An anonymous reader writes "This is a corrected, revised version:
I submitted news two or three times about what is on my mind, but I think I rambled too much because there is too much on my mind. So, now that I see this "Ask Slashdot" section maybe I will just ask you this one question, and ask it anonymously:
Should the rights of technology extend to teachers?
I am a teacher and I recently created something. It is not the greatest thing since sliced bread, but it is pretty good, and it solves a problem in education, and others much smarter than me recognized that fact, and basically publicly endorsed what I did.
Consequently, not knowing what else to do about this good news, I wrote a press release, submitted it to an online PR firm that published it, and Google Education News picked it up. A news service in SE Asia then picked it up, and a Canadian education researcher also wrote about what I did.
In short, without ever having an education reporter write a printed article anywhere, my news reached the world of university researchers, who all seemed to come to look at my creation. And, based on the traffic patterns and hits, and emails, I believe they will be duplicating what I did to solve this same problem.
But I now also realize this: Some people do not like what I did, because by putting my idea as a teacher "out there" publicly, in the market place of ideas, it appears likes I am "competing" and perhaps suggesting all teachers do so, which is a big political issue and a big no-no to some people.
However, here's the thing: To me, this is a free speech issue. Period. Not a political issue in terms of which "side" one is on in education. I am on the side of free speech. If a teacher wants to write a press release, and if Google education news wants to pick it up, and if educators as far away as SE Asia like the teacher's idea and pick it up, then, great. That's technology, that's free speech. And, that's how problems in education can get solved: by technology and ideas carried to others via technology.
Yet, I now realize some people will say: No. Only use an "approved" means of communication. That has not been clearly defined, but I have a feeling that now that I did what I did, publicly, on my own, on a PR release, on Google, a bunch of educators in school districts are sitting around trying to figure out how the heck to close the gates here that mew media has opened. Because if these gates I breezed through stay open, then, there is competition of teacher ideas, and that is a very hot political issue. I was not trying to be political in what I did. I was trying to speak — and, I did.
But, now I fear: because others have seen me speak, these gatekeepers are rushing to close the gates I used. I think there will now be clauses in teacher contracts, prohibiting teachers from using the channels I used.
How does the Slashdot community feel about this potential development? Should the rights of technology extend to teachers?
Thank you for considering posting this question and responding. My hope is that everyone who is in the Slashdot community will say something like his:
Teachers, too, have the right to use technology to publicly speak.
And, if a teacher wants to put out an idea in the marketplace of ideas, then, so be it. And, no school district, local newspaper, teachers union, state, federal government, public broadcasting system, no one, no gatekeepers should stand in the way of any American teacher using technology to speak to solve a problem in education.
That is what I hope Slashdot will say.
I don't need my previous articles I submitted to be published on Slashdot. I need to hear the Slashdot community stand up for me, and for other teachers, who may have ideas, and maybe have big ideas, who may want to speak to the world, too.
But, now that I have shown it CAN be done, WITHOUT the gatekeepers, I feel the gatekeepers are rushing to close the gate again on teachers. Please don't let them. Speak up for teachers like me — teachers who have ideas and want to solve problems in education. Keep politics out on this one issue, because I am talking about free speech and the future and not politics.
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Thank you."
