Minnesota 'Teacher of the Year' kneels during college football championship

Minnesota's top teacher said her students were on her mind when she decided to kneel during the national anthem while being honored at Monday night's college football championship game.

The state's 2019 "Teacher of the Year" Kelly Holstine took a knee while being recognized on the Mercedes-Benz Superdome field along with the other honored teachers.
Standing with them was President Trump.
"I just decided that it felt like the right thing to do, to have a very respectful protest," Holstine told The Hill. "It's really Martin Luther King Jr. says it best: 'Nobody's free until we're all free.' "

Holstine had protested earlier this year by skipping the White House ceremony recognizing the "Teacher of the Year" honorees in April. Jessica Dueñas, the Kentