N.Y. Teacher Could Be Fired Over Controversial Facebook Post

by Amar Toor on March 15, 2011 at 08:23 AM

A Brooklyn teacher could be out of a job very soon, after making some controversial comments about her students on Facebook.

Just a day after a 12-year-old girl drowned on a school field trip to the beach, fifth-grade teacher Christine Rubino posted a status update, implying that her students may deserve the same fate. "After today, I'm thinking the beach is a good trip for my class. I hate their guts," Rubino wrote. A friend soon commented, asking, "Wouldn't you throw a life jacket to little Kwami?" But the teacher said she wouldn't -- not even "for a million dollars."

One of Rubino's colleagues saw the post and alerted school authorities. After school investigator Richard Condon conducted a probe into the matter, Rubino was confronted, about six months after she posted the controversial status. At first, the teacher blamed the incident on a friend who had access to her account. A longtime friend later corroborated Rubino's claims, and took responsibility for the post. But school officials haven't bought her story.

Now, the teacher is in the midst of termination hearings, facing accusations of "conduct unbecoming a teacher" and witness tampering. (Rubino insists that her friend came to her defense without coercion.)

Insensitive as her comments may have been, some believe that termination would violate the teacher's right to privacy. "There's an expectation that this posting is to be shared with friends, not the general public," said Marshall Bellovin, a lawyer who specializes in teacher rights. "Therefore, any severe measure taken against a teacher, in my opinion, would be unfair."

Rubino, meanwhile, acknowledges that her post was inappropriate, but argues that it shouldn't jeopardize her 15-year teaching career. "It was something I said out of anger," Rubino told the New York Post. "I would never take my class to the beach. I would never hurt them."

Tags: brooklyn, christine+rubino, christinerubino, facebook, new york, NewYork, ny+teacher+facebook, nyteacherfacebook, privacy, rubino+brooklyn+teacher, rubinobrooklynteacher, school, SocialNetworking, Status, students, teachers, top, web

source: NY Post

Comments

vendelaveeMar 15th 2011 8:39AM

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This is getting rediculous. People getting fired just because they make comments on the internet off the clock that their employer doesn't like. This is a PERFECT EXAMPLE of why Labor Unions are needed. To protect employees from such abusive and subjective firings. There are no laws to protect people from being fired for expressing religious or political views either on their own time either. You should only be allowed be fired for what your say ON the job, not OFF the job!

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High ClimberMar 15th 2011 10:35AM

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This woman has no business being around children by making these hateful comments. Only a complete moron would post something like that to the public. Her true colors are showing.

I'm glad she is fired and this behavior is the epitome of the union thug mentality.

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BobMar 15th 2011 3:27PM

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@High Climber booo hooo these "hateful comments" are going to ruin the ickle childrens' lives. I am sure you've never said anything borderline before about your boss or coworkers after a long day at work.

Total idiot for posting this on the internet, however.

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Justthe10Mar 15th 2011 11:33AM

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If children can be expelled for drawing a doodle of a bomb, gun, or writing that they wish a teacher or student would die, then YES a teacher should be held to the same standards. They should be held to HIGHER standards because they "supposedly" have better reasoning skills and should be in better control of their emotions than a younger student would.

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CLenoirMar 16th 2011 5:00PM

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This teacher should be punished for saying something so unprofessional and thoughtless. An anti-bullying policy was just discussed in Washington concerning school administrators monitoring students' Facebook activity. If students are being held responsible for their comments, shouldn't teachers as well? Please feel free to check out my blog about the topic on eZanga: http://tinyurl.com/6fju3bo

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curious mindsMar 16th 2011 10:50PM

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Do teachers give up their first amendment right to Free Speech when they sign their contracts? My reason for asking it is amazing to see how many teachers are making, in my opinion, a poor choice to comment about their students on fb and then are being held accountable even though it is "afterhours." However, daily students are posting comments about teachers yet the ACLU jumps to protect their freedom of speech. What I don't understand is why is a students rights to "Freedom of Speech" more protected than a teachers? Any thoughts?

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