‘School Board Five’ reaches $200k settlement with MSCS
by: Brian Didlake
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — “I want to sit here and talk about virtual teachers,” Professor Damon Curry Morris said.
During Tuesday’s Memphis Shelby County School board meeting, Professor Morris addressed his concerns about the new teaching method.
“I think everybody forgot about COVID,” Morris said.
It’s the first time he’s been able to stand before board members since May of last year when he and four others were banned from public meetings.
The group which calls itself, the “School Board Five” announced Tuesday that they reached a $200,000 settlement with the district in a First Amendment lawsuit.
“We want to serve as a reminder that it’s always the right time to do the right thing and to show up and to speak up regardless of what the outcome may be,” Political Director Tikeila Rucker said.
The Group said while there has been a settlement, there is still space for collaboration.
“We’re very strategic in how we move and so, we are working with school board members now to put policies in place so that another School Board Five won’t have to go through this and they speak out,” said one School Board Five member.
No further details have been given about the settlement.
However, WREG dug deeper and got a copy of the notice of settlement dating back to the end of October.
The group agreed to withdraw the lawsuit after agreeing to the settlement.
The group said their efforts to see the lawsuit through despite the financial and personal costs.
“Money is irrelevant,” Morris said. “As far as what my family had to go through, me having to hire private security for my children, me having to remove six of eight children out of this district because they were being ostracized by actions I decided to take.”
The Five said they too have heard critics calling the group “disruptors” and in response, they looked to the Civil Rights Movement for inspiration.
“We would not be where we are had individuals not made a decision to show up and fight against the status quo,” Rucker said. “We would not have the freedom that we do have and that we are continuing to fight for.”
The group said Tuesday’s meeting will not be the last time we hear from there.
They said going forward, they will be looking to speak against school vouchers as the state tries to use public funds to pay for private education.
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