Teacher criticizes Trump

[Anonymous]

Is it unprofessional for a teacher to let students know her political views? Particularly, is it unethical for a teacher to criticize Trump when a student in the class is open about admiring Trump?

[Anonymous]

In our district we are supposed to keep our personal opinions out of the classroom. I have strong political beliefs, but my students have no clue what they are. (Trust me: that’s hard.)

I think it’s unprofessional. But is it something to be written up for? Probably not.

- teacher

[Anonymous]

Of course it’s unprofessional and unethical. How is that even a question?

[Anonymous]

Is this in Virginia? Report the teacher to Youngkin’s “suspected communist and otherwise undesirable” phone line for snitching on teachers. It’s the new normal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is this in Virginia? Report the teacher to Youngkin’s “suspected communist and otherwise undesirable” phone line for snitching on teachers. It’s the new normal.

Great idea! Do you have the number?

[Anonymous]

This is silly. It's unprofessional for a teacher to devote significant class time to their (or any student's) political views, but it's fine if students know what those views are. It's no different than knowing your teacher is vegetarian.

It's also fine to correct factual misstatements students make in the classroom. Which is relevant because stating facts is increasingly being framed as political.

[Anonymous]

I have had 5th graders ask me outright if I like Trump. I’ll say simply: No, I don’t. I didn’t vote for him. They press and ask why and I’ll say “I am not allowed to answer that.”

[Anonymous]

It is certainly unprofessional. I wonder if the teacher criticizes their principal with such ease? I haven’t asked my own young adult children who they voted for. If I was a teacher, I would have said, “I’s personal.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it unprofessional for a teacher to let students know her political views? Particularly, is it unethical for a teacher to criticize Trump when a student in the class is open about admiring Trump?

If you are old enough to spout off about politics in class, you are old enough to find out people disagree with you. Learning to handle disagreement is part of growing up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it unprofessional for a teacher to let students know her political views? Particularly, is it unethical for a teacher to criticize Trump when a student in the class is open about admiring Trump?

If you are old enough to spout off about politics in class, you are old enough to find out people disagree with you. Learning to handle disagreement is part of growing up.

Kind of? In K for the first go-round, a kid told my kid that "Hillary Clinton kills babies". She was not old enough to spout off. She was repeating what she heard at home. I'm hoping if the teacher heard that she would redirect (not much else to do there!) 😭🤣

[Anonymous]

Just leave the poor teacher alone. It is a hard enough job without every parent sticking their oar in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it unprofessional for a teacher to let students know her political views? Particularly, is it unethical for a teacher to criticize Trump when a student in the class is open about admiring Trump?

On the contrary. It sounds like a child in desperate need of correction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Of course it’s unprofessional and unethical. How is that even a question?

How is it either of those things?

They are a TEACHER. They are SUPPOSED to teach children these things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just leave the poor teacher alone. It is a hard enough job without every parent sticking their oar in.

100%. Somewhere along the line parents have gotten this strange idea that they should control what happens in the classroom.

[Anonymous]

What class and age? Once I was in high school, I always knew the political beliefs of every social studies teacher I had growing up. It was a normal part of the discussion. It's not unethical for teachers to have and express opinions.