A Republican Teacher? Really?

Listening to the radio this morning, I heard a story about a teacher in South Brunswick, NJ, who was harshly reprimanded for having a picture of George Bush up in her classroom. I went out looking for the story on the Internet, and I found this Discussion Board. I disagree A LOT with most of the people on this board's point of view, but the news part at the beginning is correct.

The breakdown goes like this: The woman had pictures of some founding fathers, and the constitution on the wall, ending with GWB and his first lady. Parents came to back to school night, saw the photo, and freaked out that this woman had the picture up and accused her of politicizing her classroom. There was noise made that a picture of Kerry should be up, too. The principal actually kicked her out. Really.

Now, you may have surmised if you've read anything I've ever written that I'm not a GWB fan. Still, I have no problem with this. I'm not really an LBJ fan, either, but I'd expect his picture to be on the wall right there after JFK's. (Wow, this is getting initialicious!) There's nothing wrong with having GWB's picture up in this context, other than the fact that he ever got to be pres in the first place. Again, that's my opinion.

I expressed my opinion to someone whom I care for deeply, and he surprised me be being really off-the-wall about it. A booming speech came forth about how if the picture was up last year, it's fine, and if it's up next year, that's fine, but this year, it's campaigning. That's ridiculous!

The picture is a picture of our current leader. It's not campaigning, it's Social Studies. Civics, even. Here's a civics question for you - who's the 43rd president of the United States? George W. Bush! Is that answer going to change, whether he wins or loses the November election? No. Is it a crime for a teacher to be a republican? No. Surprising maybe, but not actually *wrong*.

What's making people behave *so* badly about this election? I don't get it. And to Shiba Pillai-Diaz I say, put up any pictures of civic leaders that you like, as long as you're telling the truth about them.