More Trickle-Down Effects On Civil Liberties & Labor Abuses
School Plans To Fire Newspaper Teacher
Indiana schools are now in the business of censorship by way of abusing the teachers and ignoring the fundamentals of a journalism curriculum.
Man, oh man! This stuff is hot on the agenda of the ultra-conservatives in this Red State located smack-dab in the middle of the Bible Belt that breeds the Christian Right and those politicians willing to serve their whims. Forget free speech issues, the civil liberties of students to express a view on a matter that is in the news on almost a daily basis, or even the idea of plain old-fashioned censorship... this stuff is straight out of Nazi Germany. How dare these students editorialize the issue of tolerating homosexuals in our society! How dare a teacher allow such a thing!
Is everyone reading the code words properly? What these administrators are really saying is that this journalism teacher allowed the students to voice an unpopular view using school resources and she had been warned--if not ordered--to keep these kids in line. Then, of course, the kids were astute enough to notice a trend of viewpoints offered by the school's upper echelon of administrators that did not necessarily paint a good picture of them, their entrenched ideology or the way they run roughshod over the faculty and students.
But isn't it the job of a journalist to take note of what doesn't seem quite right? Isn't it the job of a newspaper--even a school newspaper--to report and editorialize the issues manifesting in our society, including when they manifest in the school or the community surrounding the school? Isn't it the job of a journalism teacher to teach the independence of the press? Isn't it a part of any journalism curriculum to use the newspaper to explore issues, dilemmas and contrasting views?
What part of the student's editorial violated any standard of journalism? What part of the editorial violated the ethical principles of journalism? It appears that the only thing that was erroneous in this incident is the censorship and fascism that is being exercised by the school administrators.
Once again we see an entrenched strategy of blaming someone for the problem than genuinely taking a look at the issues and trying to work out a fair, just and workable solution. But what can we expect when the entire State of Indiana kowtows to the Christian Right... and what can we expect when we the people let them?
NO! Say it isn't so! An educational administrator and/or system trumping up charges as a response to the expression of an unpopular view? It could not happen in this day and age... Could it? And blaming a teacher for the views of students could not happen in a school that has standards and a fair curriculum, could it?
When I was in college I wrote for the college newspaper. Several of my courses in college addressed the issue of the First Amendment in terms of the press and media. Since then I have written for several local newspapers in the communities where I have lived. Additionally, I have served on community advisory boards for the Washington Post (via computer), a newspaper in Nashua, New Hampshire, and a newspaper published on the North Shore of Boston. In all of those experiences there were issues and questions about how the First Amendment affected the reporting of news and the production of editorial views. Even in the text of the First Amendment the matter of Freedom of the Press is directly addressed. Since I have certification as a teacher of Communications and Performing Arts from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, which includes journalism as a subject matter, I know that the study of the First Amendment and many of the court cases surrounding it are standard fare for every curriculum covering the media, journalism, editorials and more. Sullivan v. Times comes to mind immediately, but the list of cases deciding issues about freedom of the press--which is essentially journalism--is long and decisively a necessity when teaching, learning or practicing news reporting, editorial writing or publishing reviews.
Bovine excrement in extremis!
Unfortunately, most court cases involving student newspapers allow the school to rule on what can and cannot be included in a newspaper where the school supplies the resources for the students. The courts have essentially said that the school is the publisher and bears the ultimate responsibility for content. However, I believe those rulings are in error because they undermine the First Amendment Rights of the students. Of course, the students could meet independent of school, create an online space for publishing their news and views, and the school would have nothing to say about what is published as long as the students adhered to the ethics, standard and laws affecting journalism... But since the school doesn't believe that teaching such standards, ethics and LAWS, the students might not fare so well in this endeavor.
It seems to me that ordering students to resume publishing under these conditions doesn't say a lot for the manner in which the students are regarded by the educational administration... and it smacks of fascism... and perhaps it's also an indication of the quality of education being offered in that school system... Ooops! There goes the scholarship offers for those kids!
Instead of teaching these kids the difference between right and wrong, this incident will teach them about cognitive dissonance and the failure of our leaders to adhere to the standards embodied in our Constitution. Is it any wonder why we have so many people disenfranchised in our body politic? After all, we begin training them to be apathetic, disillusioned and disenfranchised in our schools.
Indiana schools are now in the business of censorship by way of abusing the teachers and ignoring the fundamentals of a journalism curriculum.
WOODBURN, Ind. -- A high school journalism teacher will fight administrators' efforts to fire her over a conflict that began when the student newspaper published an editorial advocating tolerance for homosexuals.
Man, oh man! This stuff is hot on the agenda of the ultra-conservatives in this Red State located smack-dab in the middle of the Bible Belt that breeds the Christian Right and those politicians willing to serve their whims. Forget free speech issues, the civil liberties of students to express a view on a matter that is in the news on almost a daily basis, or even the idea of plain old-fashioned censorship... this stuff is straight out of Nazi Germany. How dare these students editorialize the issue of tolerating homosexuals in our society! How dare a teacher allow such a thing!
Teacher Amy Sorrell received a letter Thursday saying that the East Allen County School Board would consider firing her for insubordination and other misconduct when it meets May 1.
