(C) Common Dreams
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OPINION | Open Letter to Seattle Public Schools: Reinstate Teacher Ian Golash Immediately [1]
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Date: 2024-10-30
Not only is Mr. Golash’s treatment bad for free speech, but it goes against Superintendent Chris Reykdal’s recent guidelines for responding to antisemitism and islamophobia. “To rise to the level of discriminatory harassment that is prohibited under state and federal law, the conduct must include something beyond the mere expression of views, words, symbols, or thoughts that some person finds offensive — it must also be considered sufficiently serious to deny or limit a student’s ability to participate in or benefit from the educational program.” From that statement, one would think educators will be given every benefit of the doubt when engaging in these conversations. Yet, the reality is the opposite for those who express abhorrence toward the current war on Gaza and now Lebanon. Across the state, educators, parents, and students are facing backlash and threats for supporting Palestine, such as last week when Superintendent Reykdal encouraged principals to crack down on student walkouts “to prevent antisemitic and discriminatory behavior.” Support for Palestinian people is not antisemitic, and cracking down on students’ First Amendment right to protest is teaching them entirely the wrong lesson.
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[1] Url:
https://southseattleemerald.org/voices/2024/10/30/opinion-open-letter-to-seattle-public-schools-reinstate-teacher-ian-golash-immediately
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