ACLU Defends Teacher Suspended for Facebook Gun Photo

[RamboLiberal]

MILWAUKEE (WKOW) - The ACLU of Wisconsin is defending a Beaver Dam teacher who was put on administrative leave after she posted a questionable photo on her Facebook page.

From the ACLU of Wisconsin:

ACLU of Wisconsin: School should allow teacher to pose with rifle on Facebook

A Beaver Dam Middle School teacher, Betsy Ramsdale, should not have been put on administrative leave simply because of a photo on Facebook showing her training a rifle at the camera. While school safety is of paramount importance, public school teachers do not lose their right to free expression when they are not working.

The context of the photo, the whole Facebook page, is important to understand before taking action against a teacher, who happens to be a gun enthusiast. Media accounts of the photo do not indicate any additional grounds for concern. Beaver Dam School District superintendent Donald Childs is reported to be unaware of any sinister intent.

"Absent any evidence that the teacher poses a threat, the district should not over-react to the sight of a gun in one of their employee's hands," said Chris Ahmuty, Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin today.

http://www.wkowtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=9802250&nav=menu1362_2

Huh - according to RW'ers the ACLU is some damn Liberul Commie bunch who would never defend a gun toter! :sarcasm:

BTW, here's the original DU GD thread on the original story. http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=4993846

[EFerrari]

1. I'm glad she's got ACLU help and still think she made a mistake

and should have known better than post that pix.

[Taverner]

2. Someone needs to remind the folks who are in the GOP for gun rights about this

The ACLU protects all of us

And yes, I think that teacher was perfectly in her right to do so

[RamboLiberal]

4. I agree on both counts

RW'ers love to forget the ACLU takes on all kinds of cases where rights are violated.

[Ian David]

10. The ACLU even defended Limbaugh's right to keep his medical records private. n/t

[slackmaster]

18. That was the ACLU of Florida

Not the national ACLU.

[slackmaster]

3. There is no way the national ACLU would have taken the case

Mileage from regional ACLU chapters varies.

[derby378]

6. Still, thank God for small victories...

Someone on the state level of the ACLU gets it.

[Tesha]

14. And you know this how?

Freedom of Speech is one the ACLU's main causes, both for
ACLU National and for local affiliates.

Tesha

[slackmaster]

17. Yes, but their official position on gun ownership is the old "collective rights" view

I'd be very surprised if they accepted the case, even though as you say it is a First Amendment issue.

[Tesha]

19. I disagree; I believe ACLU national would have accepted this case as well.

Of course, we're both speculating, but at least I
occasionally speak with some members of ACLU
National's board of directors. ;)

Tesha

[angrycarpenter]

5. Look who else they defended.

http://www.aclu.org/privacy/medical/14969prs20040112.html

[slackmaster]

8. That's a different ACLU chapter

Florida.

[ZombieHorde]

7. I hope the teacher wins, teachers should have the same rights as the rest of us. nt

[4lbs]

9. The ACLU is concerned with upholding and defending the Constitution, especially the Bill of Rights.

All of them.

Thus, it should be no surprise to anyone. It's not to me.

While I think the teacher should have exercised a little more common sense judgment, I don't think she should have been suspended because of it.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

11. Well not exactly all of them.

[Tesha]

15. There's no need for the ACLU to defend the 2nd Amendment.

As you well know, there's are multiple organizations whose
sole purpose is defending that right.

Tesha

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

20. I didn't say there was, just pointing out that they don't.

[NeedleCast]

12. Good

[ferrous wheel]

13. Good. Time to renew my ACLU membership anyway, thanks for the reminder.

:D

It's weird, I saw a few people posting here the other day who were horrified because she threatened a camera. :silly:

[rpannier]

16. Good for the ACLU

The hysteric response by the district is disturbing