Majestyk

I'd be interested in seeing the custodian's account of the persuasion used by the officer, to gain access.

fatherphil

but why should these things be hidden? should not any taxpayer have the right to go in and photograph these projects?

it is a shame that the school should make anyone feel the need to do this surreptitiously.

Godless Dave

Why? Would you want your kids' school projects photographed by a stranger? Would you want your daughter's essays published in the paper without her permission? Your son's art projects shown on TV? When did school students classwork become public information?

And they weren't "hidden". They just weren't available for viewing by someone who didn't have permission from the school to enter, at night when the school was closed.

August Spies

should not any taxpayer have the right to go in and photograph these projects?

haha are you serious? Should any taxpayer who feels the urge be allowed to walk into a classroom whenever they want and photograph the teacher and students things without permission?

give me a break. You dont' believe that. this was a public classroom, im sure the school would let a "taxpayer" visit the classroom if they desired.

but ill assume fatherphil was just joking, no one would really say that.

fatherphil

photographed projects? i couldn't care less. published essays, not quite the same. public awareness of what is going on in a public institution is the public's right. lets say the teacher was encouraging them in religious studies towards the Christian faith. surely you would applaud a guy who got this news out by whatever means he had to employ. guess it depends who's ox gets gored.

Godless Dave

I wouldn't applaud someone who trespassed or abused his authority as a police officer to get the news out.

What's "going on" in this classroom seems to be that students are expressing their opinions. I guess you are opposed to that, fatherphil.

Jacey

You're talking about two totally different issues, confusing things up as you are wont to do.

And no, I wouldn't applaud the situation you described either. It implies that what they were doing is wrong, otherwise it'd be done during school hours.

August Spies

Je suis d'accord. I would not agree with a police officer sneaking into a public classroom to photograph things that are in no way wrong or illegal but jsut things he disagrees with.

I would ONLY applaud it if he had found somethign illegal, like the teacher was publishing child porn out of his classroom.

Last time I checked a picture of bush with duct tape over the mouth is HARDLY somthing to worry about.

August Spies

public awareness of what is going on in a public institution is the public's right.

what does this have to do with anything? think about it for a second.

None of the activities in the classroom were secret. If someone wanted to find out what was going on in the classroom they could ask the teacher, or the numerous students in the class, or the parents of the students, or the other teacher that shares the room.

Clearly there was no need for some idiot cop to sneak in while on duty (or "taking a break" while in uniform) to photograph things he disagrees with.

brighid

My son's public school asks all parents to sign a release form to have ANY of the students or family personal information published, including video tapes and other such events.

This officer could have done things a bit more professionally and ethically. Practically breaking into a school, WELL after hours in order to "secretly" photograph school projects is a bit suspicious. He could have asked the teacher to see the the projects, and he could even have asked to photograph the pictures. As it has been said NONE of this work was secret. Just because this man didn't like the content of some of the projects is absolutely irrelevant. The teacher was breaking NO laws, and neither were the students.

IF a teacher was promoting religion in the class room he/she would be doing something legally actionable, not to mention against school rules and therefore a cause of action would be well founded. This officer had NO legal cause of action to be in that classroom. Disliking what is being taught in a school (does he have children that attend this school?) is not sufficient basis to enter a public institution, under the cover of night and under suspicious circumstances to photograph unpatriotic work by students - PERIOD! No laws were being broken, no school rules were being violated so this man had absolutely NO business there.

I wonder how he might feel if tax payers in HIS community decided to enter his home while he was away and photographed the contents of his home so we can see how he is spending the tax dollars that go into his pay check! With the reasoning this man uses there is no place safe from the peering of eyes of Big Brother.

I say the people of his town should start following him around with video cameras. I wonder how his tune would change.



Brighid