“Go ICE”: Chicago-Area Teacher Put On Leave For Two Words Posted On Facebook

Authored by Jonathan Turley,

Some of us in the free speech community have been writing about the hypocrisy of many in the media and academia suddenly championing free speech values after years of silence (or support) over censorship of conservatives, libertarians, and contrarians.

A good example can be found in the Chicago area, where a physical education teacher is on administrative leave and faces possible termination after posting two words (“Go ICE”) on Facebook in support of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Local leaders and groups are demanding that he be fired, even though a posting opposing ICE would likely have been heralded rather than condemned.

Social media exploded with commentators calling the teacher a “f****** piece of s***.”

A flyer demanded termination because any expression of support for ICE is “inappropriate and unsuitable for an educator.”

The flyer insisted that “keeping this teacher will disrupt the emotional welfare and therefore, the education of our students.”

Local Democratic leaders immediately joined the mob. That includes Karina Villa, who posted a message saying she stands in “unwavering solidarity” with those demanding action given the “disturbing comments reportedly made by an educator.”

As is often the case, Villa did the perfunctory nod toward the right to free speech before joining the effort to gut it. She acknowledged the right, but noted that “as educators we have the responsibility to our students and their families to create a safe and welcoming environment for all.”

According to the district’s superintendent, Kristina Davis, the unnamed teacher submitted a resignation on Friday but then withdrew that resignation before the board could approve it. She then suspended the teacher pending an investigation.

That “investigation” concerns the posting of two words in favor of law enforcement outside the school on a personal social media account.

In the meantime, Mayor Daniel Bovey and the city council of West Chicago held a “listening session” on Monday to address the trauma of having a teacher who openly supports ICE.  The District also addressed what it called the “disruption for students, families, and staff” and assured families that “our schools are safe spaces.”

Once again, the teacher simply wrote “Go Ice” on a personal social media account.

Notably, the nearby Chicago Teachers’ Union is one of the most radical and politically active in the country.

Members have publicly voiced support for the Venezuelan regime and have engaged in violent public declarations against the Administration.