D205 Board Votes “Yes” on Disciplining York Teacher
It's time to redouble our efforts, and bring more people into our next actions.
The Elmhurst board of education just voted in favor of disciplining York teacher Kelly DeLoriea with what is effectively final probation. This occurred at a special meeting scheduled with only 48 hours notice, leaving the community little time to organize. Still, multiple residents spoke up in favor of Kelly DeLoriea and respect for teachers’ rights and wellbeing in general. Despite this overwhelming community advocacy for teachers, the board still voted “yes” on the discipline steps.
I want to share a message with everyone who is devastated by this outcome: You are not powerless. The board is accountable to you, the residents of Elmhurst. At the same time, I am sorry to say, there is no one coming to save us. We are the backstop. Future outcomes depend on our actions, and ours alone.
On Monday night, on the eve of this vote, I was watching the movie Angry Birds with my family. Red is trying to save his bird island community from the attacking pigs. He has hope that an elusive but storied eagle will save them. Red climbs to the top of a mountain to get the eagle’s help, only to learn that the eagle is useless. He hollers:
“Hey you know what? I used to believe in you. When I was a kid I believed nothing really bad could ever happen because you were here. And now I see the fate of the world hangs on idiots like me. And that sir is sort of terrifying.”
I found this part of the movie quite fitting.
So what can you do?
Email the board that you’re disappointed in this outcome. Let them know that in order for our kids to thrive, their teachers must be supported instead of unfairly punished.
Bring others into action. If everyone around you isn’t also emailing the board or speaking up at meetings, start those conversations now. We need greater strength in numbers.
Get more familiar with teachers unions. Subscribe to American Federation of Teachers (AFT) news and publications. Read “Chapter 4: The War on Labor” from the book Wolf at the Schoolhouse Door by Jack Schneider and Jennifer Berkshire and “Chapter 15: The Teachers Revolt” from Slaying Goliath by Diane Ravitch.
Learn and share the kind of history lessons that brought right-wing extremists’ ire down on DeLoriea in the first place. Check out the “If We Knew Our History” series from the Zinn Education project. Read Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates.
Stay tuned for further actions. Subscribe to this newsletter and share it with others. Thank you!