School's speech pathologist fired for refusing to sign pro-Israel pledge

[mikeymikec]

https://theintercept.com/2018/12/17/israel-texas-anti-bds-law/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nati...w-shes-filing-lawsuit/?utm_term=.bdb7af8cb816

Bahia Amawi, a speech pathologist who has worked as a contractor in a Texas school district for nine years, received a new contract agreement to sign in September for the upcoming school year.

The agreement asked her to affirm that she did not boycott Israel and assert that she would not while working for the school.

That's got to be one of the oddest things I've ever heard from the country that allegedly "has free speech".

What gets me most about it though is how such a pledge is not even vaguely relevant to her role.

 

[Juiblex]

The government funding bill that is coming up is sneaking this into the bill. They are going to criminalize boycotts of Israel. It was in ny times this morning.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/18/opinion/editorials/israel-bds.html

It's real. Its scary...

 

[interchange]

That law was extended to even require some Harvey victims to sign a pledge, which sounds ludicrous. I'm not sure why it would be "some". I can't imagine this is kosher in application to individuals even if they are contracted instead of direct employees.

 

[K1052]

A prohibition against individuals/companies boycotting something is the most common sense conservative small government Merica freedom plan I've heard in a while.

Or they're just full of shit.

 

[sdifox]

Private jewish school or public school?

 

[Zorba]

Private jewish school or public school?

Public: Pflugerville Independent School District

“This language is required by the State of Texas for all school districts in Texas, along with other governmental entities,” the statement said. “Unfortunately, Pflugerville ISD and all Texas school districts are at the mercy of the state and the regulations printed into law, and in situations such as this, we are forced to spend time on state political issues and not on our core mission — educating students."

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

I feel like this would(will?) get crushed if challenged. Isn't this a clear 1A violation?

 

[sdifox]

Public: Pflugerville Independent School District

That is fucked up. Why are Texas schools pledging allegiance to another country?

Edit: apparently half of US States have such laws. WTF.

 

[IronWing]

That is fucked up. Why are Texas schools pledging allegiance to another country?

Because if folks boycott Israel over it's brutal treatment of the people under its responsibility, there is the slightest whiff of a chance Israel will modify its deplorable behavior. If Israel modifies its deplorable behavior, then the chances for a Middle East Armageddon in our lifetimes is slightly diminished and the Christian nutjobs in Texas might not personally get to see Jesus on Earth before they see him in heaven. Imagine missing the opportunity for showing up in the afterlife with a selfie with Jesus at Bush's Chicken just because some speech pathologist boycotted Israeli made products. This legislation is about keeping the dream (of global slaughter in our lifetimes) alive.

 

[Vic]

Regardless of one's opinion of Israel's treatment of their Palestinian minority, government punishment of political speech would seem to be a clear 1a violation.

 

[IronWing]

Regardless of one's opinion of Israel's treatment of their Palestinian, government punishment of political speech would seem to be a clear 1a violation.

Yeah, but at what cost? Missing Armageddon would suck.

 

[Zorba]

That is fucked up. Why are Texas schools pledging allegiance to another country?

Check my edit, looks like it's a new state law.

 

[Vic]

Yeah, but at what cost? Missing Armageddon would suck.

The irony of Conservative Christianity's support of Zionism is that it's really just a facade for their antisemitism. To them, Israel is like Liberia, but with biblical support.

 

[Fenixgoon]

Goddamnit, Texas! Why do you have to go and make this resident sad?

 

[dawp]

Goddamnit, Texas! Why do you have to go and make this resident sad?

because the state is run by morons? I moved out about 10 years ago while perry was gov. and it's only gotten worse.

 

[IJTSSG]

Over 20 states, including New York, California and Illinois, have almost the exact same law on the books you fucking idiots. Get a clue.

 

[allisolm]

Apparently this is not a new thing nor an isolated thing. According to the intercept article, 39 states either have or have pending such laws.

"At the time that Texas enacted the law barring contractors from supporting a boycott of Israel, it was the 17th state in the country to do so. As of now, 26 states have enacted such laws — including blue states run by Democrats such as New York, California, and New Jersey — while similar bills are pending in another 13 states.

Judges have already ruled that the laws in Arizona and Kansas are not enforceable.

This entire idea is wrong, wrong, wrong and needs to be gone from all state laws as soon as possible, if not sooner.

 

[Jhhnn]

Over 20 states, including New York, California and Illinois, have almost the exact same law on the books you fucking idiots. Get a clue.

So what? If Nazis get free speech, Americans who support the pals should have the same.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

Over 20 states, including New York, California and Illinois, have almost the exact same law on the books you fucking idiots. Get a clue.

That doesn't make it any less a violation of the 1A.

Here's a clue for you: You'll get your point across better if you're less confrontational.

 

[HomerJS]

How soon before Texas or other Republican states make protesting Trump illegal?

We are there folks, authoritarian nation.

 

[PJFrylar]

Over 20 states, including New York, California and Illinois, have almost the exact same law on the books you fucking idiots. Get a clue.

Saying someone else does it as a way to justify one's actions stops passing the muster in grade school. Surely you've matured beyond that.

 

[1sikbITCH]

Maryland has this too. The laws say that the Company cannot engage in boycotts. Doesn't say employees or individuals can be barred from boycotting. However, as long as Texas is an at-will state this teacher can be fired for any reason at all as long as she was not fired for being in a protected class (age, race, disabled, gender, religion). She can still boycott. She just can't work for them.

 

[1prophet]

So what? If Nazis get free speech, Americans who support the pals should have the same.

Liberal Nazis from California, New York, and Illinois included?

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

Maryland has this too. The laws say that the Company cannot engage in boycotts. Doesn't say employees or individuals can be barred from boycotting. However, as long as Texas is an at-will state this teacher can be fired for any reason at all as long as she was not fired for being in a protected class (age, race, disabled, gender, religion). She can still boycott. She just can't work for them.

Doesn't it go into hairy territory when the institution putting anti-1A rules in place is funded by taxpayer dollars?

 

[Jhhnn]

Liberal Nazis from California, New York, and Illinois included?

Gettin' your troll on, I see.

 

[Majes]

As someone who is generally supportive of Israel I still find this terrifying...