But every American should be concerned about a cultural trend to get rid of voices that disagree with popular viewpoints. Office Phone: 901-416-4540 Barton Thorne, the principal of Cordova High School, told students during morning announcements that they needed to be aware of the censorship happening on social media. A Tennessee high school principal is on administrative leave after he told students they should be alarmed by the recent crackdown on free speech on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. After sharing his message, the lawsuit says the principal was the subject of a professional misconduct complaint and internal disciplinary investigation. Principal Thorne was placed on leave the day after his video was circulated. Board member Sheleah Harris, whose district includes Cordova High School, commented on the principals suspension, saying the allegations are extremely unfortunate and do not reflect the true value of the school. All Rights Reserved. Come out to the Seeds in the Middle Farm Market onsite at Clara Barton HS. We write on behalf of our client, Barton Thorne, the principal of Cordova High School. Be that as it may, he keeps a close eye on what's happening and reports on it to keep people rightly informed. Thorne warned his students that anyones voice can be cancelled for any reason by a small group of people. Daniel Suhr, managing attorney at Liberty Justice Center appeared on C-SPAN's Washington Journal to discuss the vaccine mandate challenges being heard by the U.S. Supreme Court on Jan. 7. The school districts Office of Equity and Access (whatever the heck that is) also weighed in on the situation. What happens when you do not have dissenting opinions, when you do not have an exchange on competing ideashow do you know if your ideas can stand on their own if there is no marketplace of ideas?, Twitter, Facebook, Google, and Apple, are so powerful, and they have unilaterally made a decision of what you can and cannot see on their platforms, thats a major issue and I want you to understand that. What sort of fruit salad nonsense is the Office of Equity and Access? Email: mail_hide("212213", "scalestr", 0, "gro.21kscs") Full-time Teacher, John Calley (Assistant Coach) The suit claims he saw it as a teachable moment about Free Speech and the dangers of cancel culture. His message touched on the importance of Free Speech in a democratic society, the lawsuit says, and was in line with Tennessees standards for teaching social studies to high school students and in line with generally accepted civics curriculum.. Principal Barton Thorne was suspended in mid-January by administrators for Shelby County Schools, the school district that governs Cordova High School. Email: mail_hide("207974", "vandaslynch", 0, "moc.liamg") We have to be culturally aware and also have our students have an outlet so they can express themselves and feel value, Lowe told the Fox 13 in Memphis. 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, Liberty Justice Centers Demand Letter to Shelby County Schools, 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, in democracies, we talk about the marketplace of ideas. If you trust your teacher talk to your teacher about it. Principal Barton Thorne was suspended in mid-January by administrators for Shelby County Schools, the school district that governs Cordova High School. Office Phone: 901-416-4540 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 principal at Cordova High School has been placed on paid administrative leave, pending the outcome of the review of the comments that were made, spokesperson Jerrica Phillips told television station WREG. And not whether or not you agree or disagree with the people being filtered, but can this happen to you one day?. It is currently still unclear who instigated the breach. Barton Thorne, the principal of Cordova High School near Memphis, Tennessee, was briefly suspended (cancelled) after he stood up to the cancel culture dominating social media. 1. 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. This article by Joe Dodson was published December 8, 2022 on courthousenews.com. Cordova High School The strength of the pack is the wolf. 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. Full-time Teacher Many of you have complained that you never see our content in your news feeds. See the full transcript of his message. Instead of punishing Principal Thorne he should be given a pay raise and a certificate of merit. Full-time Teacher, Vandas Lynch (Assistant Coach) "I'm not going to. Former Arizona State Student Appeals Conviction for Distributing Constitution Copies Liberty Justice Center filed an appeal on behalf of a former Arizona State University student who was convicted of trespassing when he handed To schedule an interview, contact Chloe Edwards at. Use cash, venmo, cashapp, Zelle, etc. Email: mail_hide("212946", "havrdass", 0, "gro.21kscs") Full-time Teacher, Chris Burns (Assistant Coach) Principal Thorne asked the young people to consider what happens when other groups filter and decide what you can hear and know about. There have been times even in American history when a small group of people decided what you can hear, he said. Office Phone: 901-416-4540 A large number of pro-Trump accounts were also deleted by Twitter and Facebook. The focus was on helping his students think critically about how the position being taken by tech companies like