• Home
  • About me: Jim Fitzpatrick
  • Contact

JimmyCsays: At the juncture of journalism and daily life in KC

Feeds:
Posts
Comments
« A presidential transition unlike any other
Random thoughts on Thanksgiving Day »

The Shawnee Mission School District controversy: Maybe the teachers should switch to clothespins

November 23, 2016 by jimmycsays

As some of you know, I’m a substitute teacher in the Shawnee Mission School District. Consequently, the closest thing I have to a supervisor is the principal at whatever school where I’m working on a given day and the school district administration.

This week, the administration came out with a controversial statement, asking staff members to “refrain from wearing safety pins or other symbols of divisive and partisan political speech while on duty — unless such activity is specifically in conjunction with District curriculum.”

Let’s start with the confusing part of that statement: Why in the world would a teacher or other staff member be wearing a safety pin for any reason related to curriculum??? Is the administration trying to make allowances for home ec teachers who might be wearing safety pins in their lapels so they can whip them off to demonstrate the marking of dress hems?

Other than that…I agree completely agree with the ban. The district’s statement correctly prefaced the request by noting that “the wearing of a safety pin as a political statement” falls into the category of free speech. While simply wearing a safety pin was not a problem in itself, the statement said, “any disruption the political statement causes in the classroom or school is a distraction in the education process.”

And that’s the rub. The district has a strong mix of students from liberal and conservative families, and the district had received “concerns and complaints regarding political connotations associated with the wearing of safety pins.”

The safety-pin movement apparently goes back to the Brexit campaign in England, when some Brexit opponents began wearing safety pins to express solidarity with people who felt threatened by the Brexit movement. In that case, the message was aimed at immigrants. But here, after Donald Trump’s election, the message was extended to other groups, including gays, lesbians, transgenders and Muslims.

The first I heard of the safety-pin business was when Chiefs’ quarterback Alex Smith showed up wearing one at a post-game press conference last week. I didn’t think much of it, and it didn’t create much of a controversy for a couple of reasons. First, several NFL players have chosen to make political statements this season by not standing for the National Anthem. Second, Smith’s action was not going to offend any members of the news media — they don’t care, they just want good quotes and straight answers — nor was it going to pose any distraction or disruption to those proceedings.

As a liberal, my first thought upon hearing Smith had worn a safety pin was, “Great, I guess he voted for Hillary.”

But that reaction — which I’m sure others shared — confirmed that wearing a safety pin these days is, indeed, a political statement. Anybody who contends otherwise is just not being honest about it.

For Smith to wear one at the press conference is completely different from teachers and school staff members coming to school wearing safety pins. To me, it says, “In your face, Trump lover.” I can see how some students — and parents of some students — would recoil at the gesture.

In her Page 2 column in today’s Kansas City Star, Mary Sanchez criticized the Shawnee Mission School District’s message, but — as often is the case — her message was muddled.

She started off by saying district officials “decreed that wearing a safety pin is forbidden political speech.” Not so. The district’s statement clearly said the problem was not the actual wearing of a pin but the disruption it might cause.

She also said district officials had “bungled an opportunity to emphasize what every local district seeks — physical and emotional safety for all students.”

School districts’ concern for the physical and emotional well-being of their students goes without saying. Tacking on trite and platitudinous language like that suggested by Sanchez would have been meaningless.

As it should have, the school district focused on the issue at hand and, as far as I’m concerned, handled the matter very well…The only thing I would have tacked onto the statement was: “This ban also applies to home ec teachers; they may, however, wear clothespins to mark hems.”

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook

Like this:

Like Loading...

Related

Posted in Uncategorized | 11 Comments

11 Responses

  1. on November 23, 2016 at 3:11 pm Rick Thomas

    Good one, Jim, diplomatically well-put — the reference to Mary Sanchez, that is.

    Poor Mary is often quite contrary, in a “muddled” sort of way. I can’t say I have ever read any of her grist that was very well reasoned or intellectually capitalized to any great degree.

    As Royals broadcaster Rex Hudler might say of a player who’s past his productive output for the game or his career, “she got to go!”


  2. on November 23, 2016 at 3:51 pm John Altevogt

    Personally, I think the sentiment behind the safety pin is stupid and childish. That said, I could care less for the same reason I think the sentiment is silly. People are getting butthurt over every little mishap, or perceived mishap in life.

    Right now the media is full of stories about people who fear that a Trump administration, or some of its followers might do something hurtful. Missing are the stories showing actual incidents that would be a cause for fear and the couple that have popped up have been demonstrated hoaxes put on by Trump haters.

    Sorry, sick of people being offended. Let them wear their silly safety pins until someone can prove that there is a significant disruption to the learning environment (if they can prove that one existed in the first place).


  3. on November 23, 2016 at 4:30 pm Thomas R Shrout Jr

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinker_v._Des_Moines_Independent_Community_School_District…This has been litigated in the past. Basically students don’t give up their First Amendment rights at the schoolhouse door as long as they are not being disruptive. (Let me emphasize I am no lawyer or legal scholar so to the extent Tinker might be applicable here is for staff and others to decide.)


    • on November 23, 2016 at 4:51 pm jimmycsays

      For what it’s worth, the SMSD statement did not address students or their rights. Presumably, they can wear safety pins, if they wish.


  4. on November 23, 2016 at 5:53 pm John Altevogt

    Here’s another case where people got bent out of shape over nothing.

    http://fox4kc.com/2016/11/03/parents-outraged-after-principal-dresses-as-trump-secretary-as-clinton-in-prison-garb/


  5. on November 23, 2016 at 9:03 pm Will Notb

    “To me, it says, “In your face, Trump lover.”

