CB> "Cissy Lacks, the Missouri teacher who was fired for failing to 
CB> censor 
CB> foul language from her students' creative writing...has received the 
CB> PEN/Newman's Own First Amendment Award, given by the PEN American 
CB> Center.  The center, which is based in New York City, is a writers' 
CB> association that defends freedom of expression.  In April, actor Paul 
CB> Newman presented Lacks with the award and a $25,000 check at a 
CB> ceremony 
CB> in New York.  His non-profit company, best known for its salad 
CB> dressing, 
CB> sponsors the award.  Lacks, who taught at Berkeley High School in the 
CB> St. Louis area, had always received high marks.  She was fired in 
CB> October 1994 for allowing her students to use profanity in plays they 
CB> had written as part of a class project.  She is fighting her 
CB> dismissal 
    Doesn't somebody see this as something other than a First Amendment 
ssue?
    I don't think most lawyers could convince the judges they argue cases 
before that they have a constitutional "right" to use profanity in the papers 
they file!  I don't think most parents could successfully convince their 
bosses that they had a constitutional "right" to use profanity in the memos 
and letters they write on the job, either.  
    This teacher is arguing that she has a constitutional "right" to 
indirectly use profanity on the job when (I hope) nobody would contend she 
had the right to use profanity herself in class.  She is indirectly using 
profanity, because her allowing her students to use it in graded work amounts 
to encouragement.
    And people wonder why private school enrollment is booming?
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