Facebook and Twitter could impact their future and how it could impact free speech in the future. The principal stressed, however, that his speech was not in support of Trump, or the recently deplatformed social media app Parler, but solely about freedom of speech. They further constitute a breach of Principal Thornes employment contract.. But simply allowing Thorne to return to the position that he was wrongfully suspended from is not quite enough. Daniel Suhr, managing attorney at Liberty Justice Center appeared on C-SPAN's Washington Journal to discuss the vaccine mandate challenges being heard by the U.S. Supreme Court on Jan. 7. Sonora High School encourages students to become life-long learners and contributing members of an ever-changing world. Full-time Teacher, Keith Setler (Head Coach) Arvind is a recluse who prefers staying far away from the limelight as possible. The logos of multinational American Internet companies are seen on a computer screen in Lille, France, on Oct 21, 2020. Thorne is suing his school district and its superintendent for the suspension. Email: mail_hide("212220", "cooperc1", 0, "gro.21kscs") Follow us onTwitteror subscribe to ouremail list, Barton Thorne, until recently the principal of Cordova High School in Memphis, Tennessee, was suspended after speaking to students about the dangers of big tech censorship. The social media giants have collectively seen $51.2 billion in combined market value wiped out over the last two trading sessions since they banned Trump from their platforms. Thorne further referenced totalitarian governments, like North Korea and China.. Required fields are marked *. Office Phone: 901-416-4540 After the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, Thorne gave a similar speech (in a virtual classroom). Office Phone: 901-416-4540 Daniel Suhr, managing attorney at Liberty Justice Center appeared on C-SPAN's Washington Journal to discuss the vaccine mandate challenges being heard by the U.S. Supreme Court on Jan. 7. I dont care what side you agree with, we dont practice sedition, we dont attack our legislature.. Think about totalitarian government. Even though he has his job back, the case will continue, Suhr said. The cancel culture taking foot in America has now reached our schools, and I will not stand for it.. Email: mail_hide("212822", "calleyjp", 0, "gro.21kscs") Think about China. This includes personalizing content and advertising. Suhr said the school needs to make up for damages against Thornes reputation. All Rights Reserved. Think about McCarthyism think about totalitarian governments, think of North Korea, think of China. Coaches who have successfully completed the ASEP Coaches Education Course AND the TSSAA Online Coaches Training Session prior to May, 15, 2013 are not subject to this requirement. His lawyers point out that Thorne never compromised any ethics code for teachers and that his suspension violated the school districts procedures. Instead his message was about censorship, silencing of voices, and the dangers of a select group being able to dictate what, if any, speech that happens; this time being Big Tech. This is about speech.. And so, if they can do that to a minorityor if they can do that to a powerful voice, it doesnt have to be a minoritywhat will stop them one day from doing that to you? Principal Barton Thorne. Office Phone: 901-415-4540 Anything less would be a disservice not only to Principal Thorne, but also to his students who are watching a real-life civics life lesson unfold before their eyes.. If you dont know about that, you can Google that or talk to your social studies teacher.. And within an hour of filing, he was notified that he could return to work. Imagine that a public school administrator who is teaching kids to think for themselves. [I]n democracies, we talk about the marketplace of ideas. The school district here, I think, has an obligation to apologize to Mr. Thorne and really to explain to students that what he said was appropriate and right that free speech is important in our society, Suhr said. - As complaints about big tech censorship grow, calls to regulate it also gain heat. Is the TikTok Benadryl Challenge Actually Suicide Promotion? What happens when you do not have dissenting opinions, when you do not have an exchange on competing ideashow do you know if your ideas can stand on their own if there is no marketplace of ideas? he said. And so, if they can do that to a minorityor if they can do that to a powerful voice, it doesnt have to be a minoritywhat will stop them one day from doing that to you?, So, anyway, think about that. Barton Thorne, the principal of Cordova High School, told students during morning announcements that they needed to be aware of the censorship happening on social media. Office Phone: 901-416-4540 document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Office Phone: 901-416-4540 Clara Barton Elementary. According to the lawsuit, Thorne usually delivers a weekly speech to students to educate and inspire them. By registering for the newsletter, you agree to the, Global Governance: The Great Reset and the End of Sovereignty, FBI Warrantless Searches of Americans Dropped 96 Percent in 2022, Megyn Kelly Claims Fox News in Existential Crisis After Tucker Carlsons Exit, Tense Face-Off: Philippines Confronts China Over Sea Claims, California Landslide Halts Rail Service, Homes Evacuated, California Man Found Guilty