This should be pinned to the top.

“for some reason” first rodeo with the Daily Hiel?

I hope so. Although, I can see the potential for a school community to essentially play a game of telephone over social media as well.

We don’t know her priors. But if she has them, fair enough really.

Does a definitive answer of “at least it wasn’t racist” make this appreciably any better? Does it make them any more likely to get a teaching job after this?<

On the first question: yes, making a bad joke is better than being a racist. On the second: also probably… yes, tbh. Not saying it wouldn’t harm her career but less that everyone thinking you’re racist.

It also doesn’t change the core argument the teacher is making in the story. “You lumped me in with a bunch of racists because I was white. I took down the image because it was offensive. Obviously. Why would I leave it up if it was offensive?”<

Completely agree. Claiming reverse racism is almost always shitty thing to do. I’ll happily concede that it’s even less likely the school is racist.

Showing it as a back to school necklace is most likely racist, but even if it wasn’t intended to be racist then it is a joke about teen suicide. Both are fucking terrible.

I completely agree that both are terrible. However one probably doesn’t get you ostracised from society forever but the other does. Being labelled as a racist in your community can ruin your life in a way that having some very questionable dark humor wouldn’t.

I have no idea if the woman is a racist or not, but IF she isn’t, her punishment from the school and the community seems quite harsh.

BTW I’m not from the US, but nooses still make me immediately think of Jim Crow or the KKK (and spaghetti westerns, but thats besides the point).

I might get downvoted to oblivion, but I’m open to discussion.

Firstly, having read the full article… IF (big if) she’s telling the truth and it wasn’t even her then its hard not to feel sympathy for her.

Secondly (more controversially), is a picture of a noose racist? I mean, it certainly has racist connotations and I personally wouldn’t have used it, but (bear with me) I’m not sure racist is the concrete conclusion. Lots of people have been hung throughout history, if you’re not viewing it through a racial lens then are you a racist or just very insensitive.

What about if it was a picture of a mastiff? Or a police officer? Both these things could symbolise the subjugation of slaves. Are we really gonna ban pictures of dogs or police?

Symbols mean different things to different people. Sometimes people just need to be told they’ve been insensitive and given the chance to apologise with promise of doing better in the future.

There is a scenario where whoever put that up was not invoking the lynchings of black people specifically.

Just my 2c.

The theme song to The Raccoons really is an 80s banger.

Organising nones is like herding cats. The evangelicals do not get their power from their number. They vote uniformly and reliably, turning out for every primary, local, and federal election.

We are a diverse bunch with diverse opinions.