Why I blogged about it

The class I referred to was not a typical English class, but rather a college-level course that aims to prepare students for the Advanced Placement English Language exam. The exam requires students to write extensively, formulate persuasive arguments, analyze rhetorical strategies, and synthesize information to form opinions.

The post, in which I criticized the tone of the student's speech and mentioned that I disagreed with its politics, was meant to give other teachers an example of my own ideas about instructing students on speechwriting.

I have since faced widespread criticism for, as one detractor put it, "bringing up politics in English class." Most of the critics don't understand the nature of the course or my efforts to avoid inciting contentious debates about politics.

Many have weighed in on whether I deserved to lose my job at the Academy of Notre Dame de Namur, a private girls' school in Villanova. However, most of my critics have no idea what actually happened in this complex, unsettling case.

The fact is that I never meant to identify any student. I honestly believed I was being discreet, and I used the words a student only to give my post context.

In retrospect, that was a mistake that I regret. I have apologized many times for inviting the misperception that I was trying to "target" any child for having a different point of view. That is not what I meant to do.

My case is so controversial, I think, because it brings up parents' most deep-seated fears about schools and education: that their children might be publicly embarrassed, and that teachers could infect impressionable young minds with ideas they find threatening.

My case also reflects the gaping partisan divide in America. I have been accused of "indoctrination" and "activism," of trying to push my Democratic "agenda." Yes, I am a Democrat (though it rarely comes up). I am also active in education reform, adoption rights, and environmental causes. I am proud of my efforts to make the world a better place, and I won't apologize for extracurricular interests.

I also don't want to apologize for blogging. I blogged because, as a teacher involved in technology issues at my school, I was instructed to do so - as a model for other teachers, and to help promote student writing. Blogging is a modern educational technique that can help teachers connect with tech-savvy students.

My case is also about free speech and the intellectual freedom of teachers. I am speaking widely about it now because I hope the discussion will help administrators craft policies that encourage more teachers to innovate and take good risks - such as using social networking, blogging, and other tools - without fear of being witch-hunted or losing their jobs over something they were told to do.

I have received e-mails and messages from teachers everywhere who have alarmingly similar stories of being attacked for blogging. It's a real shame. How many great (if unconventional) teachers have we lost because they tried to stay current and take their teaching to the next level?

There is a profound disconnect between what teachers are learning about how to educate students in the 21st century and how administrators and parents treat teachers who dare to use technology in education. Will my case help change that? I can only hope.