[Vision2020] Luna Cautions Teachers About Political Activities

[Sue Hovey]

Roger, et al,  This sounds so simple:  be political only after hours.  But a 
good teacher, regardless of subject brings herself into her teaching; her 
thoughts, her motives, her political ideology.  And kids are not simple; 
they recognize, and do not necessarily commit to, her ideology.  How could I 
not teach slavery was an evil institution or not teach that women are 
entitled to full and equal rights as citizens of this nation? Or that, from 
my perspective the Constitution is a living document, capable of meeting the 
needs of a changing culture.   In any classroom discussion of current events 
anything that happens is by nature, germane.  I was lucky as a high school 
social studies teacher in Moscow.  I was the recognized Democrat, Bob Weisel 
the recognized Republican.  When we had kids working for credit during the 
election seasons he worked with the students who wanted to help the 
Republicans and I with those who sided with the Dems.  What both he and I 
wanted was for all our students to recognize the importance of being 
politically involved.  We tried to make it easy for them to do so, but the 
choice was theirs.  There was a time when I thought ethical teachers had to 
be neutral in class.  I tried so diligently that one of my students came in 
to thank me personally for supporting Steve Symms.  I then decided I had 
carried neutrality much too far.

Tom Luna is simply trying to intimidate teachers.  That was the intent of 
the 3 laws.  Not only do they penalize good teachers, they place a terrible 
burden on administrators and school district trustees--and small districts 
are significantly at risk of losing good veteran teachers.  With the loss of 
state funding for salaries, districts are going to have to search for ways 
to keep teachers in every classroom.  As seniority can no longer be a 
criterion and with the other criteria much less specific, districts may 
decide to release one, more highly paid teacher to get two for less money. 
That's what Luna's bills are all about--getting teachers on the cheap, and 
rewarding his hardware and software contractors as well as legislators who 
pushed through his bills.

  Those of us who are working to carry petitions are doing so out of class 
(well I'm retired, so it's easy,) and through our personal email addresses. 
IEA officers have been adamant--do not use your school email.  What does 
happen is if a parent is interested in signing a petition, the only email 
they probably have access to is the teacher's school email.  In a reply 
teachers always refer them to their personal emails, but the original 
message from the parents comes through the only address they have.

I have sent  response to the Trib and the DN hoping it will get printed 
soon.  It's another take on all this, but believe me, every time I reread 
the laws, I find a new issue.

There isn't much more time left to get these petitions signed.  Please if 
you haven't done so, consider it and call me.  I will come to your house to 
get your signature, if you need for me to do that.   882-3380 
208-301-2208 or just reply to this by email.

Think about it:  You cannot put our students first, if you put their 
teachers last......

Sue Hovey

-----Original Message----- 
From: lfalen
Sent: Tuesday, May 17, 2011 10:50 AM
To: Tom Hansen ; Moscow Vision 2020
Cc: Penni Cyr
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Luna Cautions Teachers About Political Activities

Teachers have the right to engage in any political activity that the choose 
off duty. The classroom is a different matter. There they should not espouse 
any view( political, religious or otherwise) that is not germane to the 
subject matter at hand.
Roger
-----Original message-----
From: "Tom Hansen" thansen at moscow.com
Date: Mon, 16 May 2011 14:29:25 -0700
To: "Moscow Vision 2020" vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: [Vision2020] Luna Cautions Teachers About Political Activities

> Courtesy of the Moscow-Pullman Daily News.
>
> -------------------------------------------------------
>
> Luna cautions teachers about political activities
>
> BOISE - Teachers are being warned they could lose their certification if
> they participate in efforts to recall Idaho Superintendent of Public
> Instruction Tom Luna, repeal his new education reforms or engage in other
> political activities on school grounds.
>
> In a memo Friday, Luna said his office had received numerous inquiries and
> reports of teachers using their school email to coordinate political
> activities: proselytizing to students in the classroom and using pupils as
> couriers for political materials.
>
> In a note to school superintendents and charter school administrators,
> Luna cautioned that these types of political activities were ethical
> violations punishable by a letter of reprimand, or suspension or
> revocation of a teacher's certification. He also warned that educators who
> are aware of such political activities and fail to report them face
> similar consequences.
>
> "Those whose certificates are suspended or revoked can no longer be
> employed by an Idaho public school," said Luna, who has been targeted in
> recent months by education activists who are seeking his ouster over a
> package of new education reforms.
>
> The sweeping changes phase out tenure for teachers, limit collective
> bargaining and shifts money from salaries for technology upgrades in the
> classrooms such as laptops for high school teachers and students. The
> three-part plan was signed into law earlier this year and has landed in
> the crosshairs of a referendum campaign.
>
> -------------------------------------------------------
>
> Seeya round town, Moscow.
>
> Tom Hansen
> Moscow, Idaho
>
> "The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to
> changeand the Realist adjusts his sails."
>
>  - Unknown
>
>
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=======================================================
List services made available by First Step Internet,
serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
               http://www.fsr.net
          mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
=======================================================