Though constitutional rights are often championed inside the classroom, one Batavia, Ill. teacher is in hot water with his school district. And just what are they mad about? The teacher reminded his students of their fifth amendment rights before administering a school survey to them.

The Batavia High School teacher, John Dryden, is now facing discipline for his actions while administering the survey Apr. 18. Dryden, a social studies teacher, claims that after he saw the names of all of his students on the surveys, he started leafing through the questions and found many that would potentially incriminate them.

"Oh. Well. Ummm, somebody needs to remind them they have the ability not to incriminate themselves," he recalled thinking.

Dryden then decided to remind his first, second, and third block students that the fifth amendment gives them the right to remain silent so as not to incriminate themselves.

A public outcry of support for Dryden has ensued with many parents petitioning the school board to not only let the teacher off the hook, but actually praise his behavior. So far, Dryden has remained calm throughout and has not cast any blame on the school district that is now investigating him.

"These are good, professional, smart people on the other side who want to do what is right by kids," he said.

In fact, Dryden has tried his best to deflect attention away from his own predicament and instead have people focus on the real question at hand: do schools have the right to administer such surveys and use those results to punish students?

"I have asked people (the supporters) to talk about the survey. I think I am a sideshow. This (the survey) was rushed and it wasn't vetted," he said. "I'm not a martyr, I'm trying to refocus people's attentions. Calm down."

The school district has so far maintained that the motives behind the survey were pure. Officials claim that after several suicides in the district they elected to give out the surveys so that students who were having troubles could be identified and treated.