of Killing 3 After Doorbell Prank. MEMPHIS, Tenn. The head of the Memphis and Shelby County teacher's union is reacting to a controversial video made by the principal of Cordova High School. He filed a lawsuit Thursday against the Shelby County Schools Board of Education and Superintendent Dr. Joris Ray. Virginia parents argue school ambassador program is discriminatory. Thornes message to his students is something everyone should take to heart: Be aware, be in the loop as far as whats going on. Culturally aware? Thorne also referenced totalitarian governments, like North Korea and China.. Terms under which this service is provided to you, California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information, The Debt Ceiling Is About to Crash, And Mr. Magoo Is Behind the Wheel, Shut Down the Border or Shut Down Democrat Cities, The Military's Job Is Simple, but the Biden Administration Seems Awfully Confused About It, Hunter Finally Appears in Child Support Case, Judge Blasts Him for Concealing Income, Ireland about to execute free speech as in "kill it off permanently", Chris Coons Bends Over Backwards to Defend Joe Biden Running for Reelection, MSNBC Show Host Mocking Conservative Justices Speaks Right to Alito's Point. (03/07/21) - Barton Thorne, Principal at Cordova High School in Tennessee was suspended from his job for making a video and sharing it with students and staff. I look forward to my next endeavor! Office Phone: 901-416-4540 Shelby County Schools. Disclaimer: The materials contained in this website are for informational purposes and are not to be considered advertising or legal advice. Office Phone: 901-416-4540 Former Arizona State Student Appeals Conviction for Distributing Constitution Copies Liberty Justice Center filed an appeal on behalf of a former Arizona State University student who was convicted of trespassing when he handed To schedule an interview, contact Chloe Edwards at. After leaving Cordova after the 2010 season, he coached at Memphis . The principal has retained legal counsel from the Liberty Justice Center, a national public interest law firm that defends constitutional rights. Theres only one way to fight back and thats by subscribing to my FREE weekly newsletter. The audio of Thorne's remarks, which. India Weaver (System Athletic Director) This article by Nicole Wells was published January 27, 2023 on newsmax.com. Full-time Teacher, Member of Division I, Class AAA, Section 4, James Vinson (Head Coach) Barton Thorne is principal of Cordova High School. Email: mail_hide("212214", "cartermt", 0, "gro.21kscs") Facebook Page; . During that time, SCS officials lambasted his message in the news media while telling him to stay silent. Barton Thorne, who is in his fourth year leading Cordova High School in Shelby County, reportedly said during a nine-minute morning announcement that free speech is being threatened [] Shelby County Schools Cordova High School Barton Thorne Steve Mulroy. The comments came a few days after the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, after which Facebook and Twitter suspended President Trumps accounts, and Google, Apple and Amazon Web Services de-platformed the social media app Parler, which was popular among conservatives. Barton Thorne, until recently the principal of Cordova High School in Memphis, Tennessee, was suspended after speaking to students about the dangers of big tech censorship. Oh, So That's Who Decided Joe Biden Would Run for Re-Election. SCS placed him on administrative leave, where he has languished for six weeks without any closure to his case, the lawsuit states. But every American should be concerned about a cultural trend to get rid of voices that disagree with popular viewpoints.Cancel culture isnt just stopping hate speech, its silencing legitimate speech protected by the First Amendment. Thornes suit says the message was even in line with resources the superintendent recommended for teaching students about the Capitol riot and its aftermath. It's The Blaze provided the part of Thornes statement that seemed to have gotten him into trouble: 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 can hear and know about. URGENT: Social media is SHUTTING DOWN Conservative content. You can received notifications daily or weekly. As leaders, we must be intentional about creating spaces for our students to discuss and process events that take place in our country and community.. What the Superintendent and School District did was inexcusable, and ILLEGAL. To schedule an interview, contact Kristen Williamson at[emailprotected]or 773-809-4403. HUNT VALLEY, Md. Full-time Teacher, Ashley Smithcoleman (Assistant Coach) Full-time Teacher, Dustin Sikes (Assistant Coach) He pointed out that American history is rife with examples of small groups of people deciding what others should hear. Email: mail_hide("212820", "warnerdk", 0, "gro.21kscs") Principal Thorne asked the young people to consider what happens when other groups filter and decide what you can hear and know about. Full-time Teacher, Steven Havrda (Assistant Coach) Principal Thornes message to his students took no political position. In a one-minute speech to the school Assembly on Jan 11, 2021, Thorne briefly addressed the woke, left-wing mob policing Facebook and Twitter who relentlessly attack anyone who does not agree with their personal views on how the world should run. Phone: Email: Degrees and Certifications: