Home Attacks from the Left High School Principal Placed on Leave for Talking About Big Tech Censorship

High School Principal Placed on Leave for Talking About Big Tech Censorship

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High School Principal Placed on Leave for Talking About Big Tech Censorship
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A high school principal has been relieved of his duties for criticizing big tech censorship to students.

Barton Thorne, principal of Cordova High School of Tennessee’s Shelby County Schools “was critical of the riots at the Capitol,” according to a WREG report, but “he objected to actions taken by several social media platforms.”

“It’s what’s going on with Twitter and Facebook and Google and Apple, and their decision as private companies to filter and to decide what you, you hear and know about,” Thorne told students in a recording.

Speaking of the Capitol Hill riot, he said, “That was ignorance at the highest level. I don’t know of too many people that are going to be okay with what happened. I don’t care what side you agree with, we don’t practice sedition, we don’t attack our legislature.”

A Commercial Appeal report says:

“Free speech was being threatened, he alleged, by the actions of privately held social media and tech companies — such as regulating users and applications — being made without oversight of a publicly elected body…

In his comments to the school Monday, Thorne told students that ‘a marketplace of free exchange of ideas’ was at stake, and that students should be concerned that there is not elected accountability for the social media and tech platforms and only financial power from users. The lack of accountability ‘should be very chilling for you, that should be very frightening for you, he said.”

Thorne also said, “Because there have been times even in American history where a small group of people decided what you could hear. You think about ‘McCarthyism.'”

“If you don’t know about that, you can Google that or talk to your social studies teacher,” Thorne added.

A spokeswoman for the school district told the news station, “The principal at Cordova High School has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the review of the comments that were made.”

“With the horrific events from last week at our U.S. Capitol, we have to ensure our children, teachers, and school staff remain in a consistent environment that promotes safety, cultural sensitivity, and represents the highest level of excellence,” School board member Shelead Harris said, adding, “As leaders, we must be intentional about creating spaces for our students to discuss and process events that take place in our country and community.”

She said Thorne’s opinions were “extremely unfortunate.”

14 COMMENTS

  1. SO HERE IS A PRINCIPLE TRYING TO TEACH KIDS THE RIGHT THING AND HE GETS CRAPPED ON …..THAT’S WHATS WRONG WITH THIS COUNTRY …. I GUESS NOW ONLY THE LEFT HAS FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS …. SOONER OR LATER THE RIGHT WILL RISE UP AND CRUSH THE LEFTYS BECAUSE WE ARE NOT GOING TO GIVE UP WHAT OUR FOUNDERS AND FORE FATHERS FOUGHT FOR … THE RADICAL AND MORE CONSERVATIVE LEFT HAS LOST ITS WAY SOCIALISM DEMOCRATIC OR OTHER WISE IS NOT WHAT OUR REPUBLIC WAS FORMED ON AND IN EVERY INSTANCE HAS PROVEN ITSELF NOT TO WORK …DON

  2. Principle Thorne’s message was totally factual and diplomatic to me. My view of social media’s censorship and the Capitol event are much stronger than what he spoke. The Left is ruthless in muzzling the facts and stamping out any opposing thought or opinion. If this type of speech can get you fired from a public school, then every conservative educator must be Very careful or risk looking for another job. This is Not America, folks! This is communist China, North Korea and Iran. Must everybody sign up for the next Mandarin and N. Korea language and thought classes??!

  3. He’s absolutely correct! Freedom of Speech is being censored for only those with a differing opinion than the Left. Many Men and Women fought and gave their lives so that we as Americans could have that very right. Big Tech should not legally be allowed to censor any one group of people! I applaud the Principal for having to courage to stand up for what is right and what is a clear violation of our First Amendment Rights. When BLM/ANTIFA were looting and burning businesses and attacking innocent people that resulted in deaths as well the Left turned their head! There was not attempt at censorship! If you don’t have anything to hide why silence a whole group of US Citizens? It’s Wrong. Period.

  4. We are all expected to be sheep at this time and not be informed about the truth of what is currently happening around our Country. Schools and colleges are among the worst perpetrators of this next to the mainstream media. This criticism will probably be blocked since the 1st Ammendment is currently under review.

  5. It’s getting to the point where you can’t say anything anymore. This is a disgrace that schools cannot talk about things that are current. I think students need to know that Freedom of Speech is our one thing that is in the constitution. Let’s not stop talking. LET US TALK TALK TALK TILL WE DIE.

  6. Normally I would tell folks such as those on the school board to engage in a sexual act with themselves, sadly it is impossible since the orifices necessary for such a deviant act are already occupied by their craniums.

  7. I think Thorne’s opinions are extremely right. Social media was originally set up for people to talk with one another. However, the websites have started censoring people’s communication as well as their address book. Removing (without the users permission) random people from address books.

    • One of the ways to combat this is for people to start at grass roots. run for school board to help protect people like this principle. We have to stop our children from being radicalized. this is one way to do it.

  8. I could not believe that the school board placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the review of the comments that were made. He stated that the students should not believe everything that read on social media. The media organizations are deciding what they want you to see and not always the full picture or both sides to the issue. So the school board is saying free speech and having their students to be educated to think for themselves is not what should be taught is their
    school system. Shame on them!!

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