XPost: chi.politics, alt.society.labor-unions, alt.politics.usa.constitution   
   XPost: alt.fan.rush-limbaugh, sac.politics   
   From: noreply@dirge.harmsk.com   
      
   Free speech works both ways.  It's not a one-way street.   
      
   Where is the teacher's union in all this?   
      
   Why are they not defending this member?   
      
   Highly recommend filing lawsuits against the school, city, and union.   
      
   A veteran Chicago-area gym teacher was pushed out of his job over a   
   two-word social-media post in support of ICE and calls the experience   
   “devastating and surreal.”   
      
   James Heidorn, a “beloved” longtime educator at Gary Elementary School   
   in West Chicago, came under heavy fire by hysterical community activists   
   and local lawmakers when he wrote “GO ICE” on Facebook last month in   
   response to a news story about local cops pledging to cooperate with   
   immigration enforcement.   
      
   “This process has been professionally and personally devastating and   
   surreal,” Heidorn told Fox News Digital on Sunday.   
      
   “I’ve spent 14 years building my career, pouring my heart into teaching   
   kids, building relationships and being a positive role model,” he said.   
      
   “To see it all upended over two simple words, ‘Go ICE,’ where I   
   expressed my personal support for law enforcement felt like a severe   
   blow to my career.”   
      
   Heidorn’s “GO ICE” posting had sparked an outrage brushfire in his   
   heavily Hispanic school district, culminating with the teacher being   
   placed on leave and then dragged in to meet with HR on Jan. 22.   
      
   The phys ed instructor briefly quit before rescinding his resignation   
   later that day and was going to return to school the following Monday as   
   the investigation continued.   
      
   But the torch-and-pitchfork brigade already had already been whipped   
   into a frenzy.   
      
   Illinois state Sen. Karina Villa, who in September was caught on video   
   chasing ICE agents down the street, condemned the teacher’s “disturbing”   
   Facebook post while claiming she stood in “unwavering solidarity” with   
   families who were upset by it.   
      
   Before the investigation even ran its course, West Chicago Mayor Daniel   
   Bovey posted a video of his own on Facebook denouncing Heidorn’s pro-ICE   
   post as “hurtful” and “offensive” to many in the community.   
      
   “The issue is we have trusted adults who are the ones that care for   
   those kids when they can’t be with their mom and their dad,” Bovey said.   
   “So to have someone cavalierly rooting on — as if it’s a football game   
   or something, yeah go — events which have traumatized these children…   
   that is the issue,” he said.   
      
   Bovey even arranged for a “listening session” for members of the school   
   community — complete with a Spanish translator — in which parents and   
   locals raked Heidorn over the coals, calling his post “cruel” and   
   claiming “kids do not feel safe” as a result.   
      
   “This started with a two-word comment on my personal Facebook page   
   supporting law enforcement—nothing more,” Heidorn said. “It wasn’t   
   directed at any student, family or school community.   
      
   “Second, I was placed on leave and faced intense pressure before any   
   full investigation or fair process could play out, with this it led to   
   my resignation.   
      
   “Third, I lost my career, my income and the chance to close out my time   
   with my students properly—no farewell, no goodbyes.”   
      
   The ousted educator told the outlet that the hardest part of being   
   pushed out of his job was the loss of close relationships with students   
   he cultivated over the years — which included pupils from all   
   backgrounds.   
      
   “Emotionally, it’s been a roller coaster that has me feeling a great   
   deal of shock, loss and deep sadness over losing daily contact with my   
   students,” Heidorn said.   
      
   “Feelings of anger and frustration at how quickly things escalated   
   without real dialogue, and grief for not getting to say a proper goodbye   
   to the kids I cared so much for,” he said. “I’ve had sleepless nights.   
      
   “But I’m trying to stay focused on my family and the support I’ve   
   received from people who know the real me.”   
      
   After a hearing with school officials, Heidorn resigned a second time   
   before he could be fired.   
      
   As a result of the uproar, Heidorn also lost his gig coaching soccer at   
   a nearby private school, and he will be required to explain to jobs he   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)