Mary DeGruy. After more than a month, and even after the Liberty Justice Center had reached out to the school district multiple times, Thorne had heard very little from school officials and had no resolution to his case. In his remarks, Principal Thorne expressed concern about the ways social media companies are shutting down debate on critical issues of the day and encouraged students to talk with their parents or teachers about the ramifications of these actions on the First Amendment and free speech. Principal Thorne was suspended from his job for preaching the virtues of free speech and tolerance. (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:13247195197429350,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-8850-4234"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="//cdn2.lockerdomecdn.com/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs"); Follow us for breaking news and latest updates: https://chrt.fm/track/23284G/verifi.podscribe.com/rss/p/traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/ec639eda-812c-4db1-85c8-acfd010f9fef/4289b50a-5546-4107-a1fd-aff5013fa8c0/audio.mp3?track=false. Email: mail_hide("209511", "weaveri", 0, "gro.21kscs") (SBG) High school principal Barton Thorne, who was suspended last month over comments he made about free speech in the wake of the Capitol riot, is returning to work for. Email: mail_hide("208846", "layjo", 0, "gro.21kscs") Since the start of the school year, Principal Thorne has spoken directly to students through a weekly video message. During his over 9-minute-long video comments, Thorne expressed concerns about times in American history where a small group of people decided what you can hear, according to atranscriptprovided by the Liberty Justice Center. Trump took to Twitter following the outbreak of violence to call on protesters to go home in peace.He denounced the violence as a heinous attack that defiled the seat of American democracy on Jan. 7. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies, revised Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. [I]n democracies, we talk about the marketplace of ideas. And not whether or not you agree or disagree with the people being filtered, but can this happen to you one day?. Barton Thorne, the principal of Cordova High School, told students during morning announcements that they needed to be aware of the censorship happening on social media. Its shocking and disappointing that I was removed from my job for speaking with students about the First Amendment, Principal Thorne said. Barton Thorne, until recently the principal of Cordova High School in Memphis, Tennessee, was suspended after speaking to students about the dangers of big tech censorship. Now, Thornes attorneys have filed a federal lawsuit against the district for violating his First Amendment and contractual rights for placing him on administrative leave for discussing current events and free speech with students. 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. Required fields are marked *. Six weeks after he was placed on leave, he filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the district and Superintendent Joris Ray. Attorneys first sent a letter to the Superintendent, Director of Professional Standards and General Counsel, but there was no explanation for the continued leave or any movement to reinstate Principal Thorne. Thorne referenced McCarthyism, as well as a standoff between federal agents and a religious group called the Branch Davidians in Waco, Texas during the 1990s. Shelby County Schools (SCS) violated Mr. Thorne's First Amendment and contractual rights by placing him on administrative leave for teaching his students classic American principles on free speech and democratic self-government. . Principal Barton Thorne called it "shocking and disappointing" to be removed for speaking to students about the First Amendment. The school districts Office of Equity and Access (whatever the heck that is) also weighed in on the situation. Read More About History Day 2023. clear. Full-time Teacher, John Calley (Assistant Coach) I want you to understand the problem thats going to face you and your generation if there is no longer a marketplace, a free exchange of ideas., You may be in agreement with the people who are doing the filtering, but its just one moment away from somebody else being able to filter you. Office Phone: 901-416-4540 Weve got a pretty simple ask: we want him to be not just restored to his job, but restored to his reputation. Email: mail_hide("186437", "thornebl", 0, "gro.21kscs") But the irony is that by doing this, another small group of people tried to silence HIM, and punished him for daring to speak truth. Full-time Teacher, Michael Case (Assistant Coach) During his nine-minute address Monday, principal Barton Thorne of Cordova High School, near Memphis, said freedom of speech is being threatened by social media and tech companies, the Commercial Appeal reported. And Shelby County Schools silenced him for that.Thornes message to his students is something everyone should take to heart: Be aware, be in the loop as far as whats going on. Office Phone: 901-416-4540 And while doing so, they even told him that he could not talk to the media about it; yet the school policy is that employees CAN talk to media in their own personal capacities. Imagine that a public school administrator who is teaching kids to think for themselves. Office