Are Teacher's Antigay Comments on Facebook Private? (It wasn't out of hatred, he claims...)

[WillParkinson]

Are Teacher's Antigay Comments on Facebook Private?
By Lucas Grindley

A high school's "teacher of the year" has been suspended while a Florida school board investigates antigay comments he made on Facebook.

"It wasn't out of hatred," said social studies teacher Jerry Buell of the Facebook posts during an interview with the Orlando Sentinel. "It was about the way I interpret things."

Buell's interpretation of marriage equality in New York left him having to "almost throw up." Same-sex marriages, he said, were a "cesspool."

The Sentinel reports that critics are concerned the Mount Dora High School teacher has made gay students feel unwelcome in his classroom. But others argue his comments were private, never intended for public consumption.

http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2011/08/18/Are_Teachers_Antigay_Comments_on_Facebook_Private/

[Ian David]

1. If he identifies himself as a representative of the school on Facebook, the school is in the right.

[Hepburn]

3. Totally agree.

If he had used a nick and made no reference and/or association with the school, that is one thing. But id'ing himself and where he works, IMO, that makes him for all practical purposes a rep of the school. While all gay bashing is wrong, some of it is worse than the rest of it. Everyone is entitled to have any opinion and to discuss it privately with others ~~ but using and announcing an adverse opinion against a general group in the minority when it could and does harm to children....ummmmmmmm....no way.

JMHO

[bullwinkle428]

2. How the fuck can anything you post on Facebook possibly

be construed as "private" in any way?

[William769]

5. BINGO!

:thumbsup:

[xfundy]

4. Of course it isn't hate!

It's Christian Love™!

"Branding" is all the rage among publicans. This is no exception.

[ATLdemocrat]

6. He needs a boot up his ass

I say that not out of hate, it's just how I interpret things.

[beyurslf]

7. Is he friends with his students on FB? I work with teens in foster care,

and I never friend them on FB. If they send me a request, I let them know I have to decline such requests. FB is my private life and not for the consumption of the kids I work with.

(Just like I would not reveal to one them what my name is on this website, since my politics in not for them to discuss.)