Running head: ANN GRIFFIN RECOMMENDED DISMISSAL 1

Teachers’ Rights and Responsibility

Cristopher R. Gamboa, Student

College of Southern Nevada

Author Note

College of Southern Nevada, EDU 210-1003, Dr. Dale B. Warby.

RECOMMENDED DISMISSAL 2

Teachers’ Rights and Responsibility

An incident occurred where a white tenured teacher, Ann Griffin, said that she “hated all

black folks.” According to a negative conversation with Principal Freddie Watts and Assistant

Principal Jimmy Brothers. Both administrators are African-American and were assigned to

administer a predominantly black high school. When the conversation and statement from Ann

Griffin leaked, it resulted in negativity from colleagues both black and white. Ann Griffin was

recommended dismal by the Principal because of concerns regarding her ability to treat students

fairly and her judgement and competency as a teacher.

Pro Support

Supporting the decision of dismissal, a famous case that we all know for using a racial

slur and argument was rejected by the court is Brown v. Chicago Board of Education. This case

involved a sixth grade teacher Lincoln Brown, trying to give students a lesson about using an

inappropriate word. The teacher took a note away from students that were talking about rap

lyrics that involved this word, and gave a lesson about why the word hurts people while the

principal was in the classroom. Backing up the results, Chicago Board of Education has a policy

that teachers are not to use racial slurs.

EEOC Obtains $122,500 from Houston Construction Company for Religious, Race and

National Origin Discrimination. If we were to put Ann Griffin’s situation in reverse and say that

she was the principal and she made the same remark to the other two as teachers, those

“teachers” could sue just as this Houston Constructive Company case. It’s discrimination and

should not be allowed in the workplace, especially in a school.

Con Support
RECOMMENDED DISMISSAL 3

Siding with the teacher for statement she used, we would compare recent case Craig

Hecht v. National Heritage Academies. With the teacher receiving more than $500,000 thanks to

the jury, even though most would agree what he did wasn’t appropriate. Craig Hecht is white

third-grade teacher, with a good record from the past, made a racial joke and was fired for it. The

joke being “white tables are better than brown tables and brown should burn,” while students

were present. Reason for winning the case, that there has been many racial remarks from

African-American employees that never faced any consequences.

Similar cases with having race and hate, we could look at the case Brandenburg v. Ohio.

This case had a rule of prohibiting that “Speech can be prohibited if it is “directed at inciting or

producing imminent lawless action” and it is likely to incite or produce such action.” Just as the

case Ann Griffin did not give a threat or anything unlawful. Though she had the right of Freedom

of Speech, it was a personal conversation between her and the two administrators.

Conclusion

Reading all the similar cases and the decisions from all of them didn’t really change my

opinion of Ann Griffin’s case. Racial Discrimination should not be allowed in schools and should

be faced with consequences. I didn’t agree with the results from the case Craig Hecht v. National

Heritage Academies, Hecht should of faced consequences and the school should deal with

situation with racial jokes serious; four hundred years of oppression and Craig Hecht receives

$500,000 because he faced the appropriate consequence from racial remarks in environment with

children and education. Ann Griffin did not make a racial joke, she stated that she “hated,” and

the appropriate decision is to terminate her and remove her teaching license.
RECOMMENDED DISMISSAL 4

References

2015-2016 Case Information. (n.d.). Retrieved January 30, 2017, from

http://courts.mi.gov/Courts/MichiganSupremeCourt/oral-arguments/2015

2016/Pages/150616.aspx

Harris, D. (2011, July 19). Teacher wins $500K judgment in suit vs. Linden Charter Academy

over firing because of racial joke. Retrieved January 30, 2017, from

http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2011/07/teacher_wins_500k_judgment_in.html

Walsh, M. (2016, June 03). Appeals Court Upholds Suspension in Teacher's Use of Racial Slur in

Lesson. Retrieved January 30, 2017, from

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/school_law/2016/06/appeals_court_upholds_suspensi.html

Brandenburg v. Ohio. (n.d.). Retrieved January 30, 2017, from

http://www.casebriefs.com/blog/law/constitutional-law/constitutional-law-keyed-to-

stone/freedom-of-expression/brandenburg-v-ohio-2/2/