Along partisan lines, the Cobb Board of Education voted on Thursday to uphold Superintendent Chris Ragsdale’s decision to fire an elementary school teacher for violating Georgia’s “divisive concepts” in education law.
By a 4-3 vote, the Republican majority approved a motion by GOP member David Chastain to reject a tribunal’s recommendation against terminating Katie Rinderle of Due West Elementary School, and support Ragsdale’s recommendation “effective immediately.”
The brief discussion did not identify Rinderle by name, but did reference the decision of the three-member tribunal, which earlier this week issued a report following a public hearing.
The school board took action at a Thursday night meeting following an executive session, and after hearing comments from the public.
The board’s three Democrats voted against the termination; one of them, Post 2 member Becky Sayler, made a substitute motion to table the vote for further discussion.
Her motion failed 3-4 along the same partisan lines.
Rinderle could appeal the decision to the Georgia Board of Education. Her supporters have begun a fundraising effort that has raised more than $10,000 of a targeted $50,000.
Rinderle was represented by the Southern Poverty Law Center, which issued a statement from her:
“I am disappointed in the district’s decision to terminate me for reading an inclusive and affirming book – one that is representative of diverse student identities,” she said. “The district is sending a harmful message that not all students are worthy of affirmation in being their unapologetic and authentic selves. This decision, based on intentionally vague policies, will result in more teachers self-censoring in fear of not knowing where the invisible line will be drawn. Censorship perpetuates harm and students deserve better.”
In a release issued right after the board meeting, the Cobb County School District didn’t reference Rinderle by name but said only that “the District is pleased that this difficult issue has concluded; we are very serious about keeping our classrooms focused on teaching, learning, and opportunities for success for students. The Board’s decision is reflective of that mission.”
Rinderle was appealing her termination in June for reading a book to her students about gender identity called “My Shadow Is Purple.”
Cobb school administrators determined that violated a a 2022 state law that prohibits public school teachers from discussing a number of topics, including claims that racism is “systematically” racist, that a group of people is inherently “oppressive” and some issues about sex and gender identity.
The district formally accused Rinderle of insubordination, willful neglect of duties and “other good and sufficient cause.”
The tribunal of retired teachers concluded that there wasn’t enough evidence to find her guilty of insubordination.
She’s believed to be the first teacher fired in Georgia under the divisive concepts law, and argued in her appeal that she wasn’t provided proper guidance on how to teach about issues relating to gender identity.
The tribunal determined that among the lessons stemming from her reading of the book was the introduction of they/them preferred pronouns.
The panel also said that Rinderle “was knowingly untruthful when she denied understanding that the topic of gender identity or gender fluidity was a sensitive or controversial topic in this community” and that she “exhibited poor judgment when she failed to recognize the book and her lesson on ‘My Shadow is Purple’ addressed the topic of gender identity.”
Citizens, parents and educators spoke on either side of the matter at a board work session and before the vote, but were not allowed to discuss the particulars of Rinderle’s appeal, since it was a personnel matter.
Instead, many of them talked about parental rights, inclusion issues and what to be able to teach in a classroom.
East Cobb resident Micheal Garza, who introduced himself with he/him pronouns, said that inclusion is “being kind to everyone” and that’s something he and his wife instill in their daughter every day.
He said that “history will remember this time, when the civil rights of students were under attack by a small minority, and what side you were on in that fight to protect them.”
Kim Carlton, a retired Cobb special education teacher, said her decision to retire last year was sparked in part by how “things changed” about what and how she could teach when the new law went into effect.
Even what constitutes controversial material wasn’t clearly defined, she said.
“I could not find out exactly what that meant. At that point, I realized I could not teach . . . I was not respected or valued.”
But others argued that cultural issues should not be the emphasis in a classroom, and thanked Ragsdale for reinforcing parental rights and family values.
Teachers should not be trained in gender ideology, said Bill Marchione, but “reading, writing and and arithmetic. They shouldn’t deviate.”
Rick Burgess, whose three daughters graduated from Cobb schools, told board members that “your constituents are the students and their parents. Teachers do a wonderful job, but they are not your constituents.”
He asked board members to examine “their heart of hearts and determine what is the best decision for the students, not the teachers, the students.”
Related:
- Cobb schools tribunal rejects recommendation to fire teacher
- East Cobb schools hold steady in 2023 Georgia Milestones scores
- Lassiter art teacher named Cobb schools HS teacher of the year
- Cobb parents ask for ‘inclusivity’ after teacher’s firing
- Cobb school board adopts millage rate as Banks votes present
- Federal judge sides with Cobb schools in redistricting suit
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The classroom is not the setting for gender or religious exploration. Nor is it the proper venue for any sort of therapy. Perhaps the teacher in question would prefer to be a therapist?
