WE SUPPORT MR. MORALES: Urge MUSD to keep Phil Morales as Milpitas High School's principal
WE SUPPORT MR. MORALES: Urge MUSD to keep Phil Morales as Milpitas High School's principal
The Issue
On Thursday November 10, hundreds of Milpitas High School students walked out of 4th period in protest of President-elect Donald Trump’s bigotry and violent language against people of color, LGBTQ+ people, Muslims, Mexicans, women, and immigrants. We sat on the football bleachers for about an hour while students lined up to express their thoughts and worries on everything that has been going on in this country. It was a healing and empowering space for many, and we are incredibly thankful to the school for facilitating it instead of discouraging us.
Towards the end, Mr. Morales got up to say how proud he was of us for making our voices heard. At the end of his speech, he also said “Fuck Donald Trump” to the cheers of many students who were chanting the phrase as well. Now, Superintendent Cheryl Jordan has placed Morales on administrative leave for using an expletive as a school official, on campus and during school hours.
There is no state or federal law that explicitly states school employees cannot use expletives at school. The superintendent and school board cannot pick and choose what speech they allow and arbitrarily dish out punishments based on their own political beliefs. Mr. Morales’ words were not a mindless or vulgar display of hatred, nor were they an incitement or a threat to public safety.
The district should keep in mind that outside of being a school administrator, Mr. Morales is a Latino man who cannot simply switch his identity on and off. In that moment, he had concerns and fears about living as a person of color, a Mexican American, in this country, just like the rest of us. More than 90% of our student body is of color, and we saw our pain, fear, and vulnerability reflected in Morales’ words. It was a reminder to us that we can find support in adults, our teachers, and our principal.
Mr. Morales is a human being who should have the right to feel emotions. And he definitely should not be punished in the name of professionalism.
This afternoon, we promised each other that we would stay united in this fight against racism, bigotry, and misogyny. Now, we need to unite to protect Mr. Morales’, and all Americans’, freedom of speech. Please sign and share this petition with everyone you know, including other students, friends, family, everyone!
Read the news story here
The Issue
On Thursday November 10, hundreds of Milpitas High School students walked out of 4th period in protest of President-elect Donald Trump’s bigotry and violent language against people of color, LGBTQ+ people, Muslims, Mexicans, women, and immigrants. We sat on the football bleachers for about an hour while students lined up to express their thoughts and worries on everything that has been going on in this country. It was a healing and empowering space for many, and we are incredibly thankful to the school for facilitating it instead of discouraging us.
Towards the end, Mr. Morales got up to say how proud he was of us for making our voices heard. At the end of his speech, he also said “Fuck Donald Trump” to the cheers of many students who were chanting the phrase as well. Now, Superintendent Cheryl Jordan has placed Morales on administrative leave for using an expletive as a school official, on campus and during school hours.
There is no state or federal law that explicitly states school employees cannot use expletives at school. The superintendent and school board cannot pick and choose what speech they allow and arbitrarily dish out punishments based on their own political beliefs. Mr. Morales’ words were not a mindless or vulgar display of hatred, nor were they an incitement or a threat to public safety.
The district should keep in mind that outside of being a school administrator, Mr. Morales is a Latino man who cannot simply switch his identity on and off. In that moment, he had concerns and fears about living as a person of color, a Mexican American, in this country, just like the rest of us. More than 90% of our student body is of color, and we saw our pain, fear, and vulnerability reflected in Morales’ words. It was a reminder to us that we can find support in adults, our teachers, and our principal.
Mr. Morales is a human being who should have the right to feel emotions. And he definitely should not be punished in the name of professionalism.
This afternoon, we promised each other that we would stay united in this fight against racism, bigotry, and misogyny. Now, we need to unite to protect Mr. Morales’, and all Americans’, freedom of speech. Please sign and share this petition with everyone you know, including other students, friends, family, everyone!
Read the news story here
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Petition created on November 10, 2016