Two teachers in Oregon who opposed a proposed policy that dictated students can use bathrooms that correspond with their gender identity were fired after it was revealed they sent an email to Ben Shapiro using school resources.
The story: Former North Middle School assistant principal Rachel Damiano and former science teacher Katie Medart were fired last week. The School District Board voted 4-3 based on findings of an independent investigation that substantiated four out of the six claims made against the former Grants Pass School District educators.
The investigation was triggered by their public opposition to a proposed LGBTQ legislation. Specifically, they launched what they described as the “I Resolve Movement” and argued that students should use bathrooms that match their biological gender, unless “gender-neutral” bathrooms and built, and also pushed back against requiring teachers to refer to students by their preferred pronouns.
The email to Ben Shapiro: One of the teachers sent an email to the conservative commentator to ask him to support their movement.
“We would be honored if you and your team would consider our resolution as an alternative policy option to the proposed Equality Act or other state legislation regarding gender identity policies and would be willing to be a voice in our movement for this resolution,” Damiano wrote to Shapiro, according to KTVL.
The email was unearthed by investigators.
The school found that Damiano’s email violated the district policy because she used her school email address to send it to Shapiro. The policy prohibits employees to use school facilities to work on a political campaign.
Investigators charged that Damiano “used time during her working day for political campaign purposes,” and “used district facilities, equipment or supplies in connection with the political campaign.”
“While Ms. Damiano did not like referring to “I Resolve” as a political campaign, her efforts both in the video regarding legislation and through the stated purpose of “I Resolve” showed it was a political campaign. This was specifically demonstrated in emails she sent to Daily Wire host Ben Shapiro,” according to the investigation.
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