Today is . . .

. . . a defining moment in history as the first African American President takes office. Today is also a day where the same political decisiveness that has defined this country for generations rears its ugly head. WTF???

A friend of mine is a principal and has asked that all teachers allow Internet and/or television access for the students to view the Inauguration. A simple request, really? A moment in history should be viewed by all . . . right? Well, this is where the lovely political bias that I absolutely hate comes into play. According to my friend he has "Republican teachers who don't want to watch the inauguration in their classes".

My response . . . I'd tell the Republican teachers that their political opinions have no place in school, and that their students have yet to take silly, childhood political sides, and should be allowed to watch a moment of history unfold, whether their teachers are ignorant or not. I'm sorry, but there is no place for political bias when you are a teacher. The bias needs to stay out of the classroom. I'm just saying . . .

Now I understand that people have political beliefs, religious beliefs, and so many other beliefs that weigh them down on a daily basis and - sometimes - make them insufferable to be around. I just don't feel that those beliefs should take precedent in school. Children go to school to learn, not to have a teacher's personal beliefs/opinions thrust on them. I feel the same way about pharmacists who don't want to hand out birth control or the morning after pill because of their religious beliefs. If a person is so rigid in their beliefs, that is fine and good, but perhaps said person needs to find a different job if they cannot remove themselves from their beliefs. I'm just saying . . .

S