2 Arizona teachers punished for ballot initiative advocacy

The man named Arizona‘s Teacher of the Year for his work in special education and the woman who heads the teacher’s union for their district have been disciplined for allegedly advocating for a state education ballot initiative at work.

The Arizona Republic reported this week the Phoenix Union School District punished them after someone complained to the state Attorney General’s Office.

Kareem Neal, the 2019 Arizona Teacher of the Year, was suspended for one day and fined $223 for hanging a sign in his classroom supporting the #InvestInEd ballot initiative that grew out of the #RedForEd teacher walkout.

Resha Gentry-Ballance, president of the district’s teacher’s union, was fined $592.83 for discussing the initiative in a speech to district employees. The Arizona Supreme Court later knocked that measure off the ballot.