# State Superintendent orders students to listen to hate speech **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [November 15, 2024, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-superintendent-orders-students-to-listen-to-hate-speech/1010296 "2024-11-15T18:35:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2024, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-superintendent-orders-students-to-listen-to-hate-speech/1010296/21 "2024-11-16T03:00:58Z")
Oh, I don’t know about that. He’s already proven he loves having acting secretaries, etc. He’ll do what he can to bypass any control, especially Senate control. As I mentioned in my threaad about the clusterfuck continuing, his motive now is to punish the country. There’s no way he’s going to let a little thing like the constitution interfere–and the Supremes have already g ~~r~~ ifted him the privilege of ignoring it. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2024, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-superintendent-orders-students-to-listen-to-hate-speech/1010296/22 "2024-11-16T03:04:01Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > He won’t get 60 votes in the Senate for that, so he’s gonna have to appoint somebody. _Have_ to? Don’t you mean get to? Emperor Trump doesn’t want the involvement of anybody that doesn’t have the last name of Trump and the first name of Donald. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2024, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-superintendent-orders-students-to-listen-to-hate-speech/1010296/23 "2024-11-16T03:10:41Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > He’s already proven he loves having acting secretaries, etc. He’s still gotta appoint them. Acting secretaries don’t just show up one day. I suppose he could just do nothing and let Miguel Cardona keep the job for another 4 years. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2024, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-superintendent-orders-students-to-listen-to-hate-speech/1010296/24 "2024-11-16T03:12:25Z")
I honestly can see him just letting that office, along with others, remain vacant. And then, maybe, just maybe, we’ll see the republicans in Congress evolve into vertebrates. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2024, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-superintendent-orders-students-to-listen-to-hate-speech/1010296/25 "2024-11-16T03:23:55Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > And then, maybe, just maybe, we’ll see the republicans in Congress evolve into vertebrates. And may the leopard change his spots? Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2024, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-superintendent-orders-students-to-listen-to-hate-speech/1010296/26 "2024-11-16T03:35:08Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > I honestly can see him just letting that office, along with others, remain vacant. Not appointing someone just means that the next person in that department’s order of succession becomes acting secretary by default. I don’t think it’s possible for there to be a situation where there just isn’t a Secretary of Education. > **[Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Vacancies_Reform_Act_of_1998#Eligibility_to_serve_as_acting_officer)** > > The Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998 (commonly called the Vacancies Act) (5 U.S.C. § 3345 et seq.) is a United States federal statute establishing the procedure for filling vacancies in an appointed office of an executive agency of the government before the appointment of a permanent replacement. > The Act allows an incoming President 300 days in which to temporarily and unilaterally fill positions with "acting" officers. After this initial extended period, the offices officially become va... ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2024, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-superintendent-orders-students-to-listen-to-hate-speech/1010296/27 "2024-11-16T03:49:11Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > > [@Monty](#): > > > > And then, maybe, just maybe, we’ll see the republicans in Congress evolve into vertebrates. > > And may the leopard change his spots? Infinitesimally likely. But I needed the opportunity to use the phrase I just coined. (^o^)/ > [@Smapti](#): > > Not appointing someone just means that the next person in that department’s order of succession becomes acting secretary by default. I don’t think it’s possible for there to be a situation where there just isn’t a Secretary of Education. I didn’t think there’s a possibility of the office never having an acting incumbent. But I also don’t think Trump can be bothered to appoint someone to an agency he hates. I can definitely see him firing every person who inherits the office, though. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2024, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-superintendent-orders-students-to-listen-to-hate-speech/1010296/28 "2024-11-17T15:34:38Z")
So he is trying to convince students and parents that the left is indoctrinating students by indoctrinating them with a religious speech? That makes sense. ---
**Author:** ![Aescwynn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Aescwynn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aescwynn)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2024, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-superintendent-orders-students-to-listen-to-hate-speech/1010296/29 "2024-11-17T20:38:46Z")
Can’t students opt out? There was a Supreme Court case involving Jehovah’s Witnesses who didn’t want to say the pledge because it was against their religion. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2024, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-superintendent-orders-students-to-listen-to-hate-speech/1010296/30 "2024-11-17T20:41:12Z")
Maybe it was a different make up of the Supreme Court? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2024, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-superintendent-orders-students-to-listen-to-hate-speech/1010296/31 "2024-11-17T20:53:19Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > There’s gonna come a day sometime soon when some prestigious university or another announces that it will no longer be accepting students from Oklahoma, because a high school diploma from there is no longer proof of having received a well-rounded comprehensive education. IIRC exactly that happened with some Florida colleges. I’m not sure if we ever found out what became of that. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2024, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-superintendent-orders-students-to-listen-to-hate-speech/1010296/32 "2024-11-17T20:57:17Z")
I am sure that if that is attempted (or before) some Congresscritter will try to pass a bill preventing it. ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2024, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-superintendent-orders-students-to-listen-to-hate-speech/1010296/33 "2024-11-17T22:54:11Z")
Yep, I’m sure that’s the precedent Oklahoma would like the current court to overturn. It may be hard, though, to convince five justices that not allowing the state superintendent of schools to propagandize a captive audience is undue intererence with the free exercise of his religion. But I wouldn’t necessarily put it past them - and, after all, if this doesn’t make it to the Supreme Court until after Justice Sotomayor is forced to retire for heath reasons, the makeup of the court might be even harder-right than today. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2024, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-superintendent-orders-students-to-listen-to-hate-speech/1010296/34 "2024-11-17T23:02:50Z")
They’ve already ruled that public school officials are allowed to coerce students into prayer. As long as they do it “privately”, which means “on the 50 yard line of a packed football stadium with media invited to cover it”. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2024, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-superintendent-orders-students-to-listen-to-hate-speech/1010296/35 "2024-11-18T01:27:51Z")
…and being told you don’t _have_ to attend, but knowing you’re likely jeopardizing your college, and possibly professional career, by skipping it. ---
**Author:** ![We\_re\_wolves\_not\_werewolves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@We\_re\_wolves\_not\_werewolves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/We_re_wolves_not_werewolves)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2024, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-superintendent-orders-students-to-listen-to-hate-speech/1010296/36 "2024-11-18T01:36:25Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > They’ve already ruled that public school officials are allowed to coerce students into prayer. As long as they do it “privately”, which means “on the 50 yard line of a packed football stadium with media invited to cover it”. “coerced”…sure. I’m not sure that word means what you think it means. The guy was an assistant coach who started praying by himself on the field after games. Students and fans eventually joined him on their own volition. There was absolutely no obligation or pressure for anyone to join him. Absolutely ridiculous overreach by the school district that was rightly slapped down by the court. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2024, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-superintendent-orders-students-to-listen-to-hate-speech/1010296/37 "2024-11-18T01:38:13Z")
Right. 🙄 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2024, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-superintendent-orders-students-to-listen-to-hate-speech/1010296/38 "2024-11-18T01:54:32Z")
> [@We\_re\_wolves\_not\_werewolves](#): > > There was absolutely no obligation or pressure for anyone to join him. I get how you can say _“absolutely no obligation”_, but I don’t get how you can follow that up with a quick _“or pressure”_. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2024, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-superintendent-orders-students-to-listen-to-hate-speech/1010296/39 "2024-11-18T02:46:44Z")
> [@We\_re\_wolves\_not\_werewolves](#): > > “coerced”…sure. I’m not sure that word means what you think it means. The guy was an assistant coach who started praying by himself on the field after games. Students and fans eventually joined him on their own volition. The law has long recognized, and justly so, that there’s an inherent power imbalance between teachers (including coaches) and students. If a teacher tells a student “Well, I can’t strictly speaking require you to pray with me, but everyone is doing it”, students will hear that as “You’d better pray with me if you know what’s good for you”. This is the same reason why there are extreme penalties for sexual relationships between students and teachers, even if the students are of age. Or between bosses and employees. And while we’re at it, the coach wasn’t praying by himself. If he were, there would never have been a court case, because nobody would even have known that he was praying. The only reason anyone (students, press, courts, etc.) was ever able to find out was because he was making a spectacle of it. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2024, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-superintendent-orders-students-to-listen-to-hate-speech/1010296/40 "2024-11-18T03:02:21Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > The law has long recognized, and justly so, that there’s an inherent power imbalance between teachers (including coaches) and students. If a teacher tells a student “Well, I can’t strictly speaking require you to pray with me, but everyone is doing it”, students will hear that as “You’d better pray with me if you know what’s good for you”. Also: _“The District Court found, in the evidentiary record, that some students reported joining Kennedy’s prayer because they felt social pressure to follow their coach and teammates.”_ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-superintendent-orders-students-to-listen-to-hate-speech/1010296.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-superintendent-orders-students-to-listen-to-hate-speech/1010296.md?page=3)