School

A veteran Los Angeles teacher has been arrested on multiple charges of child molestation allegedly occurring inside the classroom. Meanwhile, radio reports indicate that the teacher’s union arranged for him to resign—even after the discovery of shocking pictures involving his students—so that he could collect a generous pension from taxpayers.

The U.S. Supreme Court yesterday stoked the fires of a hot free speech debate—without
even taking a case or issuing a decision. The Court did so by choosing not to hear appeals in two cases that
reached contradictory conclusions about the authority of public school officials to punish students for online,
off-campus speech.

In two consolidated cases originating out of Pennsylvania, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals held that school
officials could not punish students for degrading their principal on a social networking site. At the same time,

Less than a week after California’s gay history mandate went into effect, a new pro-LGBT bill introduced last week promises to stir even more controversy.

Opening legal briefs have been filed in the California Court of Appeal, arguing that San José school officials broke the law by refusing to even consider a parent’s request to change a controversial pro-gay celebration at her child’s middle school.

The parent, Norina Mooney, started asking questions after a pro-LGBT “Rainbow Day” was held this spring at Castillero Middle School. She asked district officials to place an item on the school board’s agenda which, if approved, would have directed the school to make Rainbow Day more inclusive of non-LGBT students affected by bullying.

Attorneys who defend free speech are speaking out in support of a New Jersey teacher who has been removed from the classroom and is under investigation for comments she made on Facebook that reflected her religious beliefs about homosexuality.

A parent of two young girls was caught off guard recently when her daughters came home from school with questions about a man dressed like a woman on duty in the school cafeteria. The parent was further chagrined when officials in the Sierra Sands Unified School District confirmed the story but insisted their hands were tied.

Professor Brad Lopez filed suit in federal court in Fresno seeking to correct his employment record at Fresno City College. The College took action against the college instructor after a student and her friends made complaints about his class. The ACLU spearheaded a campaign so the College would censure Dr. Lopez for comments they characterized as anti-homosexual and promoting a Christian belief system.