|
THUMBS DOWN:
STIFLING SPEECH: Jan Hall may be guilty of political incorrectness, but behavior by the Orange County School District and others is far worse.
The veteran teacher wrote personal letters to Florida's congressional members urging them to support a moratorium on immigration "until we get this economy and the schools back on their feet." The next thing she knew, her correspondence turns up in a Spanish-language newspaper and the Orlando Sentinel — whereupon the school district summarily suspended her without pay.
Hall, 59, has since gone on radio shows to plead her innocence (naivete?) and is seeking $20 million from the district, alleging violation of her civil rights, defamation and wrongful termination.
While $20 million may seem a bit over the top, it's hard to overestimate the value of free expression. Orange County School Superintendent Ron Blocker's contention that Hall's statements "could be considered discriminatory" speaks poorly of his grasp of civics.
|