Showing acceptance and not hate is a good thing. Nothing should be controversial about that, particularly for 5th grade. But those of you calling them groomers and such are just haters doing the devil’s work.
Actually, we are not. What is so pressing that in fifth grade yiu would want to have a lesson on transgenderism. We are not haters. Most all of us feel compassion as we also believe the far majority of children that may be struggling with this are mentally ill, not physiologically different and so deserving of our help. The book is normalizing something that is instead to be treated, especially as a child goes through the difficult and normal process of achieving adulthood. As an adult, the decision is yours to make. So we clearly have a fundamental difference of opinion and it’s an important one. That is not hate and calling it such just shows your inability to think critically or have a real conversation instead of slinging mud. Disagreement does not equal hate (never will) just as agreement does not equal love. The group of you that wants to equate them is a dangerous lot indeed.
No surprise here! New school year, a few new faces on the board, but of course, they are nothing more than the newest versions of Ragsdale-worshiping political partisan clowns.
In determining that she should not be fired, these three EXPERIENCED EDUCATORS believed she was capable of being coachable, trainable, and a continued asset.
But of course, the Tribunal was a waste of time, a public show put on to mask the pre-determined outcome of Leader Ragsdale and his cult followers (nice touch to the lady wearing the American flag outfit!).
However if you possibly can, put aside the content of the book she read (purchased at a school book fair) for just one second. The lady, who was a ten year teacher in which the district had a lot invested, was fired for breaking district policies and rules, specifically insubordination. As Ms. Judge, a school board candidate, has pointed out, the district no doubt has human resource policies and procedures regarding issues such as insubordination. Generally, they include, write-ups, counseling, observations, and other interim steps specified to be taken and DOCUMENTED prior to termination. Were these policies followed in the case of Ms Rinderle?
We will never know, as Leader Ragsdale and his 4-3 minions played to their base and terminated this previously satisfactory teacher for the sole crime of reading a book which may have been outside the vaguely stated curriculum guidelines, despite the guidance of three highly experienced educators advising to the contrary. It is going to be another year of Ragsdale and his 4-3 partisan political anarchists running our school district.
For many years, entertainers were popular for projecting their voices through wooden dummies perched on their knees. We have now seen that Chastain, no longer chairman, has mastered the art, and can only wonder if Wheeler is getting comfortable in his lap.
Good. The Cobb school board got this one right.
She is being represented by the group that has protested the new training facility for law enforcement, that this despicable group calls ” cop city”. They have place booby traps around that property, destroyed thousands of dollars of equipment, intentionally attempt to harm the police. George Soros, hater of America, backed group.
Sparkle,
Do you support Israel’s/Atlanta’s ‘Cop City?” the GILEE International Law Enforcement Exchange program, and the militarization of US police?
Agreed, the SPLC is a hate group.
Thank you
I am a very conservative voting resident of the Cobb school district and I agree that the training facility in Atlanta is a BAD idea. And I weep for the young man who was murdered there by police action against the protest. One of the biggest problems our nation faces is our failure as voters to get the facts. And the regular media is no help. (East Cobb News is an exception, of course!)
I’m sorry, but I have no sympathy for this lady.
If she couldn’t follow the law then she should have resigned and sought employment in a private school.
Wearing a political shirt to the hearing showed no remorse for her actions or desire to work with the district. She owed a duty of loyalty to her employer. If it really was a training issue, she could have apologized and agreed to leave her political views outside of the classroom.
Obviously she couldn’t. Remember that these are 5th graders not teenagers she was trying to indoctrinate.
I suggest Cobb County School teachers start planning on leaving the district. There are other school districts you can work for that are wanting to find teachers. Also plenty of companies are eager to hire teachers because they learn quickly and work hard.
I agree, any Cobb County school teachers who believe they are above the curriculum standards and insist on introducing their own indoctrination agenda should start planning on leaving the district. I’m happy to help them load up their boxes on their way out.
What an absolute travesty. Shame Shame Shame. Our teachers deserve better than to be indoctrinators of a rouge MAGA school board.
Travesty? Our children deserve better than to be indoctrinated by a rogue teacher. There is absolutely no reason to be teaching kids about gender ideology. And I’m not necessarily happy she got fired. A probation and observation period would have satisfied me.
So, instead they should be groomers?
I don’t think so.
Stick to reading, math and science.
Ah, poor Linda spent so much time learning about make-believe gender fluidity she – sorry, I mean “they” – missed the lessons explaining what “rogue” and “indoctrination” mean.
This is 5th grade we’re talking about here; not high school or college. My kids are now past this age but I would be beyond furious if a teacher was “teaching” this to my children. School is not therapy session; it’s academics, and especially so in elementary education. Firing is the least of what she should receive.