A big to-do was made recently of a group of Miller Middle School students who organized a climate change rally and march downtown after school. Some ended up making what were described as “vulgar gestures” outside Top That Frozen Yogurt on Main Avenue in response to Republican election signs posted in the windows.
The event wasn’t school-sanctioned, but a teacher was present with the students – reportedly attending on personal, not work time, to support them – yet Durango School District 9-R Superintendent Dan Snowberger indicated the teacher (who has not been officially identified) might be disciplined. (In an apparently unrelated decision, Snowberger has since announced his resignation effective in June.)
We’re not sure if Snowberger’s problem with the teacher was his/her presence, identification as a teacher (photos reportedly showed a Miller Middle School mask and teacher ID badge), or failure to prevent some children from acting out disrespectfully. No teacher can be expected to prevent impulsive actions by teens, and the Miller teacher was not in a position of authority at this after-school event in any case. Perhaps a conversation about mature and safe behaviors during public actions like this one would have been helpful before the event. Maybe that happened; we don’t know.
The outcome of any personnel action will not be made public, Snowberger said.
Snowberger indicated the teacher’s perceived affiliation with the march suggested the teacher was condoning a political issue. But teachers enjoy the same First Amendment rights as anyone else and should not be threatened with disciplinary action should they express their opinions. Perhaps it was in bad judgment for the teacher to wear a school mask and ID to the event, but we fail to see how a teacher attending an event on personal time can be held to task for that. Furthermore, in a small town such as ours, any teacher is likely to be identifiable, whether emblazoned with IDs or not.
The Herald’s website and Facebook account received dozens of comments by adults, some arguably cruder than the “one-finger salute” the students offered to the shop. The school board’s Facebook account was purged of comments, which reached 284 at one point. Comments on the Herald site focused on political viewpoints.
It is impractical at least and impossible at best to avoid discussion of controversial issues in the classroom. Nor is it advisable. Discussion of timely, controversial issues teaches critical thinking skills and should be encouraged, provided that a variety of opinions are presented or allowed to arise for consideration. (The 9-R school board wisely decided at its Tuesday meeting to reject modifying the district’s policy concerning discussion of controversial issues in the classroom.)
We applaud the students for their initiative in organizing and carrying out the rally and march. We encourage them to do so more, not less, often. We would, however, suggest that they consider their goals and shape their activist behavior to best achieve those goals. Satisfying though it may be in the moment to graphically express one’s dislike of another’s beliefs or political affiliation, in the long term, such behavior does not increase one’s personal power or influence. Activist events present a learning opportunity for students to make conscious choices about behavior based not on whether they can get away with it, impress their friends or discharge their emotions of the moment – but on how it’s going to help them achieve their larger objectives.
If students want to gain power in society, they must act more like adults. The adults they are emulating – parents and teachers – should do so as well.
