Thursday, February 17, 2005
Ward Churchill and Colorado law
When he was hired, Ward Churchill--who ultimately managed to achieve full tenure in one year--signed an oath ( 630 KHOW - Denver's Talk Station ) to uphold the Constitutions of both the United States and the State of Colorado. Currently in the newspapers here in CO is the issue of whether or not the State has the right to step in. On the above link, two attorneys, one of whom is a liberal, have posted the entire section of Colorado law pertaining to this. I have pasted an interesting section of the law below.
[3] [4] Plaintiffs further claim that the oath
deprives them of equal protection of the laws by
arbitrarily classifying teachers as the sole group of
public employees required to take the oath. This, of
course, is not accurate. The oath is an almost
universal requirement of all public officials, including
lawyers and judges, and it cannot be truthfully said
that teachers are being picked on. Teachers would,
however, be the first to admit that they work in a
sensitive area in which they can shape the attitudes
of the students with whom they come in contact.
The state has a vital concern in the educational
process, and has the right not only to screen
teachers as to their fitness, Adler v. Board of
Education of the City of New York, 342 U.S. 485, 72
S.Ct. 380, 96 L.Ed. 517, 27 A.L.R.2d 472 (1952),
but also to be concerned about possible
advocacy of overthrow of the government by
force and violence.
[3] [4] Plaintiffs further claim that the oath
deprives them of equal protection of the laws by
arbitrarily classifying teachers as the sole group of
public employees required to take the oath. This, of
course, is not accurate. The oath is an almost
universal requirement of all public officials, including
lawyers and judges, and it cannot be truthfully said
that teachers are being picked on. Teachers would,
however, be the first to admit that they work in a
sensitive area in which they can shape the attitudes
of the students with whom they come in contact.
The state has a vital concern in the educational
process, and has the right not only to screen
teachers as to their fitness, Adler v. Board of
Education of the City of New York, 342 U.S. 485, 72
S.Ct. 380, 96 L.Ed. 517, 27 A.L.R.2d 472 (1952),
but also to be concerned about possible
advocacy of overthrow of the government by
force and violence.
