Teachers In Jefferson County, WV That Attended Rally At The Capital Threatened With Termination

[mystery-ak]

Teachers In Jefferson County, WV That Attended Rally At The Capital Threatened With Termination
January 9, 2021 - 6:22 pm



About 30 teachers who attended the rally are being told to report to a meeting where they may lose their job

Charles Town, WV (DG) –  Nearly 30 teachers in Jefferson County, West Virginia that attended the rally at the Capital in Washington DC on Wednesday are now being threatened with termination.

A letter was sent to the teachers by the Jefferson County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Bondy Shay Gibson. In the letter the teachers are told to report to a meeting on Tuesday, January 12, 2021 where disciplinary action, including termination, will be discussed. The teachers are encouraged to bring a representative with them. The teachers were also told to not enter any Jefferson County School’s property or attend any school activity.

The Jefferson County Republican Executive Committee released a statement about Dr. Gibson‘s letter. They say it is a threatening letter that is attack on our liberties. The JCREC is requesting that Dr. Gibson be suspended pending an investigation of her actions. They are also requesting that the Board of Education immediately cease the violation of the constitutional rights of the Board of Education employees, students, and the citizens of Jefferson County.

more
https://www.wfmd.com/2021/01/09/teachers-in-jefferson-county-wv-that-attended-rally-at-the-capital-threatened-with-termination/

[mountaineer]

Due process applies to school boards. This should be interesting. 

[Avalon1]

The teachers union is a group of flaming liberals and makes New York look conservative.

[mountaineer]

What makes this interesting is that the teachers' union/association, WVEA, is a bunch of flaming liberals. Apparently, some teachers in WV are not liberals. They're conservatives and *gasp* Trump supporters.  Worlds are colliding.

[mountaineer]

Jefferson County GOP - WV
Facebook

Statement of Jefferson County Republican Executive Committee Regarding Jefferson County Board of Education's Illegal Actions Against Republican Employees

The Jefferson County Republican Executive Committee is aware of reports that multiple Jefferson County Board of Education employees have been disciplined and verbally threatened with termination for supporting President Trump.  The employees attended President Trump's speech on Wednesday.  To our knowledge, none of the impacted employees have been accused of violating any laws and have denied taking part in any of the shocking acts perpetrated by a few criminal actors.

The threatening letter that Dr. Gibson sent to the impacted employees is a frightening attack on our liberties.  The Constitution protects the right to free speech, freedom of assembly, and the right to freely associate.  The Supreme Court has repeatedly upheld the right of public employees to exercise those rights and prohibits retaliation against employees for doing so. Dr. Gibson's attack on those rights has placed the Board of Education at great financial and legal peril. 

On behalf of all Jefferson County Republicans, the JCREC is requesting that the Board of Education immediately cease the violation of the Constitutional rights of the BOE's employees, students, and the citizens of Jefferson County.  We are further requesting that Dr. Gibson be suspended pending an investigation of her actions.  Dr. Gibson is entitled to be a Democratic activist; however, if it is determined that Dr. Gibson has violated the law then she must be terminated from her position as Superintendent.

As a reminder to Dr. Gibson and the BOE, a strong majority of 15,033 Jefferson Countians voted to re-elect President Trump. While Dr. Gibson may not like this, the majority of the children whose education she oversees come from families who support our President.

The chairman of the county GOP is a county commissioner. He also issued a statement on Facebook:

Steve Stolipher County Commissioner

The letters from the Superintendent of Jefferson County Schools for punishing employees for participating in a political rally are greatly concerning for our democracy. The government of Jefferson County should not be violating the Constitutional rights of our employees or citizens. I'm requesting an agenda item for the County Commission to consider what oversight options over the Board of Education are available to it, including with regards to potential removal of any Board members involved in the Superintendent's illegal actions. I was elected to protect the rights of our citizens and I fully intend to do so.

Below is the State Code section which I intend to discuss at a Special Meeting on Friday 1/15/21.

§6-6-7. Procedure for removal of county, school district and municipal officers having fixed terms; appeal; grounds; cost. ...

[Wingnut]

The chairman of the county GOP is a county commissioner. He also issued a statement on Facebook:

I so want to see the good Doctor gone.  I hope it happens. 

[mountaineer]

In related news:

Virginia town places 2 officers on leave over D.C. rally
Associated Press | Sunday, January 10, 2021 5:23 p.m.


ROCKY MOUNT, Va. — A Virginia town put two officers on leave after they went off-duty to events in Washington that led to a deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol.

The town of Rocky Mount issued a statement Sunday saying that two off-duty officers from the Rocky Mount Police Department were at what town officials called the “event” in Washington on Wednesday, in an apparent reference to a rally by Trump supporters that turned violent.

“The Town of Rocky Mount fully supports all lawful expressions of freedom of speech and assembly by its employees but does not condone the unlawful acts that occurred that day,” a town statement said. ...

Rest of story

No evidence, mind you, they participated in any of the "violent" activities. For all we know, they listened to Trump, returned to their vehicle, and went home.

[mortarman]

None of the teachers that marched their students up to the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison in 2011 got fired. Of course the state Superintendent of schools went on to become Worst Governor Evers.

 

[mountaineer]

Posted at Facebook:

John H. Bryan, Attorney at Law
47m  ·
You may have seen in the national news, and on social media, that the Superintendent of Jefferson County Schools, in Jefferson County, West Virginia, decided to come after school employees who attended the Trump Rally on January 6, 2020.

At least two employees, both long-time school bus drivers, who attended the rally, and who never entered any prohibited areas near the Capitol, never witnessed violence, never participated in violence, destruction of property, trespassing, etc., were suspended on January 8, 2020, and remain suspended as of this time.

This afternoon we filed a federal Section 1983 civil rights lawsuit against the Superintendent, individually, for money damages.
Read the lawsuit in full at the link

[mountaineer]

Employee spokesman: Jefferson school worker cleared in disciplinary hearing
By Jeff Jenkins
January 12, 2021 - 9:25 pm

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. — A Jefferson County school bus driver who attended last Wednesday’s rally in Washington, D.C. that turned violent has been cleared of any wrongdoing by the school system, according to a spokesman for one of the employees.

Pam McDonald and fellow bus driver Tina Renner were suspended with pay by Jefferson County School Superintendent Bondy Shay Gibson while Gibson conducted an investigation. The two workers took the day off last Wednesday and rode a bus to D.C. for the pro-Trump rally....

Meanwhile, both women have filed a lawsuit against Gibson claiming she violated their Constitutional rights. ...

Casto said Tuesday Renner and McDonald are “model employees” and shocked at what happened. He said they were nowhere near the violence.

“So they were on the bus leaving when the worst of this so-called riot occurred,” Casto said. “The closest they got was across the Capitol Reflection Pool and it appears the closest they would have gotten is 14-hundred or so feet from the Capitol itself.” ...

WV Metro News