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Whether or not one actually AGREES that educators should live in a fishbowl or be upheld to a higher standard than people who don't work intensively with youth, the fact remains that both are true, fair or not. It's just one of those things that goes with the territory, and if you choose to enter into that type of a profession, it's best to be aware of it, and either adhere to it or not...but if you choose not to adhere to it, it's more or less at your own risk.
If you go ahead and sign a contract that incorporates standards you don't agree with or have a philosophical problem with, that's also something you do of your own free will and with the knowledge that it could bite you in the ass. Don't like the terms of your contract/find them unfair? You don't have to work there.
Whether or not one actually AGREES that educators should live in a fishbowl or be upheld to a higher standard than people who don't work intensively with youth, the fact remains that both are true, fair or not. It's just one of those things that goes with the territory, and if you choose to enter into that type of a profession, it's best to be aware of it, and either adhere to it or not...but if you choose not to adhere to it, it's more or less at your own risk.
If you go ahead and sign a contract that incorporates standards you don't agree with or have a philosophical problem with, that's also something you do of your own free will and with the knowledge that it could bite you in the ass. Don't like the terms of your contract/find them unfair? You don't have to work there.
Exactly. We live in a capitalist society; the biggest and best statement that an individual can make is to boycott. If you don't like a product, don't buy it; if you don't like a profession or job, then don't work there. I think that it is very sad that a lot of people--especially teachers--do not realize how empowered they are. If you engage in a job or profession that offers substandard conditions and wages, then you accept them, and no matter how much you might complain about them, you are offering very little impetus for change if you continue to work in such an industry and accept such standards.
If you really want to make a statement, don't accept such crap. In fact, the reason why public school teachers' salaries were initially raised was not b/c of the teachers fighting from within the system but b/c there was such a horrible shortage that admin, etc. had to do something to lure teachers back. If more teachers stood up for themselves rather than accepted such horrible working conditions, the field of education would not offer such substandard and autocratic working conditions, and might just be forced to change.
There is more to this story than the original link provides. The teacher in question had her privacy filters set so only those on her friends list could see her page. The complaint was made anonymously.
Finally, she wasn't fired. She felt coerced to resign. I wonder if the charges would have held up before the school board, but somehow I don't think so. If she had held her ground the whole thing might not have escalated.
For the record, I think the entire thing is ridiculous.
The thing that bothers me about the concept of saying "don't like it? Don't work there," is that I don't think public schools should be in the business of deciding on morality issues for employees outside of work hours. If it was a private school then yes, that seems like a valid point. But as a member of the public and a parent of a future public school student, I find it highly disturbing that a school board or administration or any other body would make a judgement call on legal activities done on personal time outside of school or any school context. I'm not a teacher and can't make my opinions known by refusing to work at such a school; I am, however, a community member and a taxpayer, and I think the entire situation is outrageous.
I didn't realize she felt coerced into resigning. She should have held her ground.
Is this a Georgia thing? Here is another recent case. No charges were filed. The schools are looking for funding, meanwhile the administrators are wasting $$$ on court cases:
How many of you would defend this guy? Now remember what he was doing was on his on time and is LEGAL. This is NOT the only case on what this guy was doing..
And before you Yell But Smoking is bad for your health.....I know people that drank them selves into an early grave.
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