Former Indiana school teacher Deborah Mayer alleges she was fired in 2003 for saying she “honked for peace” during a class discussion about the then-impending Iraq war. According to Education Week,
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit ruled
on Mayer’s case, stating that the First Amendment does not extend to primary or secondary teachers when “topics” or “viewpoints...depart from the curriculum adopted by the school system.” This week the U.S. Supreme Court denied her appeal.
Should teachers have the right to express their opinions in classroom discussions? Should freedom of speech for teachers be legislated? Where should we draw the line?
