Message from North Carolina Association of Educators President Rodney Ellis in support of New Hanover County Teachers. #Red4NewHanover: In an effort to silence public school educators in New Hanover County, the local school board declared that their employees are no longer allowed to wear clothing bearing the phrase “Red for Ed.” They claim that supporting public education is political, even though their own Board Policy 6420 states that “no student or other person shall be subjected to partisan political activities on School System property or using School System modes of communication.” Is supporting public education a partisan activity? Naturally, educators should avoid discussing with students the merits of one candidate or political party over another, but that’s not what this is about. In the words of Supreme Court Justice Abe Fortas in the landmark case, Tinker vs. Des Moines School District, It can hardly be argued that either students or teachers shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.” Most school boards across North Carolina are supportive of public education, and several have drafted resolutions to that affect. Most school boards across North Carolina support educators’ efforts to raise awareness about the importance of supporting public schools. Unfortunately, educators in New Hanover County are being threatened with disciplinary action simply for advertising a phrase that their school board has arbitrarily designated as political. The brave educators at Murray Middle School in New Hanover courageously penned a letter to the local school board refusing to be considered for the 25% contracts school districts are being forced to offer to teachers. In this dire time, the educators of New Hanover County need our support. They need to know that they are not alone. To show your support for the educators of New Hanover County, please encourage your colleagues to take the following steps this Wednesday, November 20: · Wear red this Wednesday. · Take a photo with as large a group as you can. Invite students, parents, and administrators to participate. · To make sure that our friends in New Hanover County know about it, use Facebook, Twitter, and/or Instagram to tag it with #Red4NewHanover. · Please post to the North Carolina Educators Association Facebook page and send a copy of your photos to Christi Broadway at [email protected] · Include a sign in the picture with the phrase “We Support New Hanover County’s Educators! #Red4NewHanover.” The time has come for all of North Carolina’s educators to stand together. As evidenced by the General Assembly’s divisive 25% tenure option plan, there is a movement to divide public school educators from one another. We cannot allow this to happen! Join us in standing with the educators of New Hanover County. Divided we will surely fall. But educators - united with our students, parents, and community - will win the public schools our children deserve and our state so desperately needs.
Posted on: Tue, 19 Nov 2013 03:08:59 +0000
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