Do Teachers Have First Amendment Rights at Work?

I find myself getting sucked by into the political realm this morning. As a teacher, politics is sometimes a tricky area. My students often ask me who I am going to vote for and I never tell them. I always tell them, "Oh! I never discuss my politics!" Well, that's just not true - I guess I should say, "I never discuss my politics with students!" I've worked in both Caddo and Bossier parishes and in both we've had to sign an agreement basically stating that we will not "politic" on the job. No posters, no campaign buttons on clothing, no discussions about candidates we favor with students, etc. You get the picture. We're not civil service, but Steve is, and his rules are even more strict. He can't even put a bumper sticker on his private car or a yard sign up. I can at least do that.

In New York the teacher's union has filed suit against this rule under the position that it violates the First Amendment of the teachers. Teacher's unions are almost always for the Democratic candidate. This particular case started when the union wanted members to distribute materials for Obama and sent out an email with instructions on how to do this. Education Department officials soon became involved and now they are to the lawsuit.

I'm a firm believer in the Constitution and in the rights of the people, which does include free speech; but this is conflicting for me too because I don't think I should be pushing my views on impressionable students. I hate the way it happens in college; liberal professors have been brainwashing and indoctrinating students for years (I spent lots of time in college and have seen it.) College is a slightly different story - those students are considered adults. But high school?

Lots of my students have professed an allegiance for Obama and are wearing buttons. Their reasons? Their parents are for him. Other reasons revolve around race; I had one tell me "Because he's a brotha." My point is that many of them do not know why they support him, they just do. I'm sure there are the same examples on the Republican side, too.

In a history class or a civics class I think a teacher would HAVE to discuss this election and it would be very hard to not let your bias in. I'm not certain I could do it! And what about the idiot Florida teacher who wrote the acronym C.H.A.N.G.E. on the white board then wrote out the disgusting "meaning" for it? In a seventh grade classroom?! (He was suspended then moved to an Adult Ed. school.) I guess it is because of people like him that these rules about discussing politics at school must exist. Was that a violation of his free speech? Or can you fire someone for being an idiot?

If the New York union wins its suit and we eventually are all allowed, as teachers, to impose our views on students (and on each other) at work, where will it end? Will students feel intimidated because they don't like your candidate? Will idiot teachers penalize students for having different views? I have one student who refuses to stand for the Pledge each day. He says it makes no sense to pledge a flag and that the people who died for his right to pledge the flag make no difference to him. He said, "People have been dying since the beginning of time." This makes my blood boil but I have to let it go. I cannot make him stand.

Where does it end?