EACS Teacher to be Fired for Allowing Gay-Tolerance Editorial

I'm sure most people know the gist of this story by now. Woodlan Junior-Senior High School (part of East Allen County Schools) teacher Amy Sorrell was reprimanded for allowing an editorial into the school paper promoting tolerance of homosexuals. As reported in today's JG she is now going to be fired.

This is an outrage. That editorial was very benign. Does EACS actually disagree with its message? Do they think homosexuals should be singled out and ridiculed? Does the school actually support an intolerance agenda? I suppose a more important question is should a teacher actually be FIRED for this? This is censorship at its worst folks and people like principal Ed Yoder and his supporters (are there any?) should be ashamed. Here's the best quote from today's story:

"Your efforts to cast Principal Yoder and EACS in a false light have hindered the efficient operation and educational mission of EACS and Woodlan Junior-Senior High School,” the letter stated.

Sorry but you did that to yourself Bubba. There's a reason that nearly every major newspaper in the state has ridiculed your behavior and it doesn't have anything to do w/ Ms Sorrell. It's because you've taken a non-story and blown into an all out catastrophe that challenges the boundaries of free speech. I suppose it's your prerogative to make such a decision but to think that you won't be "cast in a false light" when you make such a decision is ignorant. And your response to fire a well-respected teacher will only bring about more criticism - deservedly so.

I'll refer readers to a previous post I made about the superintendent stomping out dissent within FWCS. What I said in that post is as relevant as ever to situation at Woodlan:

However, I always felt like local school leaders were trying to do the right thing. That the problem was the system and not the leadership. That changed today. I think we all see the problem now. If you do ANYTHING outside the boundaries then you will be fired.

Of course I've argued all along that the school board doesn't give a damn about the public interest. They are a special interest group and they will only do what's best for them. Tax people out of their homes - so what. Spit on freedom of speech - so what. They really think it's THEIR schools but I have news for them - it's OURS, the citizens and taxpayers in this district. It's time we send our own message. It's time we tell the school board and it's supporters that Putin-like tactics are unacceptable.

That's what it's all about. Do we want to send this type of message to our kids - a message that says individualism, free speech, and tolerance has no place in the real world? In a just community everyone would rally around Ms Sorrell and fight this abuse of power. In a just community every single school board member that supports her removal would be defeated in the next election. In a just community the principle would be ashamed of his behavior and resign in disgrace.

For those of you that wish to contact the principle and the school board to voice your support Ms Sorrell you can reach them at the following (try to be courteous as the rantings of a madman are typically ignored):

Principle Ed Yoder eyoder@eacs.k12.in.us

School Board
Stephen L. Terry, Sr. sterry@eacs.k12.in.us
Kenneth E. Eytcheson keytcheson@eacs.k12.in.us
Janice A. Kelly jkelly@eacs.k12.in.us
Terry Jo Lightfoot tlightfoot@eacs.k12.in.us
Leland L. Etzler letzler@eacs.k12.in.us
William D. Hartman whartman@eacs.k12.in.us
Richard A. Allgeier rallgeier@eacs.k12.in.us