Phone: 901-416-4540 It is not always pleasant to hear things that you might disagree with or discover that someone holds an opposing position. Thankfully, theyre letting Principal Thorne back into the school and return to do what he loves, which is teach his students, Suhr said. He was then placed on paid administrative leave where he has languished for six weeks without any closure to his case, the filing says. All Rights Reserved. During his presidency, Trump had pushed for abolishing Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act to remove liability protections enjoyed by social media platforms. The video addressed the dangers of the Big Tech Giants censoring speech. Corona-Norco Unified School District held it's annual History Day at Roosevelt High School. Thorne, who's been principal at Cordova High School for about three years reportedly made the remarks during the video, which went out to Cordova High students. Classified Employee, Johnny Stuckey (Head Coach) Suhr told Sinclair his firm had reached out to the school district several times before filing the suit, but the school never responded in a substantive way.. In a statement, Thorne stressed that free speech is under threat and that he will neither be silenced nor would he allow a students voice to be marginalized just because he puts forward a reasonable point of view. Emotionally charged situations, we have to sometimes temper back, recalibrate, think about the message were sending to our student, spokesman Michael Lowe told the television station. Email: mail_hide("208847", "talleyc", 0, "gro.21kscs") Staff information for the 2022-2023 school year is displayed as it is entered/verified by Cordova High School administration. The suit however, will not be dropped. And this isnt about Trump, Im not getting into that, this is about speech, because there have been times even in American history where a small group of people decided what you can hear. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Office Phone: 901-416-4540 Thornes suit alleges SCS officials told him to remain silent while the district criticized him in the media. Please take a moment to view this . The video was shared with news media, and a member of the school board criticized Thorne publicly in news coverage. In each class, program and pathway of study, students are being shaped into good citizens, critical thinkers, effective communicators and lifelong learners. It was also in line with the resources Shelby County Schools Superintendent Dr. Joris M. Ray had recommended for teaching about January 6 and its aftermath. HUNT VALLEY, Md. He was also critical of the riot in the Capitol. Think about North Korea. Nothing in his video was factually incorrect, or even wrong, but it was simply wrong think; so the Shelby County School system placed him on administrative leave. Disclaimer: The materials contained in this website are for informational purposes and are not to be considered advertising or legal advice. I dont know of too many people that are going to be OK with what happened. Email: mail_hide("215108", "sikesd", 0, "gro.21kscs") Office Phone: 901-416-4540 (SBG) High school principal Barton Thorne, who was suspended last month over comments he made about free speech in the wake of the Capitol riot, is returning to work for the first time in six weeks. Email: mail_hide("215527", "smithcolemana", 0, "gro.21kscs") Talk to your parents about it. The time has come to break up big tech monopolies and restore fair competition Big tech giants like Twitter, Google, and Facebook should be punished with major sanctions whenever they silence conservative voices, Trump said in a speech. It was only after he filed a lawsuit, Thorne v. Shelby County Board of Education, on February 23 that Principal Thorne was reinstated. God Bless!" Wimberly said. Full-time Teacher, Tasheba Crane (Head Coach) Email: mail_hide("212221", "cooperc1", 0, "gro.21kscs") Vice Principal . Full-time Teacher, Charles Cooper (Head Coach) Barton Thorne, who is in his fourth year leading Cordova High School in Shelby County, reportedly said during a nine-minute morning announcement that free speech is being threatened by the actions of privately held tech companies, the Commercial Appeal reported. 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. subjected to an internal disciplinary investigation, 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. The Liberty Justice Center is seeking an unspecified amount in damages. He should be saluted for educating the kids at Cordova High School instead of indoctrinating them. 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. Email: mail_hide("215528", "smithcolemana", 0, "gro.21kscs") What sort of fruit salad nonsense is the Office of Equity and Access? (Denis Charlet/AFP via Getty Images). Phone 951-736-4545 | Fax 951-736-4538. Is SCOTUS About to Annihilate the Administrative State? High school principal sues over suspension after controversial comments to students about Capitol riot, free speech, Mother arrested for leaving children home alone to go to gym, police say, Suspect accused of kidnapping, raping child in South Memphis pleads not guilty, Whitehaven mourns loss of high school band director, City of Memphis takes formal stance on 5-year residency requirement for mayoral candidates, Thorne drew comparisons to the Branch Davidian standoff.

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