Wis. Districts Asked to Release Protesting Teachers' Names

[proud2BlibKansan]

Some Wisconsin school districts are being asked to release the names of teachers who called in sick during protests in February at the Capitol.

Some districts had to close for a day or more after teachers went to Madison to protest against Gov. Scott Walker's plan to end collective bargaining for most state employees.

<skip>

Larry Gamble, a retired pilot and Tea Party member from Franklin, estimates he filed about 50 records requests, including one for the names of Madison teachers.

But legal counsel Dylan Pauly said the district doesn't want to release the names after board members and administrators received "a number of threats" against themselves and district employees.

more . . . http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2011/05/24/431188wiwisconsinproteststeachers_ap.html?tkn=XTQFliMdQ9VTcJfhIYCDyg8m4ROP01K5rOgW&cmp=ENL-EU-NEWS2

[Scuba]

1. Despicable intimidation tactics. n/t

[dhill926]

2. fuck this......

lots of friends teaching in WI, and I know some called in sick. Got a ton of shit from their principals.

[pacalo]

3. There are several good reasons not to release the names, so the judge will likely deny the request

as was a previous request.

It's an obvious McCarthy-like tactic to punish dissenters. Many students & their parents supported their teachers' rights. Lost school days could be made up, but weren't the days of peaceful protests a valuable first-hand educational experience in itself? How many young minds formed an interest in community affairs & government through their experiences? They weren't sitting in the classrooms but they gained more practical experience in how government operates than any other students across the nation who did attend school those days.

It's another Walker/Republican Party shameful deed against the good citizens of Wisconsin:

Brett Healy, president of the MacIver Institute, a conservative think tank that requested the Madison names, said taxpayers have the right to know which teachers left the classroom to protest.

[Hannah Bell]

4. kr for freeeeedooooommmmm