Superintendent warns against 'inappropriate comments'

[Peikko 1,575]

I still thought we weren't free to say such things on this site too, which took me by surprise. Anyway, what's a cracker when it's at home. In the U.K that would be a compliment

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I still thought we weren't free to say such things on this site too, which took me by surprise. Anyway, what's a cracker when it's at home. In the U.K that would be a compliment

The singular form of the n-word is blocked out but the plural form is not. vj's word censor needs work

[jundp 191]

I don't think this is out of line. Every school I've ever worked for has had a similar policy, including the university. Free speech is one thing and when in the context of criticism about administrative or presidential duties and when done in a respectful manner it is tolerated. What isn't tolerated is racial, religious, sexual slurs. Why would you WANT to send your kids to a school that allowed that?

In the same vein, most schools have a policy requiring teachers to be unbiased about political matters such as this, and for the most part, they are -- at least in my professional experience.

[justashooter 430]

As for freedom of speech? Well, some things are not tolerated regardless of free speech - we are not free for example to call people niggers or wogs.

Actually, we are free to say that.

Obviously not in school, but there's no law that stops me from walking up to someone calling them either of those (or other) terms.

That more people don't do so is not because it's illegal, but because racism has become culturally unacceptable. Justifiably so.

both words can be used anywhere you haven't given up your rights in the interest of a group. in schools, childrens rights are restricted in the interest of the school. where i work, my rights are restricted in the interest of my employer.

WOG is "with out God". it is not a derogatory term taken literally, rather in colloquial context, which most people today wouldn't understand, any more than they would understand the origin of the word *** and the cultural context in which it was originated.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

So a school enforces a code of expected behavior.

So what?

[HAL 9000 96]

So a school enforces a code of expected behavior.

So what?

When I taught I remember one teacher not getting his contract renewed because he said #### Bush in front of a Republican administrator. Certainly, that's evil liberal behavior again.

In the meantime, upon tomorrow's start I suppose some morons will intensify their bitter-fueled stupidity. My instinct is to let it go and ignore it due to the nature of their bitterness, but of course if it violates established norms of location (schools, public establishments, websites, etc) then these same idiots should also have consequences to face and quite b!tching about it like they're now some kind of new breed of victim.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Who knows. Half these threads are just lame attempts at baiting people and dividing them along ideological lines.

Just nuts.

[Peikko 1,575]

As for freedom of speech? Well, some things are not tolerated regardless of free speech - we are not free for example to call people niggers or wogs.

Actually, we are free to say that.

Obviously not in school, but there's no law that stops me from walking up to someone calling them either of those (or other) terms.

That more people don't do so is not because it's illegal, but because racism has become culturally unacceptable. Justifiably so.

both words can be used anywhere you haven't given up your rights in the interest of a group. in schools, childrens rights are restricted in the interest of the school. where i work, my rights are restricted in the interest of my employer.

WOG is "with out God". it is not a derogatory term taken literally, rather in colloquial context, which most people today wouldn't understand, any more than they would understand the origin of the word *** and the cultural context in which it was originated.

Riiiiight. You did go to school didn't you?

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Warren County Commissioner Dave Young, who has three children in the school district, said he questions an "inappropriate comments" policy based on what makes someone feel "unwelcome or uncomfortable."

"It's not 'We're discouraging you from saying those (comments)' it's 'It won't be tolerated,' " Young said. "That's a very dangerous precedent."

I agree. What a short-sighted policy and one that should be challenged in court. IMO, it's an infringement on the constitutional right to free speech.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

As for freedom of speech? Well, some things are not tolerated regardless of free speech - we are not free for example to call people niggers or wogs.

Actually, we are free to say that.

Obviously not in school, but there's no law that stops me from walking up to someone calling them either of those (or other) terms.

That more people don't do so is not because it's illegal, but because racism has become culturally unacceptable. Justifiably so.

both words can be used anywhere you haven't given up your rights in the interest of a group. in schools, childrens rights are restricted in the interest of the school. where i work, my rights are restricted in the interest of my employer.

WOG is "with out God". it is not a derogatory term taken literally, rather in colloquial context, which most people today wouldn't understand, any more than they would understand the origin of the word *** and the cultural context in which it was originated.

Riiiiight. You did go to school didn't you?

Wog isn't something I had ever heard of until wog boy on VJ. I doubt it's that commonly used in the US.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Wog is a variant of n*gger, referring to people from the West Indies.

[Ling Ling 22]

I don't think this is out of line. Every school I've ever worked for has had a similar policy, including the university. Free speech is one thing and when in the context of criticism about administrative or presidential duties and when done in a respectful manner it is tolerated. What isn't tolerated is racial, religious, sexual slurs. Why would you WANT to send your kids to a school that allowed that?

In the same vein, most schools have a policy requiring teachers to be unbiased about political matters such as this, and for the most part, they are -- at least in my professional experience.

This response is spot on. The school has not created a new law that interferes with free speech, it has simply taken the same position that any reasonable court of law would, to wit one person's right does not allow them to interfere with the rights of another.

The article nor the policy were about "anti-Obama" comments. In the article, it clearly states that disparaging comments about President Bush would not be tolerated either.

The original title of the article was "Superintendent warns against 'inappropriate comments'". The title given by the OP is clearly bating.

A message to all the closet racists who keep telling themselves and others, that it's not about the color of Obama's skin. You don't have to get over it...you have a freedom to be the kind of white trash that you were brought up to be. You have the right to be as ignorant as you want to be. You have the right to fear and hate people who aren't like you. Too bad you don't have the guts to admit it.

[Mags 112]

Wog is a variant of n*gger, referring to people from the West Indies.

Actually, it comes from Golliwog - a black faced doll that was common in the 1920/30s and onwards. Now frowned upon and, ironically, worth a fortune if you have one.

It is an outmoded, racially derogatory term used, mainly, in the UK etc.

Topic title has been changed - it is now more in line with the original intent of the article posted.

Edited January 19, 2009 by Magenta

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Wog is a variant of n*gger, referring to people from the West Indies.

Actually, it comes from Golliwog - a black faced doll that was common in the 1920/30s and onwards. Now frowned upon and, ironically, worth a fortune if you have one.

It is an outmoded, racially derogatory term used, mainly, in the UK etc.

Topic title has been changed - it is now more in line with the original intent of the article posted.

Yeah I had a Golliwog when I was a kid, and I also think there was a Golly character in old Rupert annuals my mum used to collect.

It used to be used as an insult aimed at Jamaican immigrants during the post reconstruction during 1950s, in much the same way that "wetback" is used in regard to hispanic illegals in the US. At least in the South East, the vast majority of black Brits were of Caribbean ancestry (a strange irony perhaps as the UK (and France, Spain etc) originally enslaved them in Africa and transported them to places like Jamaica and Barbados for use as slave labour during the 16th and 17th centuries).

[Old Dominion 26]

Not tolerated is the key, no?

Your statement, which I responded to, was about it being illegal in general.

I agree it's not tolerated and shouldn't be. I also agree that schools and private companies can have their own 'codes of conduct' and can enforce them.

Let's just recognize that historically, racism is an ugly part of America's history and our public schools must work harder in some places, like Dayton, to make clear how ugly it is.