Teachers shouldn't post controversial thoughts publicly (Hamas related)

[ermno3]

In light of the war a teacher I have on social media has been quite vocal about their thoughts/feelings (fine). However, they are now on a public platform stating they don't believe Hamas are terrorists, rather a resistance who's actions are justified.

AIBU to think they shouldn't be airing these thoughts so publicly in light of their profession?

I'm a teacher and I would agree with you.

What profession would be acceptable to air those thoughts?

None imo.
If you are a professional, your political views are your own and should not be shared widely. It’s ok to share these views with family and friends but not to the general public..

When I was at school (10 years ago), all of my left-wing teachers were extremely outspoken about their political views. We knew their opinions on Margaret Thatcher, UKIP, private schools, Obama, socialism... Only after leaving did I realise how unprofessional and irresponsible it was for them to push their views on students like that

YABU- why should some professions be able to voice and others not?

nelson Mandela was a labelled a terrorist too by Thatcher and IS. and in fact was only removed from the US risk like in 2008 I believe

why can’t people voice their opinions?

As long as it’s in sm they can do whatever they want. Different thing would be if they did it in the school.

I am NOT a teacher, but: both my parents - mum has only just retired after 45 years of service at the beginning of the last summer holidays - were.

I am also from a deeply political family!

At "home" (if you still get to say "home" about "where my parents live" when you are 40), we are - and were brought up to be - hotly debating political issues over dinner. There were clear rules that everyone accepted: "no glorification of violence", "no total dehumanisation of the other side", ... if you happen to be reading "clearly, she grew up in a leftist environment", you would be spot on!

Teachers are only human, too! And, generally speaking, they have the same right as everyone else to - outside of their workplace - engage in political activity as everyone else!

Do NOT shut teachers up! They may hold opinions that you like more or like less! DO complain of and when they start to lecture, in the classroom!

EDIT: I am saying this as "I am, currently, a corporate executive - and, now THAT is a job that genuinely forbids me, by contract, from openly stating that I ACTUALLY think a certain national [insert strategic resource] company of a certain country (also, a big "ally", politically speaking) in actual reality gives about 0 fucks and pays my employer very handsomly to "greenwash" on their behalf!

People should be free to be able to hold opposing views without the fear of being cancelled and losing their jobs.

I think everyone should be allowed an opinion teacher or not as long as their social media isn't linked to the school.

Would I be brave enough to voice issues myself? I did about the free school meals in tje pandemic but the middle East I probably wouldn't. It's too emotive.

Hmmm... teachers can also be councillors, which may mean they hold unpopular views and beliefs that don't align with the mainstream from a political standpoint. As long as it's not illegal, they can hold their own opinions publicly if they wish to.

If teachers shouldn't hold these views publicly, what about doctors? Dentists? Nurses? Social workers? What professions can say views that may be unpopular? And why?

@Namedmyself

Your comparison is insulting to black South Africans.

Nelson Mandela and the ANC attacked infrastructure and military stations. They did not go out of their way to rape, abduct and massacre white South African civilians. They never paraglided into a music festival to murder 260 partygoers. They never stormed villages, going house to house to drag people out of their safe rooms and shoot them at point blank range.

That's nonsense.

If someone reports something they say to her employer, and that employer is referenced on her sm, she could find herself on a disciplinary charge.

Because they are in a position of influence over children who are still forming their views about the world. It would be fine if there was an equal spread of different views across the teaching profession, but teachers, by virtue of being teachers, are more likely to have certain views (e.g. public sector workers are more likely to be left wing), so it isn't like they're going to be fed every kind of opinion so they can decide for themselves.
They need to be as neutral as possible, presenting the facts only, so children can form their own worldviews.

People should be free to be able to hold opposing views without the fear of being cancelled and losing their jobs.

Their views are illegal. Hamas is a proscribed terrorist organisation and it is illegal within the UK to express support for them or to justify their atrocities. Never mind being cancelled or sacked - she could be prosecuted.

I think if your social media has any reference to your workplace, any such political views must be restricted to friends and family.
Workplaces can consider disciplinary options if they think you are bringing their business into disrepute

@wheatsheaf8 But teachers teach a curriculum. They don't teach what they personally believe in.

No it's very stupid of them to do so.

YABU- why should some professions be able to voice and others not?

Because depending on where in the country she works, there could very well be Jewish children in her class who have friends and family in Israel who have been caught up in and maybe even killed in these attacks.

Every Jewish person I know knows someone in Israel who has been affected. Why should those children have to cope with the knowledge that their teacher supports and celebrates the murders of their family and friends?

Mine did 😂I remember them saying things like "UKIP are just BNP in blazers"

You think there should be no consequence for a teacher expressing the view that raping teenagers, executing nonagenarians, and beheading babies are justified actions?

How strange.

Teachers are supposedly held to be responsible adults who keep their personal views discrete particularly if they are not mainstream….but???

Personally, I think teachers should be very careful about using social media, but it irks me that they are, for some reason, often held to higher account than other professions or jobs.

Considering that so many folk are critical of schools and teachers, it feels hypocritical to expect them to not have opinions or feel passionately about issues.

My bigger concern is if teachers don't let children freely express their own views eg if the child supports the Conservatives or has different views in any area from those of most teachers.

Because they are in a position of influence over children who are still forming their views about the world. It would be fine if there was an equal spread of different views across the teaching profession, but teachers, by virtue of being teachers, are more likely to have certain views (e.g. public sector workers are more likely to be left wing), so it isn't like they're going to be fed every kind of opinion so they can decide for themselves.
They need to be as neutral as possible, presenting the facts only, so children can form their own worldviews.

Not one student has mentioned the middle East to me. Apart from one, he said it was boring hearing it on radio on the way to school.🥶
I am sure this teacher isn't spouting to students. Maybe they are but in my years of experience they aren't as students are not interested.

Do you REALLY want the total intellectual non-items that genuinely have zero controversial opinions to be in charge of teaching your kids to think critically, though?

Or, alternatively: the "compliant - to the extent that they will pretend to have neither personality nor opinions, if their employer so demands"?

Again: DO complain when teachers take their ideology into the classroom - and leave them the hell alone on "they do not, they just, like the rest of us, happen to have a life outside of work!"