I mean, this is Virginia

We are all at-will employees, give or take governing employee agreements and union contracts and whatnot. I don't presume to know what sort of explicit protections there are for teachers employed in Virginia generally, or Loudoun County specifically.

Dude got up there at the podium and said that he couldn't act in accordance with LCPS policy because God hates the transgendered. Then he was suspended. It's pretty easy to make that into a 1A issue, whether it holds up to judicial scrutiny or not.

And of course he wasn't actually fired. He was suspended (which is still a punishment, albeit a lesser one). And there was no court decision, there was a settlement. As such there is no bright line decision, only an agreement to stop arguing about it.

(In response to this post by BocaHoo91)

Posted: 11/16/2021 at 3:28PM

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Xi/xim/they/them/payer/payee -- Lupos 11/16/2021 2:11PM

The rude asshole should enjoy the same freedom of speech as the -- Shenhoo 11/16/2021 2:39PM

That's different. ** -- ResistHoo 11/16/2021 3:12PM

Thing is, the guy at ODU is one of your fine people, keep him. ** -- Lupos 11/16/2021 2:49PM

Why would you say something like that? ** -- 111Balz 11/16/2021 3:29PM

Neither of them are particularly mine. I find him about as -- Shenhoo 11/16/2021 2:59PM

Wow. freedom of speech is protected? Who knew? ** -- Beerman 11/16/2021 2:24PM

Is this really a "free speech" issue? Does a teacher have the right to -- BocaHoo91 11/16/2021 2:50PM

Spot on. ** -- Shenhoo 11/16/2021 3:00PM

His claim, more or less -- Beerman 11/16/2021 2:53PM

What if he went to the school board meeting as a private citizen and -- BocaHoo91 11/16/2021 2:55PM

For government employees, the law is nuanced -- WahooMatt05 11/16/2021 3:15PM

Maybe? But for state employees? Would be interested to hear from -- BocaHoo91 11/16/2021 3:21PM

I honestly don’t know -- WahooMatt05 11/16/2021 3:33PM

For me it's simpler than that. Free speech protections apply to laws -- BocaHoo91 11/16/2021 3:38PM

Again, I'm not sure he's pushing this as a freedom of speech issue, as much -- Hoodafan 11/16/2021 3:56PM

That's probably why they acquiesced, but to me, the claim that -- BocaHoo91 11/16/2021 4:17PM

Yeah, I clearly missed that lesson in Sunday School. ** -- Hoodafan 11/16/2021 4:55PM

For private employees, yes. For government employees, it’s more gray. ** -- WahooMatt05 11/16/2021 3:40PM

I recognize there is a line -- Beerman 11/16/2021 3:03PM

When it comes to "free speech" protected by the 2A, I'm not sure there -- BocaHoo91 11/16/2021 3:15PM

I mean, this is Virginia -- Beerman 11/16/2021 3:28PM

Not trying to be combative and I'm sure he could TRY to make it into a -- BocaHoo91 11/16/2021 3:36PM

Depends what your goal was -- Beerman 11/16/2021 3:40PM

Maybe we're arguing semantics, but I don't consider that -- BocaHoo91 11/16/2021 3:46PM

If there is not contract language covering conduct outside of the classroom -- 81_Hokie 11/16/2021 3:01PM

Perhaps because teachers are governed by an employment contract, but -- BocaHoo91 11/16/2021 3:11PM

I said twice that the contract is the guiding document. Of course there is -- 81_Hokie 11/16/2021 3:22PM

OK fair enough. It sounds like we're in agreement. -- BocaHoo91 11/16/2021 3:32PM

In VA teachers are "at will", although contractual employees. -- Hoodafan 11/16/2021 3:14PM

What part don't you understand? -- Beerman 11/16/2021 3:32PM

Interesting, although I wonder how much of the contract language then -- BocaHoo91 11/16/2021 3:20PM

It's not that hard to "fire" a teacher, but like many big organizations, -- Hoodafan 11/16/2021 3:46PM

Was it? The government fires a guy for speech, and he has to... -- Los Angeles Hoo 11/16/2021 2:31PM

That's part of what the courts are for -- Beerman 11/16/2021 2:41PM

LAHoo doesn't believe in courts particularly with election law. ** -- Seattle .Hoo 11/16/2021 6:36PM