Hatch Act DC Teachers question

[Anonymous]

Dc Government employees are not allowed to wear political buttons, slogans, t shirts etc while working as part of the Federal Hatch Act.
Does anyone know if DCPS teachers are allowed to wear WTU buttons and slogans while teaching?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dc Government employees are not allowed to wear political buttons, slogans, t shirts etc while working as part of the Federal Hatch Act.
Does anyone know if DCPS teachers are allowed to wear WTU buttons and slogans while teaching?

Not sure. When I was taking a class at UDC last summer, the Obama hats/shirts/stickers/buttons were all over people and cubicles. I find it offensive to have these overt political displays (for whichever party...) in publicly funded facilities. I wish I had taken a picture. Not sure about WTU though. Why do you think it would be classified as political?

[Anonymous]

Who cares? Ever heard of freedom of speech.

[Anonymous]

I care because the wording on the buttons make my children ask why I wouldn't "support teachers and kids". I have specific concerns about the WTU contract due to some issues have been encountered at our school.
I do not believe that parts of the current contract is in the best interest of the children and so I feel like the buttons with the slogan "Best for teachers. Best for Children" is not an accurate/complete view, and I do not like my kids being forced to read this and being swayed--I personally would not want the teachers wearing political gear, pro choice gear, anti choice gear etc. (even if I did personally have the same view) It's not appropriate. Here is the info I found which I think sounds like the WTU slogans are fair game.
--------------------------
from hatch act q and a 2009 flyer:
Are federal or DC Government Employees permitted to wear clothing or buttons containing political
messages supporting candidates or causes during business hours?
Yes and no. Employees (and other office workers, such as contract workers) are barred
from wearing buttons relating to a political campaign, party, or candidate. However,
buttons containing views regarding policy issues are not barred by the Hatch Act (but
may be limited based on office dress codes or general rules regarding maintaining office
decorum).

Q. May employees wear partisan political buttons while on duty?
A. No, the Reform Amendments prohibit employees from engaging in any partisan political activity while on duty. Political activity has been defined as activity directed toward the success or failure of a political party, candidate for a partisan political office or a partisan political group. Employees are restricted from displaying partisan political posters and bumper stickers in their offices.

[Anonymous]

The public can't vote on the WTU contract, therefore I don't think the Hatch Act applies.

[Anonymous]

Any political proselytizing on the part of teachers toward children is misuse of authority. No, they can't vote, but it interferes with the their developing world views. Teachers are lousy about respecting this. During the elections, a lot of partisan displays were put on in DCPS schools. It was inappropriate, whether or not families agreed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who cares? Ever heard of freedom of speech.

I have; but it violates the Hatch Act when a public employee decorates government cubicle with political leanings. A similarly decorated professor may not send the right message of public-impartiality to students. Free speech on the politics when you clock out; or find a job that allows for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any political proselytizing on the part of teachers toward children is misuse of authority. No, they can't vote, but it interferes with the their developing world views. Teachers are lousy about respecting this. During the elections, a lot of partisan displays were put on in DCPS schools. It was inappropriate, whether or not families agreed.

I totally agree. I always ask my students to investigate alternate points of view when we touch on such topics and then to formulate their own point of view based upon research and critical thinking. I am not here to indoctrinate children, but to develop critical thinkers, and it appalls me when I hear fellow teachers doing so. And you are right--they constantly do.

-teacher

[Anonymous]

WTU is the teachers' collective-bargaining representative. It is not a political party or candidate. Although union issues are considered "politically" hot issues in the broader sense of the word, unions in the workplace are not political entities in the Hatch Act sense of the word. The Hatch Act is aimed at support of political parties or candidates and elected officials. An employee's expression of support for his or her own collective-bargaining representative in his or her own workplace has nothing at all to do with the Hatch Act. In fact, most employees are guaranteed, either by law or by union contract, the right to express their union sentiments, within reasonable bounds. Although I'm not an expert on unions in the education context, in most contexts, union buttons are considered acceptable activity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:WTU is the teachers' collective-bargaining representative. It is not a political party or candidate. Although union issues are considered "politically" hot issues in the broader sense of the word, unions in the workplace are not political entities in the Hatch Act sense of the word. The Hatch Act is aimed at support of political parties or candidates and elected officials. An employee's expression of support for his or her own collective-bargaining representative in his or her own workplace has nothing at all to do with the Hatch Act. In fact, most employees are guaranteed, either by law or by union contract, the right to express their union sentiments, within reasonable bounds. Although I'm not an expert on unions in the education context, in most contexts, union buttons are considered acceptable activity.

Same teacher as above--for all the easy teacher Union bashing that goes on in political talk, I would not consider working a day in DCPS without Union protections. Do you think the central bureaucracy steps in for teachers with shoes being thrown at their heads? I strongly encourage Unions to put children first as they work towards policy implementation, but DCPS is a scary place to work and the employer (the schools system itself) is part of the problem. The Union really does provide simple advocacy for basic teacher working conditions and protections that you no doubt consider quite normal at your workplace.

[Anonymous]

As Al Shanker (former head of the AFT) once said "the kids don’t pay union dues. NEA owes them nothing. They’re just the grist passing through the mill."

That should tell you all you need to know about the teacher's unions ulterior motives.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I totally agree. I always ask my students to investigate alternate points of view when we touch on such topics and then to formulate their own point of view based upon research and critical thinking. I am not here to indoctrinate children, but to develop critical thinkers, and it appalls me when I hear fellow teachers doing so. And you are right--they constantly do.

-teacher

So helpful to see posts from teacher's perspective. Hadn't really thought about the basic workplace conditions aspect.

Hope my kids get to be in a school with you pp.