Freedom of speech: Awesome. Using said freedom to tweet racist, profane taunts? Not so awesome. Being unemployed now because people figured out that you’re a public school English teacher, and having to look for new work in the Obama economy.
Probably a whole lot less awesome.
A Texas teacher who posted a profanity-filled tweet over the shooting death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo. — telling those who disagreed with her to “kill themselves” — is being fired, school officials said Monday.
Vinita Hegwood, an English teacher at Duncanville High School, was suspended without pay Monday pending her discharge after posting a “reprehensible” message on her personal Twitter account, according to the Duncanville Independent School District.
On Friday, Hegwood tweeted the following: “Who the f–k made you dumb duck a– crackers think I give a squat f–k about your opinions about my opinions RE” #Ferguson? Kill yourselves.”
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In her Twitter account, which has been taken down, Hegwood described herself.
“Mother. Daughter. Sister. Wife. Teacher. Delta. Football fan. Still defining and fine tuning the awesomeness that is me,” it read.
Geez. What a load.
Duncanville ISD had no choice here. Sure, they could have kept her on, but what parent in their right mind would leave their kid in her class after this? Is it the racism, the stupidity or the inability to express herself without resorting to profanity that’s supposed to attract parents to have their kids in her classes?
For the kids, their former English teacher provides a value life lesson. Freedom of speech means the government can’t arrest you for what you say in all but a handful of circumstances (terroristic threats, etc). Freedom of speech doesn’t mean that you never have to face consequences for what you say — especially if you’re a public employee and you’re placed in a position where you’re expected to be a role model.
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