Amerika, Amerika! God shed his grace on thee.

Perhaps some of you are familiar with the story I just found this weekend online. It's an unfolding story with the lawsuit brought by Deborah Mayer set to go to trial next month. Here's the gist of her story.

In January of 2003, before the war in Iraq began, Deborah Mayer, a public school teacher in Bloomington, Indiana, said to her class that she thought peace was an option to war and that we should seek out peaceful solutions to problems before going to war.

Angry parents objected to Mayer's statement and accused her of being unpatriotic and anti-Bush. They insisted that she not mention peace in her class again and that she be terminated. Peace Month, a traditional time for teaching students about civil rights and peaceful mediation, was canceled.

Mayer, who had until then been acclaimed an exemplary teacher, and who had recently earned her administration credentials, was terminated.

Since that time, Mayer has lost not only her job, but her career, her health insurance, her home, her life savings, and her independence. She cannot get another job. She now resides with her son who is a doctor in Madison, Wisconsin.

In 2004, Mayer, through her attorney, Michael Schultz, filed suit against Monroe County Community School Corporation et al, for violation of her First Amendment right of free speech, (Cause No: 1:04-CV-1695 B/S). The school corporation contends that Mayer's speech was not protected because THE WAR IN IRAQ IS NOT A MATTER OF PUBLIC CONCERN. Unbelievable! Source: Share the Sacrifice

Further details available on "Teacher awaits day in court".