The letter accused Sorrell of failing to follow directives from Woodlan Junior-Senior High School Principal Ed Yoder regarding the school newspaper, altering the newspaper class curriculum and engaging in a campaign to falsely portray the district and Yoder as intolerant.
"The journalism program at Woodlan Junior-Senior High School would be better served by replacing you with a teacher willing to work collaboratively with, not in conflict with, the building administrator in carrying out the prior review curriculum requirement for school-sponsored publications," the letter said.
Is everyone reading the code words properly? What these administrators are really saying is that this journalism teacher allowed the students to voice an unpopular view using school resources and she had been warned--if not ordered--to keep these kids in line. Then, of course, the kids were astute enough to notice a trend of viewpoints offered by the school's upper echelon of administrators that did not necessarily paint a good picture of them, their entrenched ideology or the way they run roughshod over the faculty and students.
But isn't it the job of a journalist to take note of what doesn't seem quite right? Isn't it the job of a newspaper--even a school newspaper--to report and editorialize the issues manifesting in our society, including when they manifest in the school or the community surrounding the school? Isn't it the job of a journalism teacher to teach the independence of the press? Isn't it a part of any journalism curriculum to use the newspaper to explore issues, dilemmas and contrasting views?
What part of the student's editorial violated any standard of journalism? What part of the editorial violated the ethical principles of journalism? It appears that the only thing that was erroneous in this incident is the censorship and fascism that is being exercised by the school administrators.
Sorrell, who was placed on paid suspension last week, will seek a public hearing before the School Board to discuss how she has been treated by district officials, said Jack Groch, an Indiana State Teachers Association representative.
Once again we see an entrenched strategy of blaming someone for the problem than genuinely taking a look at the issues and trying to work out a fair, just and workable solution. But what can we expect when the entire State of Indiana kowtows to the Christian Right... and what can we expect when we the people let them?
"I think the charges are trumped up," Groch said.
NO! Say it isn't so! An educational administrator and/or system trumping up charges as a response to the expression of an unpopular view? It could not happen in this day and age... Could it? And blaming a teacher for the views of students could not happen in a school that has standards and a fair curriculum, could it?
Sorrell said she has difficulty accepting the charge that she improperly had students study court cases regarding the First Amendment rather than produce a newspaper this month. "I just have a really hard time accepting that First Amendment cases are against the curriculum," she said.
When I was in college I wrote for the college newspaper. Several of my courses in college addressed the issue of the First Amendment in terms of the press and media. Since then I have written for several local newspapers in the communities where I have lived. Additionally, I have served on community advisory boards for the Washington Post (via computer), a newspaper in Nashua, New Hampshire, and a newspaper published on the North Shore of Boston. In all of those experiences there were issues and questions about how the First Amendment affected the reporting of news and the production of editorial views. Even in the text of the First Amendment the matter of Freedom of the Press is directly addressed. Since I have certification as a teacher of Communications and Performing Arts from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, which includes journalism as a subject matter, I know that the study of the First Amendment and many of the court cases surrounding it are standard fare for every curriculum covering the media, journalism, editorials and more. Sullivan v. Times comes to mind immediately, but the list of cases deciding issues about freedom of the press--which is essentially journalism--is long and decisively a necessity when teaching, learning or practicing news reporting, editorial writing or publishing reviews.
Officials in the school district east of Fort Wayne are confident in their decision, Assistant Superintendent Andy Melin said. "If the administrative team did not fully believe that this was the appropriate action, it would not be taken," he said.
Bovine excrement in extremis!
After the editorial ran in the Woodlan Tomahawk's Jan. 19 issue, school district officials told Sorrell and the newspaper's staff that the principal would need to approve all content before future issues were printed.
Unfortunately, most court cases involving student newspapers allow the school to rule on what can and cannot be included in a newspaper where the school supplies the resources for the students. The courts have essentially said that the school is the publisher and bears the ultimate responsibility for content. However, I believe those rulings are in error because they undermine the First Amendment Rights of the students. Of course, the students could meet independent of school, create an online space for publishing their news and views, and the school would have nothing to say about what is published as long as the students adhered to the ethics, standard and laws affecting journalism... But since the school doesn't believe that teaching such standards, ethics and LAWS, the students might not fare so well in this endeavor.
Some students quit the newspaper staff after Sorrell was suspended and Yoder told the class that it must resume publishing the school paper and print a district policy naming the principal as the publisher.
It seems to me that ordering students to resume publishing under these conditions doesn't say a lot for the manner in which the students are regarded by the educational administration... and it smacks of fascism... and perhaps it's also an indication of the quality of education being offered in that school system... Ooops! There goes the scholarship offers for those kids!
Sophomore Megan Chase, who wrote the editorial, said she expected many students and others to attend the School Board meeting in support of Sorrell. "It's not fair. She never did anything wrong," Chase said. "I didn't think they would actually do it."
Instead of teaching these kids the difference between right and wrong, this incident will teach them about cognitive dissonance and the failure of our leaders to adhere to the standards embodied in our Constitution. Is it any wonder why we have so many people disenfranchised in our body politic? After all, we begin training them to be apathetic, disillusioned and disenfranchised in our schools.
posted by Jim Downey at 11:47 PM
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