Proper place for political views?

[Lammie]

Got one of those mass e-mailings today from a coach at school, the one that shows several Dem candidates at a steak fry in, I don't remember, Indiana? where Barrack Obama is the lone person on the stage without his hand on his heart during The Pledge. Supposedly, he "refused" to say it, although there is no evidence of what really happened.

Now, I am not trying to start a political mud slinger here. I just want to know this:

Is the school-wide e-mail system the proper place to air political views of any nature? I know that when I worked for the State of Texas, we were not allowed to espouse any sort of political views, even going so far as to not allow bumper stickers endorsing any given candidate.

I believe that this particular e-mail was meant to communicate a message about where this particular teacher stood politically, and I don't think school is a good venue for these views.

I personally do not talk to anyone at work about the choices I make at the ballot box.

I sent her back a reply stating that I thought she was being a little too political and that she, along with all of us, do not really know what was going on in that picture at that moment in time.

Did I mess up?

 

[backhoeboogie]

Politics!!! Everything will be okay with that action Lammie so long as neither of you wind up in the hospital from escalated discussion.

I've seen that political add. No telling. It could have been during the National Anthem. Some are taught to put their hand over their heart (as if they were saying the pledge) and others are taught to stand with their hands folded behind them (with their hats off of course). My guess is that someone was singing the National Anthem when that pic was taken. But I wasn't there.

 

[Avalon]

Put it this way. Im familiar with that picture. I havent heard him expalin it so I do question his views.
With that said. If My sons Ag teacher (Whom I know) sent me something political, I wouldnt care. If the football coach who doesnt know me, sent it I would either cringe saying that guys takin a real chance or I would let him know that according to law he could not do that. Ethically speaking, It is against the law for public servants to uses their offices to support any candidate or to support a political agenda. I guess in the real world it should be placed under scrutiny to see if any laws were broken. I do however think that the first place to take it would be to the offending party. Notifying them that they may have broken the law. No matter what side we are one. Just depends on how well you know this coach.

 

[MikeC]

Ethically speaking, It is against the law for public servants to uses their offices to support any candidate or to support a political agenda.

What? This may be true for the Military, but for public officials?

 

[Frankie]

I don't think you messed up. I get really tired of getting those anti- emails.

 

[Frankie]

Ethically speaking, It is against the law for public servants to uses their offices to support any candidate or to support a political agenda.

What? This may be true for the Military, but for public officials?

It is if he's using school equipment/email address to mail out political stuff.

 

[Alice]

I'm proud ya' did it, Lammie!

That said, I probably would've just considered the source and ignored it. When ya' get into that kind of stuff, the person you try to "educate" usually gets their knickers in a twist and starts trying to justify their action ad nauseum. I figure, what's the point in even setting myself up for that kind of torture in the first place.

More likely than not, you aren't the only one that felt the way you did about it...in fact, probably most of the one's that got the benefit of that coach's superior knowledge (pardon the oxymoron) felt the same way you did.

Alice

 

[MikeC]

Ethically speaking, It is against the law for public servants to uses their offices to support any candidate or to support a political agenda.

What? This may be true for the Military, but for public officials?

It is if he's using school equipment/email address to mail out political stuff.

She never said this in her post.

 

[john250]

I don't remember, Indiana? where Barrack Obama is the lone person on the stage without his hand on his heart during The Pledge. Supposedly, he "refused" to say it, although there is no evidence of what really happened.


Did I mess up?

That's my home town. I don't remember much of anything that I should.

After the pic was taken, Obama unrolled his prayer rug and faced toward Mecca for evening prayers. ;-)

Hillary-Obama is getting nasty. I thought dog-fighting got a guy/gal into trouble.

I would imagine school policy would prohibit the use of school assets for political purpose. If they don't, they should.

 

[Alice]

I would imagine school policy would prohibit the use of school assets for political purpose. If they don't, they should.

Texas coaches tend to think they're bullet proof. And sadly, lots of times they are.

I substitute taught for a coach once...science, what else? :lol: The class was a joke...

Alice

 

[Lammie]

Sorry I took so long getting back. Actually, she was on the school e-mail and it was a forward from her spouse, who is a coach at another school.

I never got a response from her, and I think that someone said something to her about espousing her political views on the school e-mail system. It was a mass mailing to every employee at the high school. A big no-no.

 

[Avalon]

Ethically speaking, It is against the law for public servants to uses their offices to support any candidate or to support a political agenda.

What? This may be true for the Military, but for public officials?

Military is different in this; They are never suppose to be political. A public servant such as a coach, has the right to push for a political agenda or a candidate as long as he is using his own time and his own money. If he broke elections laws, it was not the message, it was the delivery method. That could be compared to a town mayor using city postage and paper to urge citizens to vote for his favorite city counsel delagates.

 

[Lammie]

I think there's just a lot of ignorance about this subject. She may not have even realized what she was forwarding.

 

[badaxemoo]

After the pic was taken, Obama unrolled his prayer rug and faced toward Mecca for evening prayers. ;-)

That would be an odd move for a Christian.

But I guess in a world where people can type on a keyboard while their heads are implanted in their arses, anything can happen.

 

[john250]

After the pic was taken, Obama unrolled his prayer rug and faced toward Mecca for evening prayers. ;-)

That would be an odd move for a Christian.

But I guess in a world where people can type on a keyboard while their heads are implanted in their arses, anything can happen.

Same old badaxe.
If you have followed Obama's race for president, you surely know there are rumors he has Muslim sympathies or has been or is a Muslim.

 

[badaxemoo]

After the pic was taken, Obama unrolled his prayer rug and faced toward Mecca for evening prayers. ;-)

That would be an odd move for a Christian.

But I guess in a world where people can type on a keyboard while their heads are implanted in their arses, anything can happen.

Same old badaxe.
If you have followed Obama's race for president, you surely know there are rumors he has Muslim sympathies or has been or is a Muslim.

You misunderstand. I wasn't poking fun at you, because I'm sure you are joking.

I'm poking fun at the idiots who actually believe those rumors.