Teacher 'Inappropriately' Shares Anti-Trump Views: Superintendent

WOODSTOCK, GA — The Cherokee County School District is working to make sure its teachers and staff are familiar with state and federal laws that prohibit them from engaging in any political activity while on the job, after hours as an employee or using district resources to carry out those tasks.

In a message distributed Tuesday to all system employees, Superintendent Brian Hightower reminded those who make up Cherokee County's largest employer what their responsibilities are with regard to political activity. Hightower said activities employees are not allowed to take part in include, but aren't limited to, sharing their personal political opinions with students during performance of their job duties and responsibilities.

This particular note comes just days after a math teacher at River Ridge High School in Woodstock expressed her personal opinions about President Trump and his Make America Great Again campaign slogan. The teacher on Aug. 31 incorrectly told two students that their T-shirts adorned with the slogan were not allowed in her classroom, the district said.

The teacher, the district added, "inappropriately shared her personal opinion about the campaign slogan during class."

Following the educator's remarks, River Ridge Principal Darrell Herring met with the students and their families to apologize for the incident. In a statement released by the district, the superintendent also said he was "deeply sorry" that the incident took place in a CCSD facility, as it does not reflect his "expectation that all students be treated equally and respectfully by our employees."

"This speech can disrupt instruction; undermine authority, as well as trust and respect between the school and community; damage working relationships... and can infringe upon students’ rights to express their political views," Hightower added in the memorandum.

Along with federal laws, state legislators further restricted political activity by public agencies, including school districts, with the passage of the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Act. This bars entities or individuals, acting on behalf of an agency, from directly or indirectly making any contribution to a campaign committee, political action committee, candidate or political organization.

Hightower notes the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission — formerly known as the State Ethics Commission — interprets this rule as also outlawing the use of school or district expenditures toward promoting a candidate or referendum. Expenditures, according to the law, can also include an employee's time, school facilities and an employee taking political action in any official capacity.

Additionally, employees are also banned from using school resources for these purposes. Resources can be characterized as facilities, copying machines, paper, stationary, phones, audio/visual equipment, computers, vehicles, district email accounts and employee time. Anything bought or maintained with public revenue can't be used to advocate for or oppose a candidate or referendum, the law adds (Get Patch's Daily Newsletter and Real Time News Alerts. Or, if you have an iPhone, download the free Patch app).

To be sure, this isn't a law without teeth. Those who are found to be in violation of the act can be slapped with fines and "adverse publicity for the school district and the individual(s) charged," Hightower added.

"The First Amendment absolutely guarantees each individual the right to engage in political speech," Hightower added Tuesday. "However, employees may never express personal political views or campaign during school hours or in their capacity as an employee after hours."

Hightower said administrators, supervisors and teachers have to be careful to avoid any speech or actions that could be interpreted as advising students or subordinates to vote a certain way or donate their dollars to a certain political cause.

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The teacher's actions have propelled many residents to weigh in on the controversy. Additionally, Michael Williams, the Republican candidate for governor, called on the "anti-Trump teacher" to be fired from her job. Williams, a state senator from Forsyth County, made his feelings known in an email blast his campaign dispersed Sunday.

School district spokesperson Barbara Jacoby said the teacher has been an employee with CCSD for five years, all of which have been served at River Ridge.

"We agree that the teacher’s actions were wrong," she added. "Per state law, school systems can’t talk about employee disciplinary action. Should she resign or be recommended by the superintendent for termination, it will be on the school board meeting agenda, which is published a week in advance of the meeting."

The next school board meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 14.

Patch has reached out to the teacher in an effort to allow her to share her side of the story and is waiting for a response.

Tell us: Should the River Ridge High School teacher be fired from her post?

Image via Patch editor Neal McNamara