The Allentown School District has put an unidentified teacher on temporary suspension following participation in the Jan. 6 protests that ended in violence.
The school district put the teacher on temporary suspension after it came to light that he had been present at the protests in Washington, D.C.
“We understand that many members of our community are upset by the image. At the same time, the district has an obligation to respect the First Amendment rights of our staff and students,” Allentown School District Superintendent Thomas Parker said in a statement, WFMZ reported.
Parker said because of the controversy surrounding the events from Jan. 6, the teacher would be relieved from his duties until an investigation could be completed. It is yet to be established whether the teacher only took part in the protests or illegally entered the Capitol.
Legally the school district is at liberty to fire the teacher as Pennsylvania State law allows employers to fire employees at will without giving reasons. However, the First Amendment rights could shield the teacher and teachers’ union could come in, as explained by the Morning Call.
"The First Amendment rights of all Americans include the right to gather and speak your mind, regardless of what your occupation is and what you are protesting. No one should lose his job for peacefully protesting, regardless of how volatile the topic may be,” read an insight on their website.
Nevertheless, the teacher's job is still at stake as parents with different political opinions might question what their children are being taught in school.
The district still has not released the teacher’s name, but parents on Facebook have called for him to leave the school or be fired.
Companies have since distanced themselves from employees who were involved in the protest. An attorney for Goosehead Insurance, a real estate agent for @properties and an employee at a marketing firm are amongst those who have lost their jobs for their participation in the violent protests. A police detective was also reassigned in Philadelphia, for the same reasons.
Alerts Sign-up