February 13, 2012

Teachers in Arizona may have to watch their language. A new bill calling for G-rated schools could have them fired for using obscene, indecent or profane speech.

State Senator Lori Klein has introduced a bill which punishes publicly-funded educators whose speech does not meet Federal Communications Commission standards for what can be said on TV and radio broadcasts. Several Republican lawmakers are backing Senate Bill 1467, the proposed measures. The punishments would range from a one-week suspension for a first offense to the possibility of firing for a third offense.

Klein told the Arizona Republic that she was prompted to sponsor the bill after constituents complained about high school teachers using inappropriate language in front of students.

"Students are young and impressionable and teachers should not be using four-letter words in the classroom," she said.

The bill would apply to any public preschool, K-12 school, community college or university. Klein said she was still tweaking the bill, and probably will lower the first offense punishment to a warning.

The bill's current wording makes no distinction between using profane language in front of students or in conversation with a colleague–in other words, teachers could be punished if caught using language deemed inappropriate anywhere on school grounds.

The Arizona Senate's majority leader, Andy Biggs (a Republican) supports the bill. He said the proposed law is not a free-speech violation–the U.S. Supreme Court has allowed for reasonable speech restrictions based on "time, place and manner," he told The Republic.

Greg Lukianoff of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education has observed that the law would block the teaching of such classics as Ulysses, The Canterbury Tales, and Catcher in the Rye. It also would limit any class discussions about free speech, since an important Supreme Court case in that field hinged on a 1971 case where a man wore a jacket in the Los Angeles Courthouse bearing the slogan "F--k The Draft."

In November, the city of St. Charles, Missouri, fired actress Laura Coppinger for cursing – not on the job, but when she went to take a drug test required of all city employees. Coppinger for six years had portrayed the Nutcracker's Sugar Plum Fairy during a Christmas Traditions Festival.

A survey of some 2,000 executives by online job site TheLadders.com found that 81 percent said foul language at work was "unacceptable," though only slightly more than a third (36 percent) actually had issued a written warning about it. Six percent actually had fired someone for swearing on the job.

What is your policy on profanity in the workplace?

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Join the conversation ( 10 )

• Doc Sr. 3 months ago

  

  We allow no profanity to be used even if the client is using it. We are well educated and cultured and wish to sound as such. That stated. I would judge it on the merits and probably allow one infraction with a verbal and a written reminder of company policy. A second offense would result in dismissal because it would demonstrate disrespect of company policy at the least and also exemplify lack of self control which I would find unacceptable in an associate.

• Ted Miller 3 months ago

  

  Actually, to answer the title question, I'd have to say that under most circumstances no, I wouldn't. Profane words aren't functionally much different than other words. They can be used with or without harmful intent. And while I agree that language should be appropriate to the environment, something like this should be up to the discretion of the one in charge, not the law itself. I find it mystifying that anyone should take offense at conversation that is neither aimed at them nor spoken with hostile intent. If a rule is needed, then make one, but keep the law out of it, because this is why we have separation of church and state in this country- to keep church doctrine from dictating everything we do. Profanity is considered offensive to God, not man. Look the word up if you don't believe me.

• Jim Fair 3 months ago

  

  I don't think it is wise for teachers and administrators to use profanity in K-12 schools, but I don't like the idea that someone could get canned for doing so. Seems like there could be a policy manual clause where profanity is discouraged, but when incidents occur they are handled locally among students, parents, teachers and administrators. Banning profanity at a state level borders on dictatorial.In my business and those that I am close to, profanity sometimes seems as natural as breathing. Most people in my world can take profanity or leave it, as long as it doesn't cross a line and get personal.

• Abby Normal 3 months ago

  

  bible-thumping hypocrites seem to love this sort of thing.CallOffYourOldTiredEthics

  • Doc Sr. 3 months ago

    

    Ethics are neither old nor tired. This is about possessing the ability to use the English language properly. The only people that use profanity are those who failed to obtain both a proper education in language arts and lack proper classical upbringing. Having money or position does not negate anything I just said. We are losing the language however and I refuse to hasten it's decline.

    • Kelly Hanlon 3 months ago

      

      Doc, I have spent the majority of my adulthood educating myself. I have an Associate of Arts in English and English Education, a Bachelor of Arts in Print Media, a Master of Arts in Sociology, and an MBA. I also use profanity often, wherever I deem appropriate. As you can see, I am well-versed in the English language. I can spell and punctuate properly; most folks can't, including you. Remember the rules of apostrophes - they are used to indicate possession and contractions. That is all I will say about that. I will also say that you should not judge people who use profanity. It is here to stay. Legislating it is just as inane as legislating morality - it is for the conservative folks who don't intend to change and don't like people who do things differently. I do think there is room to reinvigorate our language, as you mentioned. All we can do is remember proper discourse ourselves and use it daily. However, profanity will always be a part of how we express ourselves, no matter how much you don't like it.

• Doug Hall 3 months ago

  

  As a member of my local school board, I'd say that this is unnecessary intrusion into the local government by the state authorities. It is the responsibility of the local school board to establish policies which are administered by the superintendent. This kind of micromanagement is really pretty stupid.I don't know how Arizona's school funding problems are at this point in time (Michigan's funding is approaching crisis levels) but since this state senator has time to poke her nose this deep into local management issues, I'd have to say from the outside that they must have no important problems to keep them busy at the statehouse.

• Carolina de Witte 3 months ago

  

  @Drewry: I live in AZ, and it's no worse than any other state when it comes to any of the issues you mentioned. (I'm assuming you were referring to AZ, as the article discusses it.)I also think they're right to prohibit profanity in schools. I have a business and we absolutely do not allow profanity in our workplace. Never. Not under ANY circumstances. An educated person knows there is always a 'legitimate' word or phrase that can express your feelings. An employee who uses profanity is NOT helping our business. Our customers/clients do not appreciate it, nor think it's clever. I feel there is NO excuse for any business which allows its employees to use profanity, and I will not frequent a business where it is used. Luckily, I have seldom heard it used in a business setting.

  • Ted Miller 3 months ago

    

    That's because most people are smart enough to exercise discretion when speaking with customers. For instance, you won't find more polite people than those in the military, but do you truly imagine the language remains squeaky-clean once you're out of earshot?Of course not. And, knowing this, do you hold it against them? Certainly not! But why not, when you KNOW they use profanity?I'll tell you why. It's because you know that their habit of using foul language has nothing to do with you, and that said habit doesn't make the courtesy they showed to you any less genuine.You may not be accepting of any excuses given, but you DO understand and accept that not all profanity warrants disciplinary measures, whether you want to admit it or not. Just as I understand that use of profanity is an undesirable habit, one which I struggle to eliminate in myself. That's right, I'm a veteran. Not that that's any excuse, mind you.

• Drewry News Network 3 months ago

  

  there is a state that fires people at will virtually for no reason. they will terminate your employment, simply because they don't like the kind of clothes you're wearing. they would terminate your employment because someone from high school doesn't like you 20 years later. They would terminate your employment simply because you are different. Guess what state it is?http://www.drewrynewsnetwork.com/f8/valentines-day-brings-out-hidden-emotions-feelings-2637.html