Arizona Teacher Fired for Bumperstickers

[kpete]

Check out this 3-minute video http://www.azcentral.com/video/791245979001 from Phoenix's local NBC news affiliate, Channel 12. Ausburn was an English teacher at Imagine Prep High School in Surprise, a Phoenix suburb. By all accounts, she is a wonderful teacher, which you can sense from her passion and the fact her students are supporting her. As you see in the video, her Toyota Prius is plastered with progressive messages, but apparently the one that got her in trouble with the school's administration was:

*****Have You Drugged Your Kid Today?

According to a story on KPHO-TV, Ausburn said this particular sticker is

"... kind of a criticism of us tending to over-medicate hyperactive kids who might not need those medications."

I guess it's not appropriate to question Big Pharm and the barrage of TV commercials you see everyday suggesting that you "ask your doctor" if your child might need a pill because she seems a little down in the dumps that day. Hell, I guess it's not appropriate for a teacher to question war, to ask students to think about the assault on the planet, or to "be socially aware" -- the message of another sticker. As Ausburn says in the interview, she sees her job as teaching students to "think critically about issues."

http://www.mizozo.com/weird/02/2011/10/tarah-ausburn-english-teacher-fired-over-bumper-st....html
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/02/15/945103/-Arizona-Teacher-Fired-for-Bumperstickers

[snappyturtle]

1. Unbelievable! and it's not just kids! nt

[arbusto_baboso]

2. Is that even legal? It was opinon expressed on her PRIVATE FUCKING PROPERTY.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

3. If it was parked on school property or was in some way connected to the school

the school can claim jurisdiction or at least a interest in it.

For a while I posted controversial signs in the rear side glass of my car when my daughters were in school. Several times they were asked to take them down as being "unsuitable for school". No profanity or supporting of drugs and alcohol, but some where very pointed. They declined citing it was my car they were using for the day. The offended staff members never chose to press it with me.

[DaveJ]

4. The stickers are displayed on school property (sry, dupe)

I know, it's ridiculous. This teaches students that individual expression is less important than to remain silent and follow the rules. We see examples of this everywhere. I don't see why people want to continue on this nihilistic path.

[Bandit]

9. It is Public Property, the same as any State Office property

School is a function of Government and this is Government Censorship. It should be taken to court IMO.

[Sirveri]

5. Even if it was legal the proper response is to ask to scrape first, disciplinary action second.

But I guess talking to your employees is like... too hard or something...

[Gold Metal Flake]

6. Any excuse to purge a veteran teacher.

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. +1

[HuckleB]

11. That may be an issue, but she was only at the school for two months.

[HowHasItComeToThis]

8. THEM KIDS DON'T NEED TO LEARN NO ENGLISH

[mmonk]

10. As someone who has dealt with young people on both the LD

and autistic spectrum the last 20 years, I can understand the problem some have with such a sticker.

[Kevin Spidel]

12. No. She wasn't!

Do me a favor! Go to the website of the school and look at the staff admin. Look at the names! Then Google the names. See anything familiar? Yeah... that was a former national ACLU staffer whom I worked with in DC. This was NOT an issue of a simple bumper sticker. This is a school with progressive leadership.

Sometimes... people (on my own side) who need to believe in a conspiracy hurt the cause. People... this was more than just a bumper sticker.