Missouri Teacher: I Was 'Bullied' by District for Opposing Common Core

Missouri Teacher: I Was 'Bullied' by District for Opposing Common Core

At a state Senate education hearing, a kindergarten teacher from Sikeston, Missouri, described that she has been intimidated by both her school district and the local school board for speaking out against the Common Core Learning Standards.

As reported by Missouri Torch, Susan Kimball testified Wednesday in support of Missouri SB 514 and SB 798. SB 514 “prohibits the State Board of Education, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and school districts from implementing the Common Core State Standards.” SB 798 “modifies provisions relating to elementary and secondary education standards and assessments.”

In her testimony, Kimball described the following:

I have been strongly discouraged from saying anything negative about Common Core by my administration and some school board members.

In a professional development meeting … in-service in November, and at a faculty meeting in January, we were told in my building, and I quote, “Be careful about what you post on Facebook, or talk about in the public regarding Common Core. Don’t say anything negative. It could affect your job.”

Though others were intimidated into remaining silent, Kimball said she continued to speak out:

When I turned in a personal day request to come support the rally for House Bill 1490, I was asked by my principal, “Do you really want that in your personnel file?” And then I was bullied and ostracized by my administration, a few other teachers and the president of the school board. And that continues today.

In response to Kimball’s testimony, Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder said, “Surely it’s incumbent on all of us who hold, who are custodians of these offices who belong to the people, to protect you and teachers like you from the sinister intimidation you described.”

Kimball thanked Kinder, indicating she was uncertain what she would face when she returned home.

“It’s the reason I’ve been so nervous,” she said. “It’s so hard for me to speak. Because you have no idea what I have been through over the past six weeks because of my stand. And the reason I took this stand is because it was right for my kids. They’re my main priority.”

“I want you to understand that we teachers had no say in the Common Core standards being adopted by our school districts and state,” Kimball asserted.

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