“It’s the reason I’ve been so nervous. It’s so hard for me to speak. Because you have no idea what I have been through over the past six weeks because of my stand,” Kimball said. “And the reason I took this stand is because it was right for my kids. They’re my main priority.”
When you think about bullying in public schools, it’s generally in the context of a bigger kid picking on a smaller kid. According to Susan Kimball, a kindergarten teacher of 20 years in the Sikeston Public School District, it’s administrators and fellow teachers bullying and intimidating her, all because she opposes Common Core.
At yesterday’s Senate Education Committee hearing, Kimball testified she has suffered from bullying and intimidation since she began speaking out about the controversial standards.
“I have been strongly discouraged from saying anything negative about Common Core by my administration and some school board members,” Kimball said, her voice shaking.
Kimball described different instances where she, and others, were warned about speaking out.
“In a professional development meeting, um, inservice in November, and at a faculty meeting in January, we were told in my building, and I quote, ‘Be careful about what you post on Facebook, or talk about in the public regarding Common Core. Don’t say anything negative. It could affect your job.’”
Despite others being intimidated into silence, Kimball continued to speak out.
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