    And? Are we required to respect their little prejudices by not wearing a safety-pin as an expression of our feelings? Nonsense. As Teddy said:

    “To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.”

    Passively standing around while the alt-right beat the hell out of us is exactly why we’re in this position.

    We don’t have to go to the extremes they did; no need to blatantly lie about our positions only to renege on them when in office, for example. But there’s also no reason to not protest what we know is coming down the pike; the fact we’re (the Left) concerned with civility is part of the problem.

    Stand up.


    • on November 23, 2016 at 9:37 pm jimmycsays

      Good points, Will…And great quote from Teddy!

      (But let’s face it, we are more civil…)


  6. on November 24, 2016 at 9:43 am round12345@aol.com

    Did the SMSD school district have the elementary school essay contest in 2009 titled “What the election of President Obama means to me” or “How can I help President Obama” or some such title – like most elementary schools around the country? Looking forward to school districts endorsing such a project next January.


    • on November 24, 2016 at 10:11 am jimmycsays

      I dunno…


  7. on November 24, 2016 at 11:34 pm It's your pudding, eat it!

    Teachers are not a fringe lot. In fact, almost all teachers are super squares, with almost no clue to what life is like outside the protective bubble of self important authority, red marking pens, and rules. I laugh at the idea that administration tried to hurt their political opposites by having the district lawyers advise them that the safety pins are disruptive, and I laugh at the teachers who think they are bold, daring and “out there,” by wearing a pin. No wonder “EVERYONE” hates school. The banality of it all is comic.

    But fear not. Somewhere, someone out there in college is on your side….and that person is getting their teaching credential, so as to silently, stealthy, infiltrate the educational system as a “Harriet Tubman,” and knock down that “Brick-wall.” (i.e. – Pink Floyd)


    • on November 25, 2016 at 10:24 am round12345@aol.com

      “As a liberal, my first thought upon hearing Smith had worn a safety pin was, “Great, I guess he voted for Hillary.” But that reaction — which I’m sure others shared — confirmed that wearing a safety pin these days is, indeed, a political statement. Anybody who contends otherwise is just not being honest about it.”

      Exactly. It represents an anti-Trump sentiment. And the principal issue isn’t whether this might cause some “disruption”, but rather such political speech in a public school setting by teachers is simply illegal.



Comments are closed.

  • Pages

    • About me: Jim Fitzpatrick
    • Contact
  • Archives

    • January 2023
    • December 2022
    • November 2022
    • October 2022
    • September 2022
    • August 2022
    • July 2022
    • June 2022
    • May 2022
    • April 2022
    • March 2022
    • February 2022
    • January 2022
    • December 2021
    • November 2021
    • October 2021
    • September 2021
    • August 2021
    • July 2021
    • June 2021
    • May 2021
    • April 2021
    • March 2021
    • February 2021
    • January 2021
    • December 2020
    • November 2020
    • October 2020
    • September 2020
    • August 2020
    • July 2020
    • June 2020
    • May 2020
    • April 2020
    • March 2020
    • February 2020
    • January 2020
    • December 2019
    • November 2019
    • October 2019
    • September 2019
    • August 2019
    • July 2019
    • June 2019
    • May 2019
    • April 2019
    • March 2019
    • February 2019
    • January 2019
    • December 2018
    • November 2018
    • October 2018
    • September 2018
    • August 2018
    • July 2018
    • June 2018
    • May 2018
    • April 2018
    • March 2018
    • February 2018
    • January 2018
    • December 2017
    • November 2017
    • October 2017
    • September 2017
    • August 2017
    • July 2017
    • June 2017
    • May 2017
    • April 2017
    • March 2017
    • February 2017
    • January 2017
    • December 2016
    • November 2016
    • October 2016
    • September 2016
    • August 2016
    • July 2016
    • June 2016
    • May 2016
    • April 2016
    • March 2016
    • February 2016
    • January 2016
    • December 2015
    • November 2015
    • October 2015
    • September 2015
    • August 2015
    • July 2015
    • June 2015
    • May 2015
    • April 2015
    • March 2015
    • February 2015
    • January 2015
    • December 2014
    • November 2014
    • October 2014
    • September 2014
    • August 2014
    • July 2014
    • June 2014
    • May 2014
    • April 2014
    • March 2014
    • February 2014
    • January 2014
    • December 2013
    • November 2013
    • October 2013
    • September 2013
    • August 2013
    • July 2013
    • June 2013
    • May 2013
    • April 2013
    • March 2013
    • February 2013
    • January 2013
    • December 2012
    • November 2012
    • May 2012
    • April 2012
    • March 2012
    • February 2012
    • January 2012
    • December 2011
    • November 2011
    • October 2011
    • September 2011
    • August 2011
    • July 2011
    • June 2011
    • May 2011
    • April 2011
    • March 2011
    • February 2011
    • January 2011
    • December 2010
    • November 2010
    • October 2010
    • September 2010
    • August 2010
    • July 2010
    • June 2010
    • May 2010
    • April 2010
    • March 2010
  • Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

    Join 562 other subscribers

Blog at WordPress.com.

WPThemes.


  • Follow Following
    • JimmyCsays: At the juncture of journalism and daily life in KC
    • Join 562 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • JimmyCsays: At the juncture of journalism and daily life in KC
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Copy shortlink
    • Report this content
    • View post in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
%d bloggers like this: