Unbelievable. I'm anxious to hear from our constitution-loving friends who come from the left side of the spectrum. Can we join in being outraged by this together?

From Michael Graham's Blog <a href='http://www.wmal.com/showdj.asp?DJID=25410' target='_blank'>http://www.wmal.com/showdj.asp?DJID=25410</a>

WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2005

FAIRFAX COUNTY TELLS TEACHERS: "NO FAITH ALLOWED." Who is the only employer in the Washington, DC area dumb enough to deny its employees their first amendment freedoms? Why, the government schools, of course. When students asked a Lake Braddock High teacher to speak at an off-campus, PTA-organized baccalaureate service, they ran straight into the bureacracy of Fairfax County Public Schools. The school district sent out instructions to all high schools stating: "Principals and other staff members may not be speakers at a baccalaureate, regardless of whether it is held at the school or elsewhere." [emphasis added]

Many American students are familiar with baccalaureates and similiar graduation ceremonies. In my parent's era, they were sponsored and held by the public schools themselves. For obvious legal reasons, that tradition is largely dead--but extending that ban out to churches themselves is...well, I wish I'd paid more attention in AP English so I'd know some more words for "idiotic." How does Fairfax County defend a policy that restricts the off-campus, personal religious conduct of its employees? WHY would they, unless they have an irrational fear of faith?

The scariest part of this story is that the same school officials who are implementing this unconstitutional policy are in charge of teaching civics, American history and the Constitution to tens of thousands of children. YIKES!


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THURSDAY, MAY 19, 2005

FAIRFAX COUNTY SCHOOLS GOOSE-STEP ON THE FIRST AMENDMENT...AGAIN! After our reporting yesterday on Fairfax County Public Schools prohibiting teachers from speaking at off-campus baccalaureate services, I received angy emails from Fairfax schools employees denying everything and accusing me of libel. So I figured I was on the right track.

Then a listener sent me a copy of an email received from the Fairfax County School administration on the subject. Here are the key parts (once again, verbatim):

"Under the Constitution of the United States...Fairfax County Public Schools has an obligation to maintain separation between church and state. Because teachers and administrators are highly visible representatives of the school, their speaking at a baccalaureate service--which typically includes religious elements--can be misconstrued. The school division...is working on a case-by-case basis to find workable solutions that will allow teachers to speak as private citizens." [emphasis added].

So that's Fairfax County's idea of the First Amendment: Freedom of Religion...with government permission.

Sounds like somebody doesn't understand the First Amendment. And imagine that, they're teachers... :rolleyes: I'd like to see the specific situation that these people are reacting to. I can't believe this they are really that naive.

Fairfax County, VA is the most liberal place south of the Mason Dixon line, including Dade County. No surprise there.

georgia_tech_swagger Wrote:Fairfax County, VA is the most liberal place south of the Mason Dixon line, including Dade County. No surprise there.

Fairfax Co has it's problems, but it's not quite the worst that's south of the Mason-Dixon line.

Bourgeois_Rage Wrote:Sounds like somebody doesn't understand the First Amendment. And imagine that, they're teachers... :rolleyes: I'd like to see the specific situation that these people are reacting to. I can't believe this they are really that naive.

Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach.

We have a few parents down here that are sueing a school for holding there graduation in a church, talk about nitpicking morons. Thank god they still give out condoms however, looks like blah might need a few. :D

blah Wrote:Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach.

And those who can't teach, teach phys-ed.

It's not just Fairfax County stepping on people's toes & the First Amendment.

<a href='http://www.ajc.com/news/content/metro/cobb/0505/19pebblebrook.html' target='_blank'>Final edition of Pebblebrook High School newspaper yanked by principal - Cobb County, GA</a>

Quote:The school's principal killed this year's fourth and final edition of BrookSpeak recently, and the journalism class in which student reporters were taught the trade was eliminated for 2005-06.

Those actions came amid a debate over the paper's content among the student editorial staff, the paper's adviser, and administrators including Randolph Bynum, principal of the Cobb County school.

Bynum cut the journalism class, citing a teacher shortage and the need to keep more popular courses like cosmetology. But he also criticized the paper for highlighting negative stories at the expense of articles more favorable to the school's image, and for a lack of thoroughness in its reporting of stories on teen pregnancy and vandalism in the school parking lot.

The co-editor pictured with the article is a very bright & talented girl from my church.


Co-editor Rebekah Martin, who will attend the University of Georgia this fall, says the controversy at Pebblebrook High School has led her to consider switching her major in college.

Quote:"Right now, I'm pre-business," she said. "But after this, I might change to journalism."

Lucy Wrote:It's not just Fairfax County stepping on people's toes & the First Amendment.

<a href='http://www.ajc.com/news/content/metro/cobb/0505/19pebblebrook.html' target='_blank'>Final edition of Pebblebrook High School newspaper yanked by principal - Cobb County, GA</a>

The co-editor pictured with the article is a very bright & talented girl from my church.

Can you copy and paste the article. You have to join to read your link.....

Thanks....

blah: http://www.bugmenot.com will provide you with an id & password for the AJC (and any other publication you need a subscription for). Cutting & pasting entire articles is a copyright violation.

Lucy Wrote:It's not just Fairfax County stepping on people's toes & the First Amendment.

<a href='http://www.ajc.com/news/content/metro/cobb/0505/19pebblebrook.html' target='_blank'>Final edition of Pebblebrook High School newspaper yanked by principal - Cobb County, GA</a>

Sorry Lucy, but I don't see the connection.

The school is not forbidding these folks to publish a paper on their own time and dime.

The school has its own interests to look out for, and is not obligated to support a paper whose interests differ from its own.

Calling this a First Ammendment violation obfuscates the real issue, distorts true violations and adds confusion to the issue. That the news media report it as such is simply a testimony to the fact that they use their tools as a bully-pulpit for their own interests.

The principal wants a Pollyanna-approach to the newspaper...all happy & pretty & vanilla. The staff reported real news & the principal wasn't happy. The fact is that the article about the teens balancing school & pregnancy/motherhood was a positive one (I mean how many kids drop out instead of continuing in school), but the principal didn't like them pointing out that there were students in this situation at his school. :rolleyes:

There isn't another school in the county that has a school newspaper as purely an extracurricular activity. And without allowing the students to learn about journalism in a class, how can they put out a product that is worthy of the paper on which it is printed?

As far as baccalaureate services, I'm surprised that they are still "allowed", considering how politically correct school systems seem to act.

Since this is about the 1st Amendment, and not just about religion:

Quote:A Wells College senior, who labels herself "the most high-profile conservative student" on campus, claims her political views got her suspended just three weeks before she was to graduate.

<a href='http://www.auburnpub.com/articles/2005/05/14/news/news04.txt' target='_blank'>Student claims liberal bias resulted in suspension</a>

Lucy Wrote:The principal wants a Pollyanna-approach to the newspaper...all happy & pretty & vanilla. The staff reported real news & the principal wasn't happy. The fact is that the article about the teens balancing school & pregnancy/motherhood was a positive one (I mean how many kids drop out instead of continuing in school), but the principal didn't like them pointing out that there were students in this situation at his school. :rolleyes:

That still doesn't make it a 1st ammendment issue.

Quote:There isn't another school in the county that has a school newspaper as purely an extracurricular activity.&nbsp; And without allowing the students to learn about journalism in a class, how can they put out a product that is worthy of the paper on which it is printed?

They aren't putting out anything worthy anyway. So what's the difference? Nevertheless, I didn't know there was a mandate for journalism classes mentioned in the Constitution.

Quote:As far as baccalaureate services, I'm surprised that they are still "allowed", considering how politically correct school systems seem to act.

Obviously they're not, at least not government school sponsored baccalaureate services. Which is what the original article is about: not letting teachers participate (and speak freely) in private services. That in fact, IS a First Ammendment issue.

RebelKev Wrote:Since this is about the 1st Amendment, and not just about religion:

Quote:A Wells College senior, who labels herself "the most high-profile conservative student" on campus, claims her political views got her suspended just three weeks before she was to graduate.

<a href='http://www.auburnpub.com/articles/2005/05/14/news/news04.txt' target='_blank'>Student claims liberal bias resulted in suspension</a>

Way too many details missing from that article. However, I do believe that a pro-feminist student would likely have been allowed to receive "incompletes".

Quote:They aren't putting out anything worthy anyway.

Excuse me. I didn't realize you were on the mailing list for that paper... :rolleyes:

Quote:Which is what the original article is about: not letting teachers participate (and speak freely) in private services. That in fact, IS a First Ammendment issue.

Most teachers are under contract to their school system. That gives the school system certain rights to restrict the behavior of its contractual employees, and might restrict the behavior of a teacher AS A REPRESENTATIVE of the school system. I'm not saying I agree with the policy, but it is something to consider. Has the school considered having the teacher speak at the graduation ceremony instead?

Lucy Wrote:The principal wants a Pollyanna-approach to the newspaper...all happy & pretty & vanilla. The staff reported real news & the principal wasn't happy. The fact is that the article about the teens balancing school & pregnancy/motherhood was a positive one (I mean how many kids drop out instead of continuing in school), but the principal didn't like them pointing out that there were students in this situation at his school. :rolleyes:

There isn't another school in the county that has a school newspaper as purely an extracurricular activity. And without allowing the students to learn about journalism in a class, how can they put out a product that is worthy of the paper on which it is printed?

As far as baccalaureate services, I'm surprised that they are still "allowed", considering how politically correct school systems seem to act.

Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier (1988)
Removal by a principal of articles from a school newspaper produced as part of a journalism class is “reasonably related to legitimate pedagogical concerns.