Seminar Response 10-21

With the large debate on whether teachers should have a say about what is talked about in their classroom, I think that it is a very important thing to be addressed. Personally, I think a teacher’s role is to educate and inform children about topics. It is not their role to tell students what is right or their personal opinions. School is about the kids getting the best possible education not about what the teachers think about a certain topic. Teachers should also care enough about their job to expose their students of the different viewpoints without interjecting their own personal views. "The freedom of speech is not without limits." We need to accept the consequences of what we say. Sure we can tell a teacher to f-off and claim freedom of speech, but we have to own up to what we say and not hurt others. Teachers should not force ideas onto their students and the first amendment "Does not include students having their teacher's political, religious, or moral values thrust onto them while they are held captive in class." But teachers shouldn't be limited and restricted so that they can't even do their own job. "Free speech is an essential element in the exercise of democracy... in any public place." Teachers should encourage students to expand on their ideas and inquire about the ideas that others may have. There has to be a good balance between freedom and restrictions in order for students to obtain the correct education. It is not ok for a teacher to just plan and teach whatever they want because students wouldn't learn and be prepared for life. But on the other side, teachers should not be reading/teaching of a mandatory script that every teacher in the state/nation uses. This would severely limit what is taught in the classroom and would not be ok. After all education is about the students not the teachers.