It appears that even virtual classrooms are not immune from the spread of TDS, or Trump Derangement Syndrome, particularly among teachers.
As we approach the 2020 election, there are bound to be a number of students and teachers who will be expressing their political beliefs. Given that this may very well be one of the most contentious elections in modern history, this shouldn’t surprise anyone.
But what is shocking is the close-mindedness of some educators who simply cannot set aside their own personal political beliefs for the sake of their students. Such is the case this week in New Jersey.
A New Jersey teen said a teacher ordered him to take down a Donald Trump banner hanging behind him in his home during a virtual class last week, according to local reports.
Anthony Ribeiro, a 17-year-old student at Toms River North High School said the teacher saw the banner and told him to remove it before class.
“He said, ‘Anthony take the sign down right now’ and I looked up, seeing class hasn’t started yet,” the teen told NBC New York. “I was on my phone. I looked up at him and kind of just looked back down like I didn’t hear him.”
But the young man had the last laugh.
But the teacher repeated the request and said Ribeiro would have to leave if he refused.
“I waved goodbye, and I was gone,” the teen said.
School district officials have said that there was no rule or statute that would have prohibited Ribeiro from displaying the banner, and that they would be launching an investigation into the teacher’s actions.
