Michigan teacher claims she was fired for organizing Trayvon Martin fundraiser

Title

A middle school teacher says she lost her job at a Pontiac, Mich. charter school because she helped students organize a fundraiser for the family of slain Florida teenager Trayvon Martin.

The firing of Brooke Harris, an English and journalism teacher at Pontiac Academy for Excellence Middle School garnered national attention.

First, regardless of the number of signatures an organization gets it does not in turn require that the school honor it



The woman wants to know why she was fired...


I can put it simply.

You are not to my knowledge allowed to organize political or other causes during school hours. The superintendent gave the order clearly.

also feels like some things are being left out


The only possibility of wrong doing is not having a member of the school teachers enforcers present (union)... I have worked with them and insisted every time I handled an issue they where present. I made the shop steward tell me to just write it up and have two witnesses... I was covering my rear on this... although annoyed it did protect me, i see no mention of it in the article...


Also I note slight bias of the media... the schools story is lacking here...

You are not to my knowledge allowed to organize political or other causes during school hours. The superintendent gave the order clearly.

End of story.

reply to post by boncho


barring any media bias or leaving out info...


you summed the whole thing up...

a better link

Pontiac..... teacher fired for....

again the school denies she was fired for political activism
what is interesting is that upon scrolling down, here it is

Harris said she asked Cassell if the students could present their idea in person but was criticized for even making the request. Harris was suspended for two days. She said was told she was being paid to teach, not to be an activist.

“When you have an idea it needs to go through the ranks, it’s how to respond to the decisions that makes all the difference,” said Cassell.

Harris also claims she had briefly stopped by an after school literacy fair she had organized while she was suspended, that was considered insubordination and she was therefore fired.

note that this seems to be a better quote

she was suspended for two days over the activist activities

she then went to a school function while suspended

definitely no pity

Ironically she is doing plenty to teach; she's teaching kids how hypocritical and backwards society is. Hopefully some will see the injustice in this and speak out against it, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

The moral of this story?
Don't fight for what you believe in.

reply to post by DestroyDestroyDestroy


how is active political organization a part of

english class

journalism class

I could see reporting on it... even writing about it... both appropriate...


Maybe used to develop critical thinking skills



Collecting money is what part of this...


her ideals are not in question ...

her showing up on school property during suspension however is


educators have a union for a reason and it is Detroit.... were are they... as stated before, i am not a big fan.... however I thought this was what they handled... dues are paid for a reason


remember termination seems to be based on not following suspension rules