Tuesday, March 4, 2008

French court says site cannot grade teachers

A French court ruled on Monday that the spin-off of American sites such as ratemyprofessor.com, Note2be.com is no longer allowed to identify teachers and professors by name.  Thus, essentially shutting down the website.  The teachers that brought suit had the support of their union and argued (I'm not making this up) that the website was an incitement of public disorder and a breech of privacy.

So on this basis the French court should stop all political op/eds that disseminate an authors opinion on the French Parliament.  After all, critiquing politicians too harshly could in fact incite public disorder much like critiquing teachers.  Hilariously enough the union also stated that it was not up to pupils to grade their own teachers effectiveness.  Seriously, the union representative said that.  My question for the court is whose job is it then?  Obviously any sort of critique of the teaching profession will be met with opposition.  Would an outside consulting firm that published their results be a breech of privacy and incite public disorder?  All and all this is a sad day for freedom of speech and press.  Maybe the union should go back and teach that.

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