Freedom of speech is a God-given right guaranteed by the 1st Amendment, and defending it is NEVER political. MEMPHIS, Tenn. (ABC Local 24) The Cordova High School principal placed on administrative leave after a controversial video is now suing Shelby County Schools, accusing the district of violating his First Amendment and contractual rights. Before students returned, Brown took teachers on a field trip around the city. In a nine-minute speech Monday, Cordova High School Principal Barton Thorne spoke to the school about free speech. Its whats going on with Twitter and Facebook and Google and Apple, and their decision as private companies to filter and to decide what you, you hear and know about, Thorne told students in a recording which the news station did not air. Three Loudoun County parents say the school districts student ambassador program, meant to combat systemic racism, discriminates against students based on their race and viewpoints. Thorne v. Shelby County Board of Education, Newsmax: Daniel Suhr and former ASU student Tim Tizon discuss appeal of unlawful conviction, Former ASU Student Appeals Conviction for Distributing Constitution- Newsmax, New Lawsuit: Albuquerque vote to give taxpayer funds to Planned Parenthood violates New Mexico Constitution, Virginias Discriminatory Ambassador Program Courthouse News Service. All Rights Reserved. WebCORDOVA HIGH SCHOOL 1800 Berryhill Road Cordova, TN 38016 Main Office: 416-4540 School Fax: 416-4545 Barton Thorne, Principal thornebl@scsk12.org Mary DeGruy, Vice Principal degruymm@scsk12.org SCHOOL DIRECTORY Attendance Office: 416-2085 Guidance Office: 416-2120 Registration: 416-2143 Records: 416-2119 Bilingual Mentor, Therefore, I encourage all school leaders to meet with their teachers and staff to review these resources and determine the most appropriate ways to embed teachable moments into lessons and classroom conversations. Amazon Web Services, which hosted Parler, made a similar statement when it announced it would suspend its services to the app, which had also been removed for downloads by Apple and Google. $(document).ready(function () { DA to review all cases handled by 5 officers, Morant steps up to lead Grizzlies over Lakers, Injured Adams getting closer to return for Grizzlies, Lebron James to miss only visit to Memphis, Morant scores 23, Grizzlies rout Nuggets in West, Grizzlies stay positive as Jokic and the Nuggets, Grizzlies come out of the All-Star break by blowing, Grizzlies back to the grind following all-star break, Grizzlies readying for final push toward the playoffs, Tigers control their own destiny heading into college, Williams tabbed AACs best for third time, Tigers continue to pile up the wins as an NCAA Tournament, Shorthanded again, Tigers knock off Shockers, Tigers lose Keonte Kennedy for rest of regular season, Memphis women run their winning streak to five straight, Brackets show Tigers in position to make a second, Woman accused of killing Galen Young gets no jail, Man wants answers after receiving $10K MLGW bill, Beale Street Music Festival announces 2023 lineup, Local TikTok star opens dream bakery in Germantown, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. . You think about McCarthyism,' he said. Do you need student records? More:Man who sat in Nancy Pelosi's office says he is a former firefighter 'out of Memphis', More:Memphis lawmakers, officials react to rioting at US Capitol. Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting. The strength of the wolf is the pack. These individuals must be neutralized, especially in the field of education. He warned students that these days, anyones voice can be canceled for any reason at any time by a small group of people and school administrators have proved him right.. }); Email: In recent days, Twitter suspended 70,000 users that had shared information from QAnon, an extreme conspiracy theorist group whose theories have been increasingly mainstream and now have representation in Congress. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. In 2002, she was hired as a science teacher at CHS. $('span#sw-emailmask-2915').replaceWith(''); The principal of Cordova High School in Memphis, Tennessee, is suing his school district and its superintendent for suspending him after he taught students about big tech censorship in the wake of the January 6 riot on Capitol Hill. Congratulations,DECA students and teachers! I feel like I could teach it in a way that they could learn because that's what I had had to do," she said. I wanted them to see all aspects of where our kids live and get a picture of what it's like for them," Brown said. Prior to the incident, Thorne had been the principal at Cordova High School for well over three years. Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. She also showed them places where the kids gather for fun, such as the neighborhood where trick-or-treaters from all over the city descend each Halloween and go door-to-door, and provided popsicles for them to give away to children they met on the field trip. MEMPHIS, Tenn. A Shelby County School principal is suing the district after his suspension last month. MEMPHIS, Tenn. (ABC Local 24) The Cordova High School principal placed on administrative leave after a controversial video is now suing Shelby County Schools, accusing the district of violating his First Amendment and contractual rights. Phone: Email: Degrees and Certifications: The leave is "pending the outcome of the review of the allegations and comments" by Thorne. He warned students that these days, anyones voice can be canceled for any reason at any time by a small group of people and school administrators have proved him right, said Daniel Suhr, senior attorney at the Liberty Justice Center. Cordova High School Principal Barton Thorne was placed on administrative leave by the district in January after expressing concern to students over the way unregulated tech and social media companies have the power to control conversations and shut down discussions online. Do not send us confidential information until you speak with us and receive authorization to do so. I want them to know that they're valued," Brown said. Like her students, she switched from room to room during the day. WebPrincipal Barton Thorne was suspended in mid-January by administrators for Shelby County Schools, the school district that governs Cordova High School. . No kidding ! Additionally, teachers should also be encouraged to reference their training on social-emotional learning to support their efforts in creating a conducive environment for these conversations.. This is wrong, very wrong and people in that county ought to push back to insure there is balance and fairness. To my understanding it was a recording that was shared on our virtual platforms with the schools we use microsoft teams, Phillips said. var encodedEmail = swrot13('qrtehlzz@fpfx12.bet'); InThorne v. Shelby County Board of Education, Liberty Justice Center is representing a Memphis-area high school principal suing his school district after he was placed on administrative leave for speaking with his students about the importance of free speech. Brown took the group to local housing complexes as well as more rural parts of the community where internet service is not available, which gave the teachers a new perspective on how students would have to struggle to complete assignments that require internet research. Because Cordova is like the City of Memphis, its made up of a salad bowl of many different students of all areas of Memphis.. The following article written by David Thomas appeared on WNWS 101.5 FMon February 25, 2021. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Around the school itself, Brown has worked to create a homey atmosphere. The gesture was especially meaningful for Brown, whose mother drove a bus for over 20 years. The following DECA members have made it to DECA State Competition. Students may be experiencing a variety of emotions about these events and need to fell their classroom is a safe place to express themselves, wrote Ray. On Jan. 11 less than a week after rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol in Washington Thorne addressed the immense influence of tech companies on information and discourse online. Email: Topics Shelby County Schools Cordova High School Barton Thorne Steve Mulroy Linda A. Moore Linda A. Moore covers education, South Memphis and Whitehaven. While Thorne said the speech was not about Trump or about Parler in particular, he addressed the students on the first school day since the president and social media app had been banned and restricted from use, respectively, for the potential to incite violence. InThorne v. Shelby County Board of Education, Liberty Justice Center is representing a Memphis-area high school principal suing his school district after he was placed on administrative leave for speaking with his students about the importance of free speech. Brown was hired as a science teacher at Cordova in 2002 and served as assistant principal for several years before being named principal this summer. Follow him on Parler. Free speech is where everyone gets to voice their thoughts and point of view. During the homeroom video, Thorne was critical of the riots at the U.S. Capitol, condemning them, but he then went on to talk about free speech and social media companies blocking or filtering what you see or hear. Fortunately for Principal Thorne, the First Amendment is on his side and we will not rest until he is reinstated to his job and receives a full apology. The companies deny anypolitically motivated censorship. Principals comments on the power social media and big tech companies have are under scrutiny from Shelby County Schools officials. The fact that two of the people felt I did that means that I was not successful in expressing my thoughts.. Cordova High School's athletic department in partnership with Gatorade wins the Gatorade Performance Sports package to help get the best performance from teen athletes. I know that is not a lot, but I also know that not everyone is comfortable with saying something, wrote Thorne. Two detained, then released, after loudly confront Tennessee Gov. Thorne stressed his comments werent about President Trump, but more so about freedom of speech. This article by Joe Dodson was published December 8, 2022 on courthousenews.com. $('span#sw-emailmask-2916').replaceWith(''); I try very hard not to trespass into political or religious issues in my official capacity, and that was not my intention this morning. A high school principal has been relieved of his duties at least temporarily after he criticized social media censorship to students this week. 3.Exhibits A-III-I through Exhibits A-III-VIII Funding and Expenditure Report for Accountability by Program. Commentary: Impeachment Is Not Just About Removing President Trump Its About Canceling You, Tennessee Legislature Approves Modified Block Grant for States Medicaid Program. Home; About Us" Administrators; Family & Community Engagement Assistant Principal, 10th Grade. Michael Lowe, with the districts Office of Equity and Access, said sometimes people need to temper back their comments in emotionally charged situations. The district confirms Cordova High Principal Barton Thorne is on paid leave while his comments are under review. Instead, she switched to science so that she could graduate in a year. She has also looked for ways to let the school's lunchroom staff and custodians know they are appreciated, whether by bringing them sweets or asking their opinion on a matter. Almost 36 acres off of Raleigh LaGrange Road, near Shelby Farms Parks, is the site where the first Memphis Shelby County School system's first high school in a decade would be built. Board member Sheleah Harris, whose district includes Cordova High School, her alma mater, said the allegations are "extremely unfortunate and do not reflect the true value of" the school or the district. Make easy online payments. Principal Alisa Brown sits behind her desk at Cordova High School in Cordova, Ala., on Monday, Aug. 26, 2019. Its a sad day for Shelby County Schools (and all of the U.S. for that matter) when a school principal cant speak out in favor of freedom of speech without being accused of being political. Thorne presented each of the three events by name, offering no context to the high school students listening. Life Church came out to Cordova High on October 9th to bless teachers by fixing up some of the teacher work rooms and stocking shelves with snacks and treats. var encodedEmail = swrot13('perafunjpe@fpfx12.bet'); This article by Nicole Wells was published January 27, 2023 on newsmax.com. $(document).ready(function () { The comments he made endorsed no political or religious points of view, and are widely accepted in public education curriculum, including in Shelby County Schools. What has this principal said that is wrong???? The content and format of these reports are the same as Exhibits C-IV-I through C-IV-VIII Combining Statement of Revenues and Expenditures by Program. Please visit this tutorial tologin and navigate Google Classroom. MEMPHIS, Tenn. A Shelby County School principal is suing the district after his suspension last month. Parent Survey: Please take our parent survey by clicking, In accordance with the education accountability law, Code of Alabama, Section 16-6B-7, the Walker County Board of Education provides the following information via its website (. The principal at Cordova High School is on paid administrative leave after comments he reportedly made over SCSs virtual learning platform. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Corinne Murdock is a reporter atThe Tennessee Starand the Star NewsNetwork. Excuse me!!! The highest they could score on sight reading would be a 5. When buying cowboy boots, there are a few aspects to consider, such as how far up they go on your legs and their design. Said the cover page of the SCS guide: "Students may have a variety of emotions about these events and need to feel their classroom is a safe place to express and explore these emotions. WebPrincipal Barton Thorne was suspended in mid-January by administrators for Shelby County Schools, the school district that governs Cordova High School. A Shelby County Schools principal is on paid administrative leave after aspeech to the school comparing the suspension of social media users and appsto Branch Davidians and McCarthyism. var encodedEmail = swrot13('wreqraq1@fpfx12.bet'); 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. $(document).ready(function () { Prior to the incident, Thorne had been the principal at Cordova High School for well over three years. What happens when you do not have dissenting opinions, when you do not have an exchange of competing ideas? Its whats going on with Twitter and Facebook and Google and Apple, and their decision as private companies to filter and to decide what you, you hear and know about, Throne said in the recording. The video was shared immediately with news media. A Shelby County Schools principal is under fire after remarks he made about social media days after social accounts for President Donald Trump were suspended. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. And so, if they can do that to a minority or if they can do that to a powerful voice, it doesnt have to be a minority what will stop them one day from doing that to you?. Topics Shelby County Schools Cordova High School Barton Thorne Steve Mulroy Linda A. Moore Linda A. Moore covers education, South Memphis and Whitehaven. After complaints about the video, the district said they were working with staff to address controversial subjects through the office of Equity and Access. Congratulations, CHS wins the Gatorade 1st Place Package! Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to [emailprotected]. Phone: Email: Degrees and Certifications: }); Email: Combined Lead for Consumer Notice-Pleae read this report to review results from our lead study. Click on the link below, follow the instructions and you're done! Since the start of the school year, Principal Thorne has spoken directly to students through a weekly video message. A poster-sized photo of the FFA officers on a kayak trip hangs near the office. With the horrific events from last week at our U.S. Capitol, we have to ensure our children, teachers, and school staff remain in a consistent environment that promotes safety, cultural sensitivity, and represents the highest level of excellence, School board member Shelead Harris said. In a nine-minute speech Monday, Cordova High School Principal Barton Thorne spoke to the school about free speech. I will not allow myself to be silenced any more than I would allow a student to be marginalized for sharing a perfectly reasonable point of view. "They spend not only that year with the child but they spend from K through 12 with a lot of kids. They dont care that this is how Detroit ended up in the sewer and he is taking them down that path as fast as you can say See My Fried Chicken?? Cordova High School Principal Barton Thorne was placed on administrative leave by the district in January after expressing concern to students over the way unregulated tech and social media companies have the power to control conversations and shut down discussions online. $('span#sw-emailmask-2928').replaceWith(''); Thorne, whos been principal at Cordova High School for about three years reportedly made the remarks during the video, which went out to Cordova High students. How to Login and Use Google Classroom. An equity officer for the school also gave an interview to the news about Thorne. The following article written by Local 24 Staff appeared on ABC Local 24on February 25, 2021. The strength of the wolf is the pack. In democracies, we talk about the marketplace of ideas, Thorne said in the video. Find her on Twitter: @LDTestino. Someone from Shelby County that believes in freedom not free stuff. In a recording of the videosincedeleted from YouTube, Thorne emphasized the need to allow for free speech and a marketplace of ideas. He condemned the Capitol Hill riot and stated that his statements had nothing to do with President Donald Trump. Thorne is now bringing a lawsuit against the district for violating his First Amendment rights and rights under his contract. "That was ignorance at the highest level," he said in the nine-minute speech. That was ignorance at the highest level, he said of the riot. Assistant Principal, 11th Grade. Vivian Jones is a contributor to The Center Square. I will not allow myself to be silenced any more than I would allow a student to be marginalized for sharing a perfectly reasonable point of view. With the horrific events from last week at our U.S. Capitol, we have to ensure our children, teachers, and school staff remain in a consistent environment that promotes safety, cultural sensitivity, and represents the highest level of excellence," Harris said in a statement. While Principal Thorne was instructed not to speak to the media or the community about his suspension, numerous district officials spoke publicly about him. You think about McCarthyism. If you dont know about that, you can Google that or talk to your Social Studies teacher, Thorne said in the recording. Thorne pointed out to students that companies such as Twitter, Facebook and Google have unilaterally chosen what users can and cannot see on their platforms, and he encouraged students to talk about the issue with their parents and teachers. We were unable to reach Thorne for comment. Photo Barton Thorne by Cordova High School. Those sources includedcontent that discussed how racial inequalities, systemic racism, and the Black Lives Matter movement all properly contextualized the Capitol Hill riot and presidential election. $('span#sw-emailmask-2737').replaceWith(''); Thorne also drew broad comparisons to 1990s federal standoffs in Ruby Ridge, Idaho and in Waco, Texas among the Branch Davidians andDavid Koresh. Hawkins Mill Elementary Helpful Achievers Worthy Knowledgeable Soaring to Excellence, Ridgeway International Baccalaureate Middle World Optional School, Blackboard Web Community Manager Privacy Policy (Updated). Walls of honor for CHS homecoming queens and Queen of Hearts winners are in the works. $(document).ready(function () { Lindsay Kristin Anderson, 41, of Apex, was stopped by a trooper with the N.C. State Highway Patrol on Friday, according to Raleigh/Wake City-County Bureau of Identification. 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