Pa. district won't punish teacher over Nazi speech

A Pennsylvania school district says a teacher was exercising his First Amendment rights during a speech in which he drew parallels between Nazi Germany and the United States under President Barack Obama.

Spring Cove School District officials say no disciplinary action will be taken against teacher Philip Waite for comments he made at a July 1 tea party rally in Blair County.

Democrats criticized Waite for the speech, in which he likened federal governmental power to Nazism.

Waite said Adolf Hitler was a "slick, quick talker" who told citizens "`you don't need to worry about responsibility."

Speaking after Waite, Republican U.S. Senate candidate Tom Smith said he spoke "eloquently" but later called his comments "divisive."

Waite tells The Altoona Mirror ( http://bit.ly/QJikpE) his words have been oversimplified.

The Associated Press