Facebook Post

[Furious]

Jurisdiction

Georgia

I am losing my job over a facebook post about Michelle Obama. I have been a teacher for 27+ years and has nothing to do with my job performance.

I am losing my job as a teacher over a personal comment that I made on Facebook that has nothing to do with my job performance.

 

[KatDini]

And what does your union say about this? Surely you've contacted your union rep?

 

[army judge]

I am losing my job over a facebook post about Michelle Obama. I have been a teacher for 27+ years and has nothing to do with my job performance.

I am losing my job as a teacher over a personal comment that I made on Facebook that has nothing to do with my job performance.

You just might want to see if your union can refer you to a lawyer.

Otherwise, I encourage to discuss your dilemma with two or three local attorneys.

These days, never create any social media account that ties to your TRUE identity.

 

[adjusterjack]

I am losing my job as a teacher over a personal comment that I made on Facebook that has nothing to do with my job performance.

In recent years many, many people have been fired for something they wrote on social media that has nothing to do with their jobs. Nothing wrong or illegal about the boss getting ticked off at something he didn't like.

However, as a teacher, whether what you said is sufficient cause to get you fired depends on the terms and conditions of your teaching contract.

If you have a teaching contract, read it and tell us what it says about cause.

If you have a teaching contract and are a member of a union get your union rep involved.

If you don't have a teaching contract and aren't in a union, then you are out of luck.

In the future if you don't have anything nice to say online don't say anything, especially if there is even the slightest chance that somebody might be able to identify you.

 

[Betty3]

In at will employment you can be terminated at any time for any reason except for a reason prohibited by law such as religion, gender, race.........or unless you have a CBA or other employment contract to the contrary.

If you have a contract, you will need to read it. If you are in a union, talk to your union rep.

 

[ElleMD]

Public school or private? It makes a difference. It also matters what you actually said.

 

[army judge]

Is this related to your issue, OP?
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Georgia grade school teacher's aide fired for inflammatory social post about first lady
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Yes, you need a lawyer, IMMEDIATELY if it is!!!

I do agree, generally, and I'm so glad both of them will be out of the White House in about 90 days.
In the future, leave race, religion, ethnicity, gender, and sexual proclivities out of your public opinions.
Do that, and your voice will still be heard.
Good luck.

 

[ElleMD]

I read an article on that and wondered the same.

 

[cynthiag]

I read an article on that and wondered the same.

I read the article about that today and I understand that everybody has a right to their own political opinion. However, the language used was so vile and racist, it did more than just criticize the First Lady. A simple criticism would be one thing but bringing race into it, and in such a nasty way, would certainly be a violation of our social media policy and we would likely fire the poster over it as well.

And on a personal note, I certainly wouldn't want somebody like that teaching my kids or grandkids.

 

[cbg]

I'm not quite sure where anyone got the idea that they cannot be fired for something that they did or said on their own time, or that it had to be related to their job performance. Unless a legally binding and enforceable contract or CBA expressly limits the reasons an employee can be fired and this violates it, you can be fired because the day of the week ends in Y, as the former mod of another board used to say. Yes, you are entitled to express your opinion, but nothing in the First Amendment or any other law says that you cannot suffer any consequences for expressing it - only that Congress shall make no law limiting your speech. I take it that you do not teach history, political science or Civics/American government.

 

[ElleMD]

IF we are talking about public employees, including public school employees, there are some protections for free speech when comments are made as a citizen and not in the role as employee. For example, if the poster had written, "As a parent, I disagree with the math requirements under Common Core", that would be protected even if the district did not agree or approve. Comments such as were made in the article linked above, are not protected. The author of those comments was not speaking as a citizen on matters of public concern, they were making bigoted and racist statements for all the world to see. The employer does not have to tolerate such behavior whether it happens on the clock or not.

Any appeals would be through the union or school system's grievance process but I would not hold my breath.

 

[leslie82]

When you start throwing in racial, bigoted comments it does matter toward your job. That reflects on your company or organization.

I hope you're not that teacher in the article - I really hope you didn't talk like that around your students if you were that teacher.

I also don't understand the comment that she won't know how to survive without "luxuries." She did have a life before the last 8 years and worked herself.