A Texas Elementary School Speech Pathologist Refused to Sign a Pro-Israel Oath, Now Mandatory in Man

[TomSea]

A Texas Elementary School Speech Pathologist Refused to Sign a Pro-Israel Oath, Now Mandatory in Many States — so She Lost Her Job
Glenn Greenwaldglenn.greenwald@​theintercept.com@ggreenwald

A children’s speech pathologist who has worked for the last nine years with developmentally disabled, autistic, and speech-impaired elementary school students in Austin, Texas, has been told that she can no longer work with the public school district, after she refused to sign an oath vowing that she “does not” and “will not” engage in a boycott of Israel or “otherwise tak[e] any action that is intended to inflict economic harm” on that foreign nation. A lawsuit on her behalf was filed early Monday morning in a federal court in the Western District of Texas, alleging a violation of her First Amendment right of free speech.

The child language specialist, Bahia Amawi, is a U.S. citizen who received a master’s degree in speech pathology in 1999 and, since then, has specialized in evaluations for young children with language difficulties (see video below). Amawi was born in Austria and has lived in the U.S. for the last 30 years, fluently speaks three languages (English, German, and Arabic), and has four U.S.-born American children of her own.

Amawi began working in 2009 on a contract basis with the Pflugerville Independent School District, which includes Austin, to provide assessments and support for school children from the county’s growing Arabic-speaking immigrant community. The children with whom she has worked span the ages of 3 to 11. Ever since her work for the school district began in 2009, her contract was renewed each year with no controversy or problem.

Read more at: https://theintercept.com/2018/12/17/israel-texas-anti-bds-law/

Most of these stories that go "School does this" is about the tryanny of liberalism, this one kind of goes the opposite way. Even if I disagree with the concept of boycotting Israel or any other country, that probably should not involve one's job.  Came in on the twitter feed and yes, the Intercept is leftwing. 

That said, no one should be able to use their position in a school to say "I support BDS",  I support the boycott of some country, Canada if an example is needed.

[Wingnut]

Texas passed a law in 2017 that forbids governmental agencies — including public schools — from contracting with any company that doesn't agree to the clause. It's one of 26 states that have enacted similar legislation.  She is a contract employee.  Too bad. so sad and Piss on this Burka wearing jew hating bitch.

[Sanguine]

Something missing.

And, an error:  "the Pflugerville Independent School District, which includes Austin".  Pflugerville is a small town that has been surrounded by Austin.  The Pflugerville ISD does not include Austin.

[thackney]

Texas passed a law in 2017 that forbids governmental agencies — including public schools — from contracting with any company that doesn't agree to the clause. It's one of 26 states that have enacted similar legislation.  She is a contract employee.  Too bad. so sad and Piss on this Burka wearing jew hating bitch.

Exactly.  This is state law, not school district policy.

Anti-Israel Policies Are Anti-Texas Policies
https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/anti-israel-policies-are-anti-texas-policies

[Fishrrman]

From the article:
"The child language specialist, Bahia Amawi..."

Well, that pretty much explains it.
Start lookin' for another job, Ms. Amawi.
I'd suggest the nearest mosque.

(the school board did the right thing!)

[Texas Yellow Rose]

  MORE--  ACLU sues Texas schools, AG over Israel boycott law

https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/ACLU-files-complaint-against-Texas-schools-AG-13475259.php

"The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas filed a lawsuit against Attorney General Ken Paxton, two universities and two school districts Tuesday, claiming a 2017 state law that requires contractors to sign a pledge against boycotting Israel violates the Constitution by forcing workers to choose between their livelihoods and beliefs."

"In its complaint, the ACLU said Texas’ law goes far beyond unfairly punishing those involved with official boycott groups, affecting those who boycott Israel for personal reasons. It asks the court to declare the Texas law a violation of the First and 14th amendments and to bar the defendants from requiring contractors to certify that they will not boycott Israel."

[sneakypete]

Texas passed a law in 2017 that forbids governmental agencies — including public schools — from contracting with any company that doesn't agree to the clause. It's one of 26 states that have enacted similar legislation.  She is a contract employee.  Too bad. so sad and Piss on this Burka wearing jew hating bitch.

@The Ghost

There is no way in hell that can be legal.

Just TRY to write a "loyalty clause to America" into an employment contract and find out.

[Sanguine]

@The Ghost

There is no way in hell that can be legal.

Just TRY to write a "loyalty clause to America" into an employment contract and find out.

But, this isn't an employment contract.