…”structured out” of a permanent teaching position

Shambra Mulder, LEXINGTON, KY – It is happening right her in Lexington, KY!

Sheila Taylor, CHICAGO, IL – I am one of the black teachers who has been “structured out” of a permanent position. Why is it that as an educator with 2 Masters degrees and over 12 years experience, I now am not desirable as a candidate for a position?

Shambra Mulder, LEXINGTON, KY – It is happening right her in Lexington, KY!

Sheila Taylor, CHICAGO, IL – I am one of the black teachers who has been “structured out” of a permanent position. Why is it that as an educator with 2 Masters degrees and over 12 years experience, I now am not desirable as a candidate for a position?

Yvonne Carter DOVER, DE – I am black, and can relate.

Jennifer Saunders, HIGH POINT, NC – I am one of the NYC African American Teachers who was illegally terminated and pushed out and who has helped to mount teacher campaigns using the NYS Courts and the US Federal Courts and the Public Employee Relations Board to hold the NYC Department of Education and United Federation of Teachers accountable to no avail over the last 10 years. I agree with this petition and request an investigation into the massive termination of African American teachers throughout the country.

JoniAnn Jones-Chaney, CHICAGO, IL – I am an African American teacher in the middle of an ULP, Unfair Labor Practice Hearing in which I am on the brink of losing my job.

Linda George, PARAMOUNT, CA – Because I am a victim of this practice.

Finnos Coleman ST. LOUIS, MO – I am a teacher who was deemed incompetent.

YOLANDA WALKER, FAR ROCKAWAY, NY – I am slated for termination for the same reasons you enumerate.

Edna Rhambo, AUSTIN, TX – I was a teacher for twenty five plus years and I experienced many threats.

Jenean Simmons, CHICAGO, IL – Teacher who has been unable to obtain a full-time teaching position after 13 years of teaching.

Rodney Pruitt, CHICAGO, IL – I was terminated from a special education school due to “low enrollment” when the office, who only sent. students through their own referrals, “strangled” us off. I am a special education endorsed teacher with two Masters degrees who mysteriously cannot be rehired, even when I have applied to everything. Add to that the fact that I became active and gave speeches for the Chicago Teachers Union. Unfortunately, my issues are not the exception. Our city government has used Black teachers as a “tool” for accelerating gentrification, with the Mayor’s blessing. Considering his ties to the Obama administration and the Secretary of Education, one can expect no address of these issues. Even the teachers union has gone silent on the issue as another prominent component of the African-American middle class is being closed out.  I appeal to the Justice Department to investigate the actions of the City of Chicago and its Board of Education beyond the acceptance of “official statements” and connect these actions to forced gentrification of our neighborhoods.

Dr. Wayne X. Davenport, CHARLOTTE, NC – I’m one of the African teacher unfairly let go after being named one of the best in the district but failed annual teacher evaluation in Charlotte, NC.

Ursula Scott, PORT ORANGE, FL – I was a victim of this same practice in 1990 in the state of FL.

Carol Hudson, CHICAGO, IL – It important to me because, I lost my job after 20 years of service.

Please contact the following authorities with your concerns:

1. Attorney General, Eric H. Holder, Jr.,- 202-514-2001
2. United States Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan – 1-800-USA-LEARN (1-800-872-5327)
3. White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans (WHIEEAA) David Johns – Executive Director – 202-205-9853
4. White House – Comments: 202-456-1111, Switchboard: 202-456-1414

Click Here to sign a petition in support of this issue and/or to leave a comment on how being “structured out” of the American education system has affected your life.