Today I was fired for tweeting that first graders couldn’t sing Rainbowland by
@MileyCyrus
featuring
@DollyParton
. Tonight I have an achey breaky heart but tomorrow I’m gonna get up and keep fighting for what is right. Thanks for all the love!
My legal team was unable to evaluate the truth of the district’s assertions regarding disruption and safety – they refused to provide any records in response to our open records request. We never saw any of the 100s of emails, we heard 12 voicemails, and that’s all.
#rainbowland
Rainbow Connection was unbanned today after parents sent emails to admin. Alliance for Education in Waukesha knows how to ally. I don’t know where I’d be without them.
“Kristen Brey says if Waukesha school leaders wanted to escape the embarrassment of banning "Rainbowland" they picked the wrong teacher to target.”
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The families from my district have been showing up for me tonight and I am overwhelmed with gratitude. 😭❤️🌈 Their messages are all I need to keep on keepin’ on.
@waukeshaschools
#rainbowland
photo credit
@frsimmons
A teacher in Wisconsin,
@melissatempel
was fired after tweeting that her first-graders weren't allowed to sing 'Rainbowland', a song by
@MileyCyrus
&
@DollyParton
. “I spoke out because I knew this was wrong… I’m going to fight it as much as I can.” Read:
"I want all of those students to know that even if they’re from a marginalized group or from a low-income household or if they’re being discriminated against for some reason or don’t feel like they’re being heard that they do have a voice.”
The co-founder of this school and I met and became friends in graduate school. She went on to become a teacher and saw that students were treated with disrespect in so many schools, so she opened her own school where ALL the students are welcome and supported.
[WATCH] Alexandra School beating the odds with 80% of their Grade 4 learners able to read for understanding.
Contrary to statistics released by the International Reading and Literacy Study, Kgololo Academy learners are reading for meaning.
#KayaNews
#KgololoAcademy
MP
@lizzo
@Summerfest
It was the best show until I heard this. We waited 5 hours to see you. I’m so sorry that happened to your crew. There’s no excuse for racism in Milwaukee. 😭
“Oh, I'd be lying if I said this was fine
All the hurt and the hate going on here”
The Rainbowland story is about much more than a banned song. The result of the political pushback on LGBTQ+ inclusivity and rights in schools is unfolding and it’s tragic.
1/2 Monday I filed a federal lawsuit. There’s a reason that my original tweet ended with “when will it end?” and I am proud that my legal team detailed the work of many dedicated students, parents and community members
I wish every educator & school administrator in Waukesha felt they had the freedom to speak out about the way banning rainbows, pronouns, & signs impacts them and their students.
Some first graders in Waukesha have been without their teacher for 31 days, they haven't been told anything about where she is or why she's gone. Tomorrow they will go to school and find out she is never coming back. Another dark day in Waukesha.
Why is it so hard for some ppl to understand that when advocating for inclusion, acceptance, and support for ALL students "getting rich" is the last thing on my mind? In fact, I'd go millions in debt to bring SAFE SPACE stickers back to
@waukeshaschools
“I know people are going to really criticize me for this, but I would probably go back to that school...I’ve had nothing but positive experiences with the families and parents there. So many people have reached out to tell me that they support me.”
Have you read “My Shadow is Purple”? I just read it on YouTube and I’m crying, first because it’s a beautiful book, and second bc Katie Rinderle is being fired for reading it to her students. Please donate to help her, her hearing is Aug. 10.
#GoFundMe
2/2 ...in Waukesha with a long list of public events that lead up to my tweet. For years, many of us listened to each other share personal stories and plead with the board to reconsider their harmful policies. You can read it all here:
"Whatever they believe in, I think that all students need to feel accepted and welcome in school. And right now, there is one specific group that's not being welcomed or accepted. And so that's why I'm speaking out on behalf of them.”
@HannahHopeKirby
@waukeshaschools
@MileyCyrus
Melissa Tempel slapped her old school district with a lawsuit after it fired her for criticizing its ban of a song with inclusive themes.
#pride
#FreedomOfSpeech
The most common thing people ask me is "Have Miley and Dolly reached out to you yet?" The answer is no, but maybe if I tweet this and go to bed I'll wake up to good news for a change.
@MileyCyrus
@DollyParton
To the inspiring first grade students at Heyer Elementary, keep being YOU. We believe in our Happy Hippie heart that you’ll be the ones to brush the judgment and fear aside and make all of us more understanding and accepting 🌈
Students were set to perform “Rainbowland,” a duet by Miley Cyrus and Dolly Parton, with lyrics that advocate for inclusion. Then the Wisconsin school district asked for the song to be removed from the concert.
Important piece on
@waukeshaschools
from
@frsimmons
. LGBTQ+ students spoke out, & the board stated that: "...kids weren’t reporting the incidents. If only they would do so, they said, this problem would be resolved. But here we see this narrative is false."
#waukehsaforrainbows
This is what’s being used as an example of harm? THIS?!! Everyone should be outraged that there is an attack on acceptance and inclusion in our public schools and it comes in the form of exclusive, harmful school board policies.
Yep people are finally getting g fed up but what y’all gonna do about it!! I hope y’all get fed up in time to stop this madness!! It’s absolutely out of control now! What is our end game?!
#FUCKYOURDISCOMFORT
It's official: Donald Trump is the:
1st man in the Oval Office to be impeached twice
1st man in the Oval Office to incite an insurrection
1st to lose the popular vote TWICE
and now . . . the first to be INDICTED.
But the media is missing the biggest reason this is so
Speaking of cancel culture: A Wisconsin first-grade teacher complained about the district barring students from singing "Rainbowland" (a Dolly Parton & Miley Cyrus song about hope).
Now, in retaliation, the Superintendent is ordering the teacher be fired.
GREAT discussion with Wisconsin teacher
@melissatempel
about her 1st graders being told they cannot sing the song
#Rainbowland
. Make sure you subscribe to the show to continue the conversation!
I love OK Go and used to use their videos in my classroom. We loved this one. If I’d had these facts I would have highlighted that they didn’t use computers. You know that yellow stuff in your ears? It is your brain melting out from too much screen time.
Every "concerned" right-wing fascist is lying about their issue:
They want to OWN YOUR BODY. They want the right to do with it as THEY please, WHEN they please, regardless of what the science says or even what you say.
(Thread) Demand
@MarcusHotels
not host hate! We learned known extremist hate group, "Moms for Liberty" would be hosting a school board training @
@SaintKateArts
. Group, which quotes Hitler in communications, opposes LGBTQ+ & racially inclusive curriculum, & supports book bans...
“PragerU Kids’ anti-anti-racism project includes a predictable deradicalization of Martin Luther King Jr.” If you’re not enraged, you’re not paying attention!!!!!
NEW: Florida just approved PragerU Kids’ right-wing propaganda videos for use in public school classrooms. There's copaganda, celebrations of colonialism, and more. Follow along for some lessons DeSantis et al are foisting on students.
Me at
@mmfa
While choosing not to criticize board members personally, teacher
@melissatempel
said that the right-wing takeover of the local school boards has resulted in hostile policies toward LGBTQ+ students, teachers, and their families.
@bert_kreitlow
The teachers who are upset stay under the radar so they can keep supporting students… or they resigned from the district last spring. I’m sure the district will try to push me out after this.
@EdKrassen
@MileyCyrus
@DollyParton
The latest I heard is that the song was banned bc
@MileyCyrus
is controversial. D’oh, I thought for sure it was
@DollyParton
and her beautiful drag queen followers! Oh well, I can’t stop my students if they still sing Rainbowland. It’s a fun, catchy song!