Teachers in Xenia and Miamisburg have found that out the hard way. Those school districts have suspended a total of four teachers for posting their views about the assassination of Charlie Kirk on social media.
The right has harped on left-leaning student indoctrination and censorship for years, including in Ohio which passed the imprudent Senate Bill 1. The right points to teachers who write ill-advised comments as proof of the education system’s left-wing ideology.
The right has framed the issue so well that it has the buy-in to crush programs it doesn’t like and make nonsensical proclamations about silencing conservative voices on campus.
The real issue, and it’s one that most Americans can get behind, is trust.
Teachers who publicly preach their views lose the trust of administrators who will wonder whether they can fairly represent all of the school district’s parents and children, and not just some.
These teachers lose the trust of students who might shy away from expressing a different view for fear of being ostracized.
They lose the trust of communities who wonder why they should support schools with their tax dollars if these educators so brazenly scoff at how they think and what they support.
The talk of indoctrination divides. We all want an education system that treats everyone the same. That’s a message that unites.
I taught at the university level for a decade. While it’s true that most of the colleagues I associated with were more liberal, they didn’t let their views affect how they taught their classes. Despite what you’ll hear in some quarters, they encouraged all views.
I’m not suggesting that all teachers succeed at keeping their thoughts private. Of course they don’t. Just look at what’s happened locally.
But the vast majority of educators understand you shouldn’t take to social media with how you feel. They understand you can express yourself away from school in social circles that either agree with what you think or are willing to rationally debate your point of view.
I would have a bigger problem if someone reported a comment overheard in a private setting and used that to get someone suspended or fired. We should all expect privacy, and America shouldn’t become a dictatorship that actively monitors what its citizens say.
But posting on social media requires action and purpose. You have to reach for your electronic device, type the words, read them for typos, think, “Everyone wants to know what’s on my mind,” and hit post.
I don’t believe in cancel culture. I didn’t like it when Democrats used George Floyd’s death to get people fired, and I don’t like it now that Republicans are using the same playbook.
In the heat of emotion, I believe people say or do dumb things. Lord knows I have, as has everyone else (unless you’re a perfect human, and I haven’t met one yet). When that happens, I believe looking closely at the words and actions before making a rash judgment on what comes next — forgiveness or condemnation.
The school districts will decide how to proceed. Whatever the outcome, the issue of trust will be paramount. It’s an issue often overlooked as both sides fight for political points via retribution.
Ray Marcano’s column appears on these pages each Sunday.
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