this post was submitted on 25 Aug 2023
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Malicious Compliance
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People conforming to the letter, but not the spirit, of a request. For now, this includes text posts, images, videos and links. Please ensure that the “malicious compliance” aspect is apparent - if you’re making a text post, be sure to explain this part; if it’s an image/video/link, use the “Body” field to elaborate.
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No. They're not interested in playing fair or being consistent. They'll simply warp the rules to fit their outcome and declare these posters noncomplaint. You can't out-maneuver people who simply cheat.
The assholes on that side of things are a mixture of those who actually believe and want the US to be a religious state, and those who simply are using religion as a method of control. That second group is happy to see religious conflict because a) it distracts from real problems while they consolidate money and power, 2) they can use the fervor to further solidify their support form that religious base.
This is absolutely not new and has happened before in history. It's just sad to see the US going down this path.
(I'm going to set aside the fact that your Very Serious reply to my joke post is off-tone, and actually give you a serious answer.)
If you sent hundreds of posters to a school, you would find some school administrators who were only too happy to have the opportunity to plaster the word "God" on every school wall because they're warped. I acknowledge that's a thing, let's move past it.
Most school administrators either a) hate this shit, or b) don't really give a fuck. If you pulled this prank on one of those schools which--and I really want to stress this--are not on board with the stupid law in the vast majority of cases, you are actually handing them a chance to pull a glorious act of malicious compliance. If I were one of them, I would comply with the letter of the law and wallpaper every wall in the school with these things. Give the kids and the parents a chance to see them, and complain. Who are they complaining to? Not you, your hands are tied, you're just complying with the law. You will explain this very patiently to every single one of them complaining about a school where every surface says "In God we Trust". You're on their side, but the school board and your legislators need to hear about this, because hey, we're on the same team.
You can even go with them, and testify that your staff had to spend hours putting them up, taking time away from school activities. What are you supposed to do? This hurts the children.
School administrators don't make the laws, but they can act in a way that brings the issue to the forefront of everyone's mind. School administrators can give the parents a good reason to take the fight to someone who can actually do something about it.
That might not work, in the end. Texas is run by lunatics, after all. But a huge pile of posters might just be the reason you sleep at night knowing you did what you could.
The idea of donating alternative posters has already been tried and that particular school board just ignored the issue: https://www.npr.org/2022/08/31/1120239381/texas-in-god-we-trust-arabic-signs-chaz-stevens I'm sure they'd treat a donation of 100s of posters the same way.
And as I (not a lawyer) read the law it only says that a poster has to be displayed in each building and has to be donated or purchased with donated funds: https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/87R/billtext/html/SB00797I.htm so I don't think you as an administrator would get away with plastering up hundreds of posters around your school, but let's say you did. The parents will complain to you AND the school board (i.e. your boss). They'll say you're making fun of their religion, you're a communist, etc. Even if they law was unambiguously on your side, they'll only see what they want to see. You'll find your chances of promotion to be zero, or you'll just be managed out. Even if the Board somehow agreed with you, you made a stink.
I have friends who are teachers and administrators, not in Texas, who have left or been kicked over lesser issues. The rest are looking forward to retirement.
These bozos passing these laws don't understand irony. They just want misdirection, conformity, and compliant kids. We just need to directly tell them to fuck off at this point.
I'm sorry for my continued Very Seriousness.