High school teacher teaches both sides of the issues, gets fired for "not fitting in"

This is astonishing and sad: Tim Latham, a public high school government/history teacher in Lawrence Kansas, had his contract dropped (not renewed) for not being an Obama supporter. An unfounded report by a biased liberal student, a few snarky, politicized encounters with other staff members during the past Presidential election, maintaining a website deemed "too patriotic" by school staff members, and his reasoned decision not to make his students watch Obama's inauguration speech were all it took for him to be shown the door (in violation of due process, it seems).

I think the only thing unusual about this case is that, at the urging of his supporters, Mr. Latham has decided to speak up and protest, bringing attention to the situation.

If I were a parent with a student in that school I would be very glad to have the situation and the politicized nature of the faculty and administration there brought to my attention. I think I would be seeking alternative schools (or assuming the responsibilities of homeschooling) for my children. I would certainly be attending the upcoming school board meetings to show my displeasure as a taxpayer and a parent. What kind of inferior, stunted education (or rather, indoctrination) are the students in that school getting, if the faculty and administration are all in ideological lockstep? (So much for the virtues of true "diversity" and "open communication" so supposedly admired by liberals.)

I doubt the left-leaning ACLU or the NEA will get enthused or involved on behalf of this teacher. Too bad FIRE only handles cases of university and college persecution--but they've got their hands filled there. Maybe Mr. Latham and his supporters should contact Parents and Students for Academic Freedom.


Support Mr. Latham and join the Facebook protest here.

Hat tip to Clavdivs.