B.C. TEACHER’S UNION CAUGHT IN FREE SPEECH HYPOCRISY

QUESNEL, B.C., November 27, 2002 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The lawyer for Chris Kempling, the B.C. public school teacher now being persecuted by his own union for private opinions expressed in letters to the editor of the local newspaper, told a B.C. College of Teachers (BCCT) hearing last Monday that there is no evidence Kempling “poisoned the atmosphere in his classrooms.”  Because Kempling’s letters were critical of the homosexual agenda, the usual defenders of free speech have kept their distance. The B.C. Civil Liberties Association is standing aloof. Kempling’s union, the B.C. Teachers’ Federation (BCTF), are paying only half of his legal costs (traditionally it is more) because they find his opinions distasteful and because they say he flouted the “core values of the educational system” by writing letters to the editor.  Yet buried deep in the panel’s written ruling, notes the National Post’s Claude Adams, is what the reporter calls “this remarkable” statement: “It is not essential to find direct evidence of a poisoned school environment. It is sufficient that an inference can be drawn as to the reasonable and probable consequences of the discriminatory comments of a teacher.” Ironically, Adams adds, the BCCT also quotes a Supreme Court judgement that says, “For better or worse, tolerance of divergent beliefs is a hallmark of a democratic society.”  To read Claude Adams’ full story use the search function at:  www.nationalpost.com   Hear Micheal Coren this week on this issue “The Persecution of Chris Kempling”  https://www.lifesitenews.com:7070/ramgen/Coren/112502kempling.rm   For previous coverage see:  TEACHER REPRIMANDED BY COLLEGE FOR OBJECTING TO HOMOSEXUAL AGENDA https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2002/jun/02060702.html   PRO-FAMILY GROUP TURNS TABLES ON TEACHER COLLEGE https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2002/sep/02092606.html