District flags message to Henry County school staff

A message sent to staff at Ola Elementary School attracted some negative reactions in the community and provoked an official response from school district officials. The message was sent the weekend of Nov. 8 and encouraged staff to “speak positively about a woman of color being elected to lead our nation,” in reference to Kamala Harris.

The action was considered by many to be a partisan political statement amid an election that some believe is still being contested. The school district issued a statement Nov. 9 which stated that “students should be able to form and express their own opinions on issues without jeopardizing their relationships with teachers or the school, and the internal memo that was distributed to staff disregarded this expectation. The matter of concern has been addressed at the school level. It is regrettable that this has caused a disruption to this school community.”