Before critics of Cobb school superintendent Chris Ragsdale held a rally Thursday afternoon, several citizens turned out at a Cobb Board of Education work session to support him.
A public comment session was dominated by speakers who applauded his decision to fire a Due West Elementary School teacher for reading a book to her class about gender identity.
That’s triggered a wave of criticism, following last month’s vote by the school board to uphold the termination of Katie Rinderle, and a decision by the district to pull two books from 20 middle- and high school libraries for being sexually explicit.
Rinderle announced Thursday that she’s appealing her firing to the Georgia Board of Education, and some parents scheduled a “Replace Ragsdale” rally between board meetings.
They’ve complained it’s part of a larger trend in some parts of the country to impose book bans in schools at the behest of conservative activists.
Cobb fired Rinderle for what district officials said was a violation of a recent state law banning the teaching of “divisive concepts” which could include sexual and gender themes.
Rinderle said through the Southern Poverty Law Center, which is representing her, that the Cobb school board’s decision “to fire me undermines students’ freedom to learn. I am appealing this decision because I oppose censorship, discrimination and harm to students in any form. I’m committed to creating inclusive, diverse and empowering environments that center students in their learning journey.”
But Ragsdale’s defenders applauded him for refusing to allow the Cobb school district to distribute materials and allow instruction that they say is indoctrinating children.
“It’s not a Republican thing, it’s not a Democratic thing, it’s just about the kids,” said East Cobb resident Helen Allen, who has two children in Cobb schools.
“I don’t care if anyone’s gay, I don’t care if anyone’s straight, that’s not what we’re talking about. We’re talking about teaching the wrong things to small children. . . . We just need common sense and you guys have it.”
John McLean said he was grateful for the Cobb school district for not allowing the teaching of “twisted ideology to my kids and grandkids.
“To those of you who consider this a book ban, led me remind you that you can read whatever you want to another adult. But today the traditional family is under attack and I for one am going to fight back.”
McLean added that he said that if he stayed for the rally, “it would probably make me sick.”
Judy Sardin of East Cobb said that “as the school district goes, so goes the community. Thank you for protecting children and following the law.”
Chris Spears said those critical of Ragsdale are in a small minority. “You have a lot of residents in Cobb County that are supporting your recent decision. They simply wanted to say thank you for standing firm.’
Marietta resident Leroy Emkin, a retired engineering professor at Georgia Tech who was in the education field for 45 years, told Ragsdale that “we want to see you here and nowhere else. . . . I think I know what I’m talking about when I’m making a judgment about your performance.”
There were no speakers during the work session who spoke in opposition to Ragsdale.
More public commenters were expected to speak on the subject at the board’s evening meeting.
A student group called the Georgia Youth Justice Coalition also was holding a press conference on Thursday, critical of what it says is active censorship in Cobb schools.
“We are the students being affected by content taught in schools. We are the ones most negatively affected by the censorship being discussed in this school board meeting,” the group said in a media advisory. “Georgia students like us deserve smaller classroom sizes and robust counseling services that can meet our needs, not unnecessary censorship and fear mongering. We will not be overlooked in our own education system, and we will continue to fight for a robust and well funded future for Georgia’s youth.”
Related:
- Critics of Cobb superintendent to hold ‘Replace Ragsdale’ rally
- East Cobb MS students design scooters for students with mobility needs
- Wheeler student hospitalized after being hit by bus
- Cobb school district disputes e-mail over reading contest
- Cobb school district removes ‘sexually explicit’ books from libraries
- Cobb school board candidate denounces teacher’s firing
- Divided Cobb school board votes to uphold firing of teacher
- Cobb schools tribunal rejects recommendation to fire teacher
- East Cobb schools hold steady in 2023 Georgia Milestones scores
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I am glad that so many turned out to support Ragsdale. I support the termination of the Due West teacher who was way out of line and needed to find another line of work. Those who are protesting him are a small fringe group who don’t have the best interests of our kids or our community at heart.
Can we please stop pretending that the Southern Poverty Law Group is a credible organization. They lost that veneer a long time ago. They are just a left wing hate group.