question to Amused about if he believes a Holocaust Denier should be able to express his views in the Class Room. That's about as unpopular opinion as one can have in America yet his right to free speech is guaranteed by law. Should he be fired for having what many would find an offensive opinion or belief?

Denying the Holocaust is denying a fact. So they are not comparable. So no, a Holocaust Denier should not be able to express his wrongness in the classroom. Just like we shouldn't allow a science teacher to teach that the world is flat.

I see, then you must also feel that those who believe in Creationism shouldn't be able to express their wrongness in a classroom either. I think I have to change my opinion and agree with you.

sure thing, right after you are able to hold your presentation demonstrating creationism is false.

fail

 

[Moonbeam]

Originally posted by: ZeGermans
Why would you let a conservative teach a U. S. history class, they believe the US is somehow magically infallible. I'm guessing it doesn't involve a lot of critical thinking.

We let anybody teach who is qualified to. Knowledge is not the providence of some particular party nor is the love of teaching children. This is a free country that respects different points of view. Your assertion that all conservatives feel the US is magically infallible is absurd. It is actually you who is possessed by magical belief. What we do not want is teachers in a position of authority teaching their beliefs as the only truth. If you were taught by liberals they failed to teach you to critically think. Sad for you.

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: Vic
A teacher's political views don't belong in a public classroom regardless of what those views are.

I agree. until a student is in college (perhaps not even then) a student should not have to be pressured into thinkin having beliefs he feel will win favor with the school or school board.

 

[ZeGermans]

Originally posted by: Moonbeam

Originally posted by: ZeGermans
Why would you let a conservative teach a U. S. history class, they believe the US is somehow magically infallible. I'm guessing it doesn't involve a lot of critical thinking.

We let anybody teach who is qualified to. Knowledge is not the providence of some particular party nor is the love of teaching children. This is a free country that respects different points of view. Your assertion that all conservatives feel the US is magically infallible is absurd. It is actually you who is possessed by magical belief. What we do not want is teachers in a position of authority teaching their beliefs as the only truth. If you were taught by liberals they failed to teach you to critically think. Sad for you.

Ok let's see what truths we teach in our schools
1) Truth: we actively exterminated the indeginous peoples by destroying their food source
2) Truth: Japan was willing to surrender after Hiroshima on the condition that they keep the emperor. We nuked them again and let them keep him anyway
3) Truth: Our intervention against democratically elected leftist leaders in the 80s left more than half a million people dead

the list goes on and on. America is probably an evil country, and there no way one can call it a "good" country. Teaching "just the facts" usually means ignoring the horrors we've caused.

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by: Vic

Originally posted by: lupi
sure thing, right after you are able to hold your presentation demonstrating creationism is false.

Young Earth Creationism has been proven false for 150 years.

Loopy would never let the facts get in the way of his dogma.

 

[ZeGermans]

Originally posted by: Red Dawn

Originally posted by: Vic

Originally posted by: lupi
sure thing, right after you are able to hold your presentation demonstrating creationism is false.

Young Earth Creationism has been proven false for 150 years.

Loopy would never let the facts get in the way of his dogma.

These people literally believe in Cartesian demons to justify their beliefs

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: ZeGermans

Originally posted by: Moonbeam

Originally posted by: ZeGermans
Why would you let a conservative teach a U. S. history class, they believe the US is somehow magically infallible. I'm guessing it doesn't involve a lot of critical thinking.

We let anybody teach who is qualified to. Knowledge is not the providence of some particular party nor is the love of teaching children. This is a free country that respects different points of view. Your assertion that all conservatives feel the US is magically infallible is absurd. It is actually you who is possessed by magical belief. What we do not want is teachers in a position of authority teaching their beliefs as the only truth. If you were taught by liberals they failed to teach you to critically think. Sad for you.

Ok let's see what truths we teach in our schools
1) Truth: we actively exterminated the indeginous peoples by destroying their food source
2) Truth: Japan was willing to surrender after Hiroshima on the condition that they keep the emperor. We nuked them again and let them keep him anyway
3) Truth: Our intervention against democratically elected leftist leaders in the 80s left more than half a million people dead

the list goes on and on. America is probably an evil country, and there no way one can call it a "good" country. Teaching "just the facts" usually means ignoring the horrors we've caused.

1) nope. we were taught we exterminated them with small pox and bullets.

2) NEVER heard that and WAS not taught it in school. neither has anyone i know.

3) Again NEVER was taguht that in school.


not sure where you went to school.