Schools
Letter: Support Batavia Teacher John Dryden's Defense of Students' 5th Amendment Rights
Letter to the Editor: Dryden is speaking before the Batavia School Board on Tuesday, May 28.
Mr. John Dryden is a teacher at Batavia High School. He was tremendously influential in my life and I am sure many of you who read this will agree that that statement is true for you as well.
John Dryden treats his students as young adults. He engaged in active debate with us because even though he didn't agree with us all the time, our opinions were important enough to be addressed. Dryden creates awareness in his students and educates them on their civil and human rights. He teaches students how to recognize when either of these is being violated and to have enough self-respect to take ACTION.
John Dryden taught me that an individual can be greater than an institution if they knew how to organize, how to mobilize, how to lead and how to support something they really cared about. John Dryden doesn't just TEACH. He creates global citizens. He makes young adults aware of their responsibility to the welfare of other people, of peace and of war and ... what drives the two. Of what truly underlies American economy and division of classes and how those things are perpetuated and how they could be remedied. Who could possibly NOT want their children to be equipped with this knowledge?
Dryden is now currently facing potentially serious trouble with the Batavia School Board after educating his students regarding their 5th Amendment rights in relation to a social/emotional/behavioral survey issued to his students. The students were advised that the survey was issued as “mandatory,” and the results were going to be sent home to parents. The survey asked students questions regarding depression, drug and alcohol use, etc. Mr. Dryden shared with his students that they had a right not to incriminate themselves and encouraged them to make an informed decision regarding their participation in the survey.
Additionally, the school notified, but did NOT receive written consent from students’ parents, which violates the PPRA, a federal law which states that if any school or contractor is gathering information regarding:
- Political affiliations;
- Mental and psychological problems potentially embarrassing to the student and his/her family;
- Sex behavior and attitudes;
- Illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating and demeaning behavior;
- Critical appraisals of other individuals with whom respondents have close family relationships;
- Legally recognized privileged or analogous relationships, such as those of lawyers, physicians, and ministers; or
- Income (other than that required by law to determine eligibility for participation in a program or for receiving financial assistance under such program).
John Dryden's commitment to education, REAL education, and to the well-being of the students he teaches is a GIFT to the community of Batavia. For anyone who has had Mr. Dryden as a teacher or for those who care about education being more than memorizing facts and dates, or who have now or will have children entering the Batavia School System, please come out with us to demonstrate our SUPPORT of Mr. Dryden's teaching style and of the value he brings to the Batavia education system TONIGHT at the Batavia School Board meeting.
The meeting will be held at 335 W. Wilson Street (the old library) at 7 p.m. If you wish to speak at the meeting, you must sign up prior to the meeting to do so.
- EDITOR'S NOTE: This letter was written by a student at Batavia High School and submitted for publication by Linda Garrison. It was not written by Linda Garrison, as indicated in an earlier version.
