Clinton fires a teacher

Perhaps you've heard of the recent case of Clinton High School teacher Steve Walters, who was recently fired from his teaching position because he refused to wear an ID badge. As a security measure, the school several months ago began to require this visible badge to be displayed by all students and employees. It appears that Mr. Walters thought this rule was stupid, wouldn't really make the students more secure, and would be a disruption to his class because the kids would be so anxious about intruders that they couldn't concentrate on English.

It really takes a lot to fire a public school teacher, especially one with tenure (at least three years in their current position). The unions protect even the most lazy, indifferent, or incompetent. But they were unable to prevent the school board of Clinton from giving Mr. Walters his pink slip. Apparently they found another reason for which even a tenured teacher can be fired (besides hitting or having sex with a student). Mr. Walters was guilty of insubordination.

In a school, people are expected to follow the rules. Some of the rules may seem "stupid." But there are reasons for all of them, whether we know what the reasons are or not. Mr. Walters has been a proficient and popular teacher. Many of his current and past students have testified on his behalf and are proud of the stance he is taking. He is continuing to teach by example. But what is he teaching?

When you get a job, and the employer expects you to wear a uniform while on the job, it's not going to matter if you think the name badge is "stupid" or "gay." If you had a teacher that encouraged you to "speak truth to power" and "stand up to the man" because he was an aging hippie and that's the way they did it in the groovy 60's, man, then maybe you'll do something stupid like disobey your employer's rules.

That doesn't mean that rules and laws, even the supreme law of the land (US Constitution) can't be changed. But we need to obey laws that are not in violation of God's Word even as we work within the system to bring about change.