Free speech in the classroom

A teacher in geography class in the US said it for what it is after his class heard Bush's State of the Union speech and was censured by the school for his anti-Bush remarks; now doesn't that sound like an act that will happen in a totalitarian state? You just need to add a little bit of violence to make it so. The scarier thought was that it was not the police, but the school district which suspended the teacher - Foucault's panapticon effect is making the education board regulating its own even before the state police does!

I happen to be a firm supporter of free speech, which is perhaps even more necessary in the classroom. Of course it should be reasonable and presented without attempting to overrule other comments in class, but it will make great food for thought for students to hear a strongly argued perspective from the teacher, to make them look at their own set of beliefs and examine it critically. Now how is that the same as 'indoctrination', or can anyone tell the difference? Isn't all teaching indoctrination? If students are going to be 'intimidated' by the acceptance of new perspectives, they should all stay at home and sleep the days away.

It seems to me that it's only the bureacracy who are sensitive about these things, when they are not the ones affected directly by the teachings. This is so kafkaesque...