Arizona Ponders FCC Decency Standards For the Classroom

einhverfr writes "Eugene Volokh has posted an interesting discussion of a bill that has been introduced in Arizona, which would tie public school educator conduct to the FCC standards for decency for radio and television. The bill is essentially a three strikes system, firing teachers if they violate FCC standards three times. While the goal of the bill may seem reasonable, the details strike me as silly."

Re:There are so many things wrong with this ...

[Daniel Dvorkin]

I think this is still push back for declaring "Make Love, Not War".

I think you're right. They lost the culture war decades ago, and deep down they know it, but they're going to keep fighting to make the mopping-up operation as nasty as possible.

Re:Our repressed media is bad enough

[purpledinoz]

The FCC should just stay out of the censoring business and just manage the RF spectrum. Look at the Howard Stern show. Why was he not allowed to talk about sexual topics that Oprah was allowed to talk about? The rules were not clear, and were selectively enforced because the guy at the top didn't like him. Why was Janet Jackson's boob accidentally popping out such a big deal for the FCC? Putting the FCC in the classroom is the worst possible idea ever.

Re:Censorship

[Ardeaem]

I keep telling you people, the federal government has no business in public education, the local and state government. As stupid as this bill seems, the next "logical" step would be for Obama to force it on the rest of the nation.

You think it is "logical" that Obama is just itching to pass a federal version of a state decency law written by a bunch of conservative Republicans? That word, "logical", I do not think it means what you think it means.

Keeping all education local would prevent this stupidity from leaving Arizona's borders.

That sure worked with local control of science standards and creationism, didn't it?

Re:Our repressed media is bad enough

[xaxa]

Hmmm... my manager curses occasionally. Generally only when something especially annoying happens -- e.g. her manager has an accident, and she has to cover for him.

But one of my colleagues says "fuck" as much as some people say "like". "I was, like, arguing with the other guys on the project, like, and they were like, 'Let's do it this way'." becomes, "Fuck, I was arguing with the other guys on the fucking project, and they fucking said 'Let's fucking do it this way'". It's very unprofessional, and I find it hard to take him seriously when he can't talk without swearing. He often raises eyebrows around the office "Fuck, Sam, come and look at this! Fucking amazing!". What's wrong with "Hey Sam!"?

I don't think I've ever heard anyone else in my office swear (while at the office).

Re:Two words

[pegasustonans]

Teachers' Unions.

Firing a teacher for anything short of driving their car into the school while drunk and getting a hummer from the head cheerleader is nearly impossible because of them.

Tell that to the 22,000 California teachers laid off last year.

Education is consistently targeted for cuts during this recession, and people keep insisting teachers have it easy.

Wake up. It's our kids that are going to suffer.