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    Ann Griffin, a white teacher, got into a heated conversation with two African American administrators where she said "she hated all black folks." As a result, the principal recommended her dismissal, saying she could not treat students fairly. This paper will argue both sides and cite court cases. While Griffin's speech was to peers and not students, citing Terminiello and Pickering, free speech was still protected even for controversial views. However, citing Stroman, views conflicting with responsibilities to students could affect their learning. Ultimately, more information would be needed like in Brandenburg, as dismissal requires intent to incite violence or discomfort students.

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    A2 3mhowie

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    Ann Griffin, a white teacher, got into a heated conversation with two African American administrators where she said "she hated all black folks." As a result, the principal recommended her dismissal, saying she could not treat students fairly. This paper will argue both sides and cite court cases. While Griffin's speech was to peers and not students, citing Terminiello and Pickering, free speech was still protected even for controversial views. However, citing Stroman, views conflicting with responsibilities to students could affect their learning. Ultimately, more information would be needed like in Brandenburg, as dismissal requires intent to incite violence or discomfort students.

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    Ann Griffin, a white teacher, got into a heated conversation with two African American administrators where she said "she hated all black folks." As a result, the principal recommended her dismissal, saying she could not treat students fairly. This paper will argue both sides and cite court cases. While Griffin's speech was to peers and not students, citing Terminiello and Pickering, free speech was still protected even for controversial views. However, citing Stroman, views conflicting with responsibilities to students could affect their learning. Ultimately, more information would be needed like in Brandenburg, as dismissal requires intent to incite violence or discomfort students.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    55 views5 pages

    A2 3mhowie

    Uploaded by

    api-361060092
    Ann Griffin, a white teacher, got into a heated conversation with two African American administrators where she said "she hated all black folks." As a result, the principal recommended her dismissal, saying she could not treat students fairly. This paper will argue both sides and cite court cases. While Griffin's speech was to peers and not students, citing Terminiello and Pickering, free speech was still protected even for controversial views. However, citing Stroman, views conflicting with responsibilities to students could affect their learning. Ultimately, more information would be needed like in Brandenburg, as dismissal requires intent to incite violence or discomfort students.

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    of 5

    Assignment 2

    Teacher’s Rights

    Mackenzie Howie

    College of Southern Nevada


    Ann Griffin, a teacher who is white, got into a heated conversation with two

    administrators at the school she works in. Freddie Watts, principal, and Jimmy Brothers,

    assistant principal, were both a part of this conversation, and are both African American. As

    things got tenser, Ann Griffin was heard to say she “hated all black folks.” The comment got out

    and was greeted with negative reactions from most colleagues, regardless of their race.

    As a result, Freddie Watts, principal at Griffin’s school, recommended her dismissal

    based on her views, saying she would not be able to treat all of her students fairly, and that this

    casts a great doubt on her competency as an educator. This paper will provide support for

    Principal Watts’ decision and support for Ann Griffin’s return to teaching. Each side will cite

    two court cases in support.

    Students are sent to school to learn. Ann Griffin made an inflammatory statement in the

    presence of her peers. While this may have insulted the people who heard it, she did not say it in

    front of her students and there was no proof of previous prejudiced behavior towards her pupils.

    In 1949, a former priest became vocally anti-Semitic. He gained a large following after his views

    were published in newspapers. There were clashes between fans and enemies and the priest was

    arrested during one of these altercations. The Supreme Court ruled he was not to be imprisoned,

    because his speech did not present any danger (Terminiello v. Chicago, 1949). This was during

    and post-World War II, when tensions were most high for anti-Semitic speech. And his speech

    was protected. Today, Ann Griffin gives her views to peers, no violence follows, and her job is at

    risk. Before 1950, the Supreme Court said everyone has a right to free speech; a right to voice

    their opinions. Following the notion that Griffin was speaking with coworkers and peers, not her

    students, in 1961, Marvin Pickering made his opinion heard on a subject that did not relate to

    race at all, but related to the way he saw things working within the school. The Court voted that
    he had the right to voice his opinion and not be dismissed by the school, as that would infringe

    upon his freedom of speech. He, like Griffin, shared his opinion with adults: peers and

    coworkers, and this was protected by free speech. This case took years to get through, settling 7

    years later. Although the school board chose to dismiss him, it was deemed he should keep his

    job (Pickering v. Board of Education, 1968).

    In support of Ann Griffin being dismissed for saying she “doesn’t like black folks:” this

    is a clear case of an educator’s personal views conflicting with their responsibility to their

    students. If Ms. Griffin is making the statement that she doesn’t like people because of their skin

    color, this could definitely affect the way she grades or even views her students, preventing

    learning from happening. Her speech should remain free, but it is also disruptive and should

    therefore end with her dismissal (Stroman v Colleton County School District, 1992). The way

    Ann Griffin spoke with her peers and possibly could be speaking with her students is cause for

    termination because it could also put a roadblock in relationships required for work (Underwood

    & Webb, 49).

    I feel the courts should rule that Griffin should be dismissed. It seems like her views

    could obviously interfere with her work and her relationships with students. However, based on

    the first two court cases cited, specifically Terminiello, I do not believe the courts would side

    with her dismissal. What she said, she said to peers, not to students. And in writing this paper, I

    found more court cases supporting “freedom of speech” than cases that protect students from

    potentially racist adults in their lives. If the Supreme Court could rule on the side of anti-

    Semitism (even as free speech) so close to the Holocaust, I don’t see why this woman stating she

    doesn’t like a certain race would be a cause for dismissal.


    Ms. Griffin would also probably not face dismissal because of Brandenburg v. Ohio. This

    case states that unless someone is spewing hate speech with the intent to cause violence, it is still

    free speech. Because Griffin did not push her views on her students and no violence came from

    her views being shared, I doubt they would be able to fire her from her job. However, if more

    information came from Ann Griffin’s statements causing discomfort for students or possibly

    inciting violence, there could be some recourse for her. There would need to be more follow up

    on the case.
    References

    Brandenburg v. Ohio, 395 US 444 (1969)

    Pickering v. Board of Education, 391 US 563 (1968)

    Stroman v Colleton County School District, 981 F.2d 152 (4th Cir. 1992)

    Terminiello v. Chicago, 337 US 1 (1949)

    Underwood, Julie & Webb, L. Dean. (2003). School Law for Teachers.

    Columbus, Ohio: Pearson.

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