[AAACE-NLA] [rsct] N. Carolina Teacher Fired For Anti-War Remarks

Tue Sep 16 10:22:22 EDT 2003

While this forwarded message is not directly related to adult literacy
advocacy, I believe it speaks to the broader context of the political
culture in which we seek to operate.  In addition, since messages like
these, apparently, are banned from the NIFL lists--even those lists that
have a strong political focus in their descriptors, my hope is that you
will allow this to be posted here so that the adult literacy sector as an
organized community can publicly discuss issues like this.

Thank you for your consideration.

George Demetrion 
Semper Fi
_____________________________________________________________

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SEPTEMBER 12, 2003 9:01 PM CONTACT:  Ito Defense
Coalition 336/760-8798

itodefense @hotmail.com
elizabethito @hotmail.com

North Carolina Teacher Fired for Antiwar Remarks

WINSTON-SALEM, NC - September 12 - Carolina teacher Elizabeth Ito has
appealed her firing from Forsyth Technical Community College, which came
after she made remarks critical of the conduct of the war in Iraq. Her
firing, which has been widely criticized by local anti-war activists and
free speech advocates, is seen as part of a larger crack-down on dissent
and academic freedom. "It is clear that Elizabeth didn't lose her job
because she expressed a personal opinion in the classroom," said Liz
Seymour, a member of the Ito Defense Coalition. "She lost her job
because of the opinion she expressed."

On Friday, March 28, 2003 Elizabeth, a first-year English teacher at
Forsyth Tech, spent ten minutes at the beginning of her business writing
class voicing her concerns about the war in Iraq. During this time the
US military was encountering much unanticipated resistance in its push
toward Baghdad and the previous night's news had reported that 30,000
more troops were being called up, a figure that by the next morning had
risen to 120,000. Elizabeth wrote these numbers on the board and asked
the students what they would do if the government had to start drafting.
After class had ended two students complained to Elizabeth's supervisor
Susie Keener, Chair of the Department of Humanities/Communication, that
Elizabeth had criticized the war in class.

The following Monday morning Susie Keener and John Slade, Dean of the
College of Arts and Sciences, met with Elizabeth for over two hours to
discuss the incident. At the end of the meeting Dean Slade asked
Elizabeth to promise not to raise the topic of the war again in class.
Elizabeth said that she had no intention of revisiting the subject but
that she was unwilling to bind herself to a promise. Later that week
Dean Slade presented Elizabeth with a disciplinary letter that concluded
with the statement "this matter is resolved."

Elizabeth, who had been commended for her teaching in a series of
official reviews throughout the year did not, in fact, discuss the war
again in class. Nonetheless, on May 15 she received a certified letter
at her home informing her that Forsyth Tech no longer needed her
services. In the weeks following her dismissal Elizabeth's students
spoke out on her behalf-even one of the students who originally
complained to the Forsyth Tech administration told Michelle Johnson a
reporter for the Winston-Salem Journal, that he did not think Elizabeth
should have been fired for her remarks.

Ito's firing has received widespread press attention in North Carolina
including articles in the Winston-Salem Journa, the Durham Herald-Sun.
the Greensboro News & Record, and the Carolina Peacemaker. A story was
also broadcast on the local NPR affiliate. "This is not just about me or
about my job," said Ito. "It's about something very disturbing that is
happening all over the country. I want people to understand that if it
could happen here it could happen anywhere."

--part1_6.188d6743.2c98452d_boundary
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<HTML>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SEP=
TEMBER 12, 2003 9:01 PM CONTACT: &nbsp;Ito Defense
 Coalition 336/760-8798
 
 
 itodefense @hotmail.com
 elizabethito @hotmail.com
 
 North Carolina Teacher Fired for Antiwar Remarks
 
 
 WINSTON-SALEM, NC - September 12 - Carolina teacher Elizabeth Ito has
 appealed her firing from Forsyth Technical Community College, which
came
 after she made remarks critical of the conduct of the war in Iraq.
Her
 firing, which has been widely criticized by local anti-war activists
and
 free speech advocates, is seen as part of a larger crack-down on
dissent
 and academic freedom. "It is clear that Elizabeth didn't lose her job
 because she expressed a personal opinion in the classroom," said Liz
 Seymour, a member of the Ito Defense Coalition. "She lost her job
 because of the opinion she expressed."
 
 On Friday, March 28, 2003 Elizabeth, a first-year English teacher at
 Forsyth Tech, spent ten minutes at the beginning of her business
writing
 class voicing her concerns about the war in Iraq. During this time
the
 US military was encountering much unanticipated resistance in its
push
 toward Baghdad and the previous night's news had reported that 30,000
 more troops were being called up, a figure that by the next morning
had
 risen to 120,000. Elizabeth wrote these numbers on the board and
asked
 the students what they would do if the government had to start
drafting.
 After class had ended two students complained to Elizabeth's
supervisor
 Susie Keener, Chair of the Department of Humanities/Communication,
that
 Elizabeth had criticized the war in class.
 
 The following Monday morning Susie Keener and John Slade, Dean of the
 College of Arts and Sciences, met with Elizabeth for over two hours
to
 discuss the incident. At the end of the meeting Dean Slade asked
 Elizabeth to promise not to raise the topic of the war again in
class.
 Elizabeth said that she had no intention of revisiting the subject
but
 that she was unwilling to bind herself to a promise. Later that week
 Dean Slade presented Elizabeth with a disciplinary letter that
concluded
 with the statement "this matter is resolved."
 
 Elizabeth, who had been commended for her teaching in a series of
 official reviews throughout the year did not, in fact, discuss the
war
 again in class. Nonetheless, on May 15 she received a certified
letter
 at her home informing her that Forsyth Tech no longer needed her
 services. In the weeks following her dismissal Elizabeth's students
 spoke out on her behalf-even one of the students who originally
 complained to the Forsyth Tech administration told Michelle Johnson a
 reporter for the Winston-Salem Journal, that he did not think
Elizabeth
 should have been fired for her remarks.
 
 Ito's firing has received widespread press attention in North
Carolina
 including articles in the Winston-Salem Journa, the Durham
Herald-Sun.
 the Greensboro News &amp; Record, and the Carolina Peacemaker. A
story w=
as
 also broadcast on the local NPR affiliate. "This is not just about me
or
 about my job," said Ito. "It's about something very disturbing that
is
 happening all over the country. I want people to understand that if
it
 could happen here it could happen anywhere."
 
 
 </HTML>

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