Posted on 07/21/2020 11:23:31 AM PDT by MarvinStinson
A Michigan school district fired a popular high school teacher and coach after he pointed out that "Trump is our president" on social media.
Varsity baseball coach and social studies teacher Justin Kucera said Walled Lake school district officials hauled him into a closed-door meeting after he indicated his support for President Trump's speech to reopen schools. He told the Washington Free Beacon the Walled Lake Western principal and district superintendent gave him an ultimatum: be fired or resign.
"I was required to meet with [human resources], the superintendent, and my principal [on July 10]. They initially took my statement on why I tweeted those tweets and they told me they would have a decision about my future employment in the upcoming days. When they completed the meeting, I was told I had the option to either be fired or resign." Kucera said.
Neither the school district nor the principal responded to requests for comment.
Kucera said the statement that cost him his job was intended to unify, rather than divide.
"I know a lot of people are just rooting for Trump to fail, and I don't think that anybody should do that," Kucera said. "Agree with him or not, you should want the president to do well. I apologized that [my tweet] brought so much negative attention, but I'm not sorry for what I said."
Kucera was a popular figure at the high school before the episode, according to parents and former teachers. Even his detractors lauded him on social media as they condemned the tweet. One student said she would need to find a new "favorite teacher" after seeing the missive. Multiple sources said that the teacher never brought politics into the classroom.
Bryant Hixson, a recent Walled Lake Western graduate, said his political views have no impact on how he views his coach and teacher.
"Prior to Mr. Kucera's tweet, I cannot recall an instance where he shared his political affiliations while teaching or coaching," Hixson said. "My political views have no impact on how I feel towards Mr. Kucera. Mr. Kucera has always been supportive of me as my AP World History and student leadership teacher and as my baseball and basketball coach."
A parent of two Walled Lake Western boys told the Free Beacon—on the condition of anonymity for fear of retribution—that Kucera was an apolitical figure who coached his son in baseball and basketball and taught his sons AP History and student leadership.
"Justin coached my son his entire high school career and also was his AP History teacher and student leadership teacher for two years. I know Justin very well," the parent said. "If there's one thing that I would commend Justin for is, he always tried to stay apolitical. He always tried to stay right down the middle, avoid [political] conversations, and let the students make their own call based on their own life experiences." The father of two believes Kucera lost his job because administrators caved to a mob that had little to do with the school district.
Other Walled Lake teachers have expressed their political views without any repercussions. Paulette Loe, a now-retired Walled Lake Western teacher, encouraged students to read an article from The Atlantic about "how to beat Trump" while still employed. Nicole Estes, a kindergarten teacher in the district, called Trump a "sociopath" and a "narcissist" on Facebook in 2016 and is still employed at Keith Elementary School. Neither Loe nor Estes responded to requests for comment.
The teachers' union representative that accompanied Kucera at the meeting did not respond to a request for comment.
This guy gets fired but Nick Cannon still has his job. Things have gotten crazy out there.
$12 million wrongful termination suit. Perhaps $15 million.
(My law degree is from The University of FreeRepublic.)
“Sue the crap out of the school- They allow all kinds of anti-Trump crap- but not pro trump?”
The real issue is free speech. Without it.....
Team name is “The Warriors”, and the logo has feathers and spear or arrowheads. They need a good SJW attack to get “woke”.
“It doesn’t matter which presidential candidate you voted for. You have the liberty of expressing your political inclinations in the workplace. But, this is only true if you work in one of four states, namely California, Connecticut, South Carolina, and Louisiana. These four states have statutes that protect an employee’s right to freely express political views.”
https://www.hrmorning.com/articles/wrongful-termination/
“Employment is considered “at-will” under the laws of most states, which means your employer may fire you (and you may quit) for any reason or no reason at all...Even in states with “at-will” employment laws, employers must follow any written policy for disciplinary procedures and terminations (often included in the employee handbook). For instance, a written policy that employees get two warnings for being late before they’re fired must be followed. An employee fired after just one warning may have a valid claim for wrongful discharge.”
https://employment.findlaw.com/losing-a-job/ten-things-to-think-about-wrongful-discharge.html
As a rule, you can be fired for your political beliefs. As a rule, conservatives do not act that way - but maybe we should START!
Concerning your tag line; Hopefully you will take Lazarus Longs advice and have an Honor Guard when you go.
Can you give a hint?
Us conservatives need to realize that social media is just a tool to purge us conservatives from public positions. Have to wage the war in a different place. He would have had much more positive influence by showing up every day, teaching conservatism as common sense, which it is, and not attaching politics to his message. Instruct their principles, not their politics. That is teaching them to think logically and independently. Their politics will follow along later.
1984 all over again.
If there is a lawsuit, they may make the taxpayers of the County poor. When a City, School Board. or County looses a lawsuit, it is the taxpayers that pay, not the Officials. The Officials don’t give a damn. They just raise taxes on the idiots. The idiots will pay or their property will be sold as the next tax auction.
I hope this teacher sues and wins a bundle.
Off Topic:
I grew up in Detroit, and recall going to an amusement park
at Walled Lake. In fact, I was at that park with my family on a weekend in 1967, when news reports about a Race Riot began circulating amongst the adults. My Dad had us leave the park early that day. We were disappointed, because we wanted to see the fireworks after sunset. I don’t know if that amusement park is still there or not. It’s a long drive from Detroit.
Anyone?
I guess this is not what Unions are for.
Seriously, he has been harmed by financial loss. He did not defame or harass anyone. They harmed him.
This is another preview of the Dem-BLM America coming if Trump loses. Any white, any patriotic person of any color, will be shamed, persecuted and banned from professions and social media. Doxed and shadow-banned and demonetized if applies. A nightmare.
As a rule, you can be fired for your political beliefs.
Perhaps, but if he merely stated a fact of who currently resides in the White House, that’s not political, that’s stating a fact and his occupation is as a teacher.
I wonder if the school district receives federal money and if that comes with certain restrictions like the district having to comply with the Hatch Act, etc.
After that experience, I never wanted another female supervisor.
Public school administrators are the most rigid, bureaucratic, and stupidest people I have ever met, at least when they are on the job.
The Teacher's Union Rep. probably approved of the firing.
I don’t know the situation in MI, but in MO, probationary teachers (less than five years) have to recourse to termination. The board simply does not renew their contract. If he has tenure, then he may have a case. In MO a tenured teacher can only be let go for ‘cause’ and has the right to appeal.
My wife, a probationary teacher was let go because a school board member had a relative who wanted the job. She was strongly encouraged not to collect unemployment insurance—was basically told doing so would result in no letters of recommendation.
The RATS are doing everything to quiet us.
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