From Hawaii comes word of a situation involving freedom of speech in a taxpayer-funded classroom.
The incident happened during a mandated lesson about the U.S. Constitution on Constitution Day. The teacher asked her students about the rights that are protected under the First Amendment. Someone mentioned freedom of speech. And another student pointed out that Charlie Kirk had been killed for his speech. The conversation happened a few days after Charlie’s assassination.
The teacher saw this as an opportunity to explore other Americans who were killed for their speech. Students identified Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy and Abraham Lincoln.
At one point a student said that someone tried to kill President Trump for his beliefs. Another student chimed in that it would not have been so bad if Trump had been killed.
The teacher corrected the student and told the class that calls for death are not protected speech and that violence is never an acceptable response to disagreement.
Later in the day- the teacher was told by administrators to shut down any controversial issues. No more discussions. And if she did so again – she could lose her job.
The teacher was slapped with a “Summary of Conference” memo stating that “if controversial issues arise spontaneously without administration approval and parent notification, discussion must be put to a stop immediately. Failure to comply with the above directives may result in disciplinary action.”
American Center for Law and Justice is now representing the teacher.
“What makes this case particularly egregious is the context – and the chilling message it sends to teachers and students across America,” ACLJ said in a statement. “This teacher was punished for allowing her students to briefly discuss the tragic assassination of Kirk – a young conservative voice who was killed for exercising his First Amendment rights. If there was ever a moment that demanded we teach our children about the vital importance of free speech and the dangers of political violence, this was it.”
Todd Starnes is an award-winning journalist, best-selling author, and host of The Todd Starnes Radio Show.
