The Arizona legislature is considering a bill for higher education and secondary education that would bar teachers from political advocacy in the classroom. I strongly oppose the higher education portion of this bill (although I have already been attacked by a spokesman for the American Association of University Professors for “embracing” it) – and this myth is already spreading across the web. So for the record I strongly oppose SB 1612, the Arizona legislation  that would bar university instructors from advocating “one side of a social, cultural or political issue that is a matter of partisan controversy,” or taking sides in any court case, or opposing legislation. College students are adults and all these injunctions would effectively prevent university instructors from carrying out their professional tasks. Moreover, as I have said many times and on many occasions: I oppose all legislation that would impose restrictions on what university instructors say in the classroom. I have never advocated legislation that would monitor or restrict what university instructors say in their classrooms and do not support any legislation pending anywhere in the United States that would do so. Therefore I oppose – unconditionally and without reservation – all those clauses of SB 1612 that refer to higher education.

That said, there is another section of the bill regarding K-12 education which I do wholeheartedly endorse. There is massive indoctrination going on in our K-12 schools which is unconscionable. K-12 students should not be subjected to partisan agitation by their teachers. Public school teachers who are employees of the state should not behave in a sectarian political manner in their classrooms. I therefore endorse those sections of SB 1612 that apply to the K-12 schools.

I have made this statement as clear as possible understanding that leftwing ideologues who have no regard for the truth will ignore and/or distort it.