Actually published a few days ago in the midst of the Munroe business, this unique teacher’s journal shows a different look at what happens in the schoolhouse by a rookie teacher who loves his work and his students, but he expresses his thoughts and observations in a hugely different way than Mrs. Munroe.

Sure, there are some intense moments, even some choice words, too, but mostly it’s world-class hilarious, heartwarming … deeply articulate … like reading a good book.

A Dixie Diary is the teacher’s blog we’ve been waiting for. It’s simply mesmerizing.

Even in those cases, I still believe it is ill advised at best to use a public format to vent.

I’m a fan of free speech, however, and believe that unless you are making only the minimum effort to hide the identities of co-workers in your blog (calling someone “Job Bohnson” instead of their real name “Bob Johnson”) or not bothering to hide the name of your company, you should be allowed to speak your mind.

I think the focus of companies to make certain there is no bad press from their employees on the Internet has been taken to an extreme as of late. In some cases where individuals have been terminated by their company for a blog or post, they have done the equivalent of complaining in a bar about their job or their boss. And often, as in the case of Natalie Munroe, by trying to shut her down, they’ve actually created more publicity for her blog than if they’d handled it quietly in house.

She had 9 followers when she was suspended. Her blog now has 485 followers and I imagine that number will increase over the coming days.

The school has now created in her a sympathetic “martyr” which will mean a substantial amount of bad press for them should they determine the best course is to terminate her.

I make a point not to post any negativity and save rants for my closest friends thus avoiding any potential problems but I think there is a large percentage of the population that looks at blogs as some form of diary and that if only their closest friends are reading them, no harm no foul.

I agree that she was in the wrong but at most, without rules in place to cover what she did, I don’t think the school should terminate her.

Hope to see everyone next Tuesday and Thursday for the last two prelims and then at the Victoria Livestock show starting, Thursday February 25th

Dian Patterson
Jaycee President