A Longview High School librarian has been suspended for two days without pay after she posted life-size cutouts of presidential candidates with modified versions of presidential campaign trail quotes at the library entrance last week. Longview ISD school board President Chris Mack said he is uncertain when librarian Linda Bailey will take the two days of unpaid suspension, and noted that would be a decision for administrators to make Trustees took the action against Bailey on Monday night following a closed session hearing in which they were scheduled to consider suspension without pay for a district employee. Last week, a librarian — now confirmed to be Bailey — put the cutouts of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton at the library doors with text attached to each. The Trump comment read, “Sign in or you will be deported.” The Clinton comment read, “This is the only door to use. Only deplorables use the other door.” After being alerted to the signs Oct. 5, the school district immediately had the cutouts removed. The district issued an apology Thursday for the librarian’s actions. District officials said the cutouts, particularly the one of Trump, offended some students, staff and community members. “Longview ISD does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability or genetic information in education programs or activities it operates or in employment matters,” the district said. The incident this week was not the first time a Longview High School employee has been reprimanded this year for making a political statement. In September, a high school employee was reprimanded after wearing a “Black Lives Matter” shirt to school, LeBus said. So after researching this and I swore I would not get into this. I found that the teacher who wore the “Black Lives Matter “ shirt on a LISD school was reprimanded but not suspended for two days. I personally believe both of these issues were a bad decision made by these employees, But I see both instances as needing the same punishment. As what we have seen on the news and in our local area race discrimination still shows its ugly head, but my point is this I agree with the punishment the board passed down on the librarian, but I do believe the same punishment should have been handed down for the teacher who wore the shirt. We need to stop tiptoeing around offending someone and punish the employees in the same way and not just when they feel like handing out suspensions. Rules are that rules and if not complied with they should face the same coincidence’s. Do the correct thing and follow your own rules and guidelines you set for your staff and teachers. I am angry that the board only chooses to suspend who they see fit in order to look good for the media. I promise you one thing if elected I am by the book what’s right is right and wrong is wrong. If you choose to not follow the rules then you face the consequences. I was taught to respect all people and treat everyone equal, because in the eyes of the Lord we are all his children. I personally believe that the school did not take the same measures in suspending the teacher who wore the shirt, because they were afraid of the backlash and what is going on in the media. Like I said I stand by the rules you break them you are reprimanded, and if a similar offence occurs you have the same punishment. Thank You, Jason Bates