Teacher Fired For Being Republican?

I've heard of stranger things. The Education Wonks have a story about a Republican teacher who claims she was fired, in part, because she had a picture of President Bush on her wall, amongst pictures of other presidents. Interestingly enough, the principal is the wife of a local Democrat Assemblyman.

The Education Wonks bring up some very interesting points about the teacher's proven teaching ability, or lack of documentation thereof. I hope they follow this story through to its conclusion.

During the year I have two pictures of President Bush hanging over my desk. I also have a picture of me standing in front of the White House giving two thumbs-up. No, I never had a picture of President Clinton over my desk. But that's no reason to say I can't have a picture of the current president in my classroom if I so desire. When I was growing up, every classroom had a picture of Presidents Washington and Lincoln, sometimes one of President Jefferson, and often one of the current president at the time. We've lost something, given that in 8 years of teaching as well as visiting my own son's classrooms I've not seen such pictures except in a few history classes.

I also have banners from West Point (my alma mater) and the Air Force Academy (where I spent a semester and currently have a former student attending) hanging on the walls. I keep a picture of me and my son on my desk. I think this coming year I'll have my cardboard Master Yoda cutout as a teacher's aide.

Oh yeah, I have lots of educational stuff on the walls, too, including my section of "math in the comics". I guess my point here is my classroom reflects a lot of what's important to me but doesn't force any particular view on my students. It would be an interesting fight if someone were to tell me I couldn't post a picture of the current president in my classroom, or any other US president for that matter--yes, in a math class. That, not my having a picture of President Bush, would be injecting politics into my classroom.