Schools are taking a bite out of the Bill of Rights this summer.

Between gag orders on teachers and banning teachers from wearing "religious attire" in school, the First Amendment is being put to the test by school districts and state lawmakers.

Freedom of Speech

On the Confessions from the Couch blog, Miss A writes:

“I was informed today that teachers have a gag order from our Supe…  Release of information about the district, its students or disparaging comments to the media will result in termination. I think this applies to Internet/blogging, too! Although, I found the following [are] our union site:  Our contract “does not regulate teachers” speech.” Read more

There is a level of common sense about publishing disparaging remarks/complaints about your employer online. Just like it’s a bad idea to yell at your boss to his/her face, it is an equally unwise idea to rip your school or district a new one in a public forum.

I can also understand the district’s desire to handle their public image through PR professionals to send a single message. Let’s face it, sometimes people put their foot in their mouths despite their best intentions or exaggerate with less-than-admirable intentions.

With that being said, the district approach does not exactly demonstrate respect for their employees. Rather than explain their reasoning and request that teachers not speak to the media, the district threatened teachers with their jobs and banned them from sharing their opinions or venting their frustrations through social media.

I can’t help but be reminded of an NPR broadcast about China’s repressive control of the media and how even the new independent newspaper knows there are boundaries and that “no one is untouchable.”

As Americans, we tout the value of freedom of speech and freedom of the press to keep those in power honest and ensure that citizens are treated fairly. Doesn’t a school district have a responsibility to the community and their students to face criticism from within?

No one knows the problems in a school better than the teachers. How is anything going to improve without their honest input and opinions?

Freedom of Religion

Oregon lawmakers are voting on a bill that would ban teachers from wearing “any religious dress,” potentially including hijabs (head coverings worn by Muslim women), turbans (worn by Sikh men) and Jewish yarmulkas.

Specifically, the legislation states that "No teacher in any public school shall wear any religious dress while engaged in the performance of duties as a teacher." There is a similar law in Pennsylvania.

Despite a completely contradictory law ensuring this freedom everywhere except schools, bill supporters claim that the rights of the students to be free of religious influence are more important than the rights of the teachers to exercise religious freedom.

According to the Anti-Defamation League: “under such statutes, teachers are permitted to wear decoration such as necklaces bearing crosses or Stars of David, which some courts regarded as religiously "ambiguous." Without such a statute, a teacher's religious garb may still violate the prohibition on government endorsement of religion and should still be banned.”

The separation of Church and state precludes schools from bringing religion into the classroom. Great, I’m on board so far, but these laws seem to favor some religions and target others.

The spirit of the Amendment is to provide freedom to practice your religion without forcing your beliefs or impinging on that same right for your fellow citizens. Teachers can have a tremendous influence on children, so I can understand how important it is for teachers not to thrust their beliefs on their students.

On the other hand, merely wearing a hijab, yarmulke or other outward vestige of religious practice does not do that. It just shows children that there are different religions, traditions, beliefs and practices in the world. It is another example of diversity that should be embraced. In fact, it seems like a lesson in tolerance to know and respect people who are different from them.

Am I totally off the mark? Are the states and districts justified in their actions? Share your opinions in the comments section!