Getting Fired For What One Says That Isn't Politically Correct

[Solitary]

I don't agree with what this woman said, but why isn't she just reprimanded instead of being fired?  Don't we have free speech in this country anymore without getting fired just because it isn't politically correct, racist, or prejudice?

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/texas-teacher-fired-over-racially-charged-ferguson-tweet/ar-BBdJRE9?ocid=U147DHP

A Dallas-area teacher who was accused of sending a racially charged tweet about events in Ferguson, Mo., was fired on Friday, school officials said.

Vinita Hegwood, a high school English teacher, was discharged at a special meeting of the trustees of the Duncanville Independent School District, according to a statement emailed by the district.

"In a special meeting this morning, the Duncanville Independent School District Board of Trustees voted unanimously to terminate the teaching contract of Ms. Vinita Hegwood effective immediately," according to the statement.

Hegwood was accused of sending insensitive comments from her personal Twitter account on Nov. 7. She had apologized.

"Who the [expletive] made you dumb [expletives] think I give a squat [expletive] about your opinions. #Ferguson Kill yourselves," read one of the messages Hegwood allegedly sent.

In the statement, the district said Hegwood was given an opportunity to explain her version of the events, but trustees unanimously decided to terminate her.

Michael Brown, an African-American, was unarmed when he was fatally shot on Aug. 9 in Ferguson by white police Officer Darren Wilson.

A grand jury is weighing whether to charge Wilson in the shooting that touched off racial protests that sometimes turned violent.

[AllPurposeAtheist]

Sympathy is between shit and syphilis here.. She teaches children in a school. She wasn't hired to run a bar..

[Solitary]

Right! And smiles is the longest word, it has a mile between the s and s.

[stromboli]

I wasn't in the meeting, didn't hear the arguments or read the tweet or hear the apology. Apparently they felt justified in their actions.

[Minimalist]

Don't we have free speech in this country anymore without getting fired just because it isn't politically correct, racist, or prejudice?

Um, no.  "Freedom of speech" means that the government cannot toss someone's ass in jail for saying something no matter how reprehensible it might be.

An employer is under no obligation to tolerate racist views by an employee.

[Johan]

Don't we have free speech in this country anymore without getting fired just because it isn't politically correct, racist, or prejudice?

Umm... No one arrested her. No one took away any of her rights or liberty. So yes, we do have free speech in this country. We also have something known as at-will employment. And that combination can bite you in the ass if you do something exceptionally stupid with social media.

If you ask me, this woman got exactly what she had coming to her. Spend 4 minutes on google and you will likely find a dozen or more examples of teachers who have been terminated saying dumb shit either directly to their students or via social media where their students and the public could see it. This is not at all new, the track record is very well established. If this woman was not intelligent enough to realize posting something like that would put her at risk of gettin fired, then she is not intelligent enough to be teaching children IMO.

[Mermaid]

Nobody is removing her right to freedom of speech. Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequences for your actions.

[Solitary]

The teacher never said it in her class room! So there is only free speech with regard to the government, and not in our public life, or your employer can punish you by firing you? You smoke at home, you're fired; you go to Church or church you're fired; you're too fat, you're fired; you swear in public, you're fired; you belong to an atheist group, even on line, your fired; you have communist ties, you're fired; you don't go to Church or church, you're fired; you're gay, you're fired; you belong to a union, you're fired; we just don't like you, your fired, we can fire you for any reason we want, you're fired, and this is OK in a free society. NICE! All atheist teachers should be fired because we don't like what they say on forums. Sounds good to me.   

[Johan]

we just don't like you, your fired, we can fire you for any reason we want, you're fired, and this is OK in a free society. NICE!

Yes. That's how at-will employment works. And yes, it is nice. If you think the economy is rough now, imagine how much worse it would be if employers were legally prevented from terminating employees whose behavior was detrimental to their business.

[AllPurposeAtheist]

I'm guessing this is a public school where children are permitted to attend who are of different races and nationalities. Why of course she should be allowed to spout off about anyone not like her and be promoted to school superintendent and decide if they should be allowed to segregate schools as well..
Uhhmm.. You're wrong here Bill..

[doorknob]

I live in a right to fire state. They can fire you for no apparent reason. You will collect unemployment if they don't have a substantial reason though.

Should what she said in public not school be a substantial reason is the question? Her unemployment may depend on it.

I say the school should not be policing what employees do in their private life. What if she stared in a porn video should she be fired then? Just because something is unpopular doesn't automatically make it a good reason to fire some one unless it happens at work and there is a policy regarding it. What happens when you aren't at work is none of your bosses business. And if you come out in public and do it, it still isn't your bosses business.

[Solitary]

Yes. That's how at-will employment works. And yes, it is nice. If you think the economy is rough now, imagine how much worse it would be if employers were legally prevented from terminating employees whose behavior was detrimental to their business.

How in the hell was her doing something outside of her work detrimental to the school---did she post: "hey, I work at this school blah blah blah. I agree if she did it at school or in a class room. You just fire people because of what they say outside of their jobs. Would you think would be right if your boss fired you for being on an atheist forum?

[Solitary]

I'm guessing this is a public school where children are permitted to attend who are of different races and nationalities. Why of course she should be allowed to spout off about anyone not like her and be promoted to school superintendent and decide if they should be allowed to segregate schools as well..
Uhhmm.. You're wrong here Bill..

What? I may not like what you said, but I would defend your right to say it to death, but I would not fire you for it! This politically correct bull shit when anything we don't like has tipped the scales into I'm different than you so watch what you say about me honky, pendeho, white trash atheist mother fucker, or I will fire you. Can you hear me now?

[Solitary]

I live in a right to fire state. They can fire you for no apparent reason. You will collect unemployment if they don't have a substantial reason though.

Should what she said in public not school be a substantial reason is the question? Her unemployment may depend on it.

I say the school should not be policing what employees do in their private life. What if she stared in a porn video should she be fired then? Just because something is unpopular doesn't automatically make it a good reason to fire some one unless it happens at work and there is a policy regarding it. What happens when you aren't at work is none of your bosses business. And if you come out in public and do it, it still isn't your bosses business.

Thank you! Are we getting that brain washed by being politically correct that we accept having no privacy anymore, and our rights don't count, but everyone that isn't white, or a company's does? To say she would get promoted and make it a racist school is a stretch. I'm not talking hypotheticals, I'm talking about our freedom to express ourselves outside of work and not getting fired, not that there shouldn't be consequences. She could have been reprimanded, but losing her job just because it's not accepted what she felt and said by someone that wants political correctness? I wonder how her lawyer or OCC  would say about this?

[Johan]

How in the hell was her doing something outside of her work detrimental to the school---

She is a teacher. While other people's children are in her classroom, she is responsible for their care, well being and education. She made statements which publicly identify her as being racist or at the very least a person with racist opinions. Are you really going to argue that it is unreasonable for parents to have a problem with their children being in the care of and being taught by a racist? Are you really going to try and make that case?

Would you think would be right if your boss fired you for being on an atheist forum?

What I think is that my employment is at-will and therefore right or not, it is perfectly legal for my boss for fire me if he knew I was active on atheist forum which is exactly why I do not allow my boss, nor anyone else where I work, know that I am an atheist or that I am active on an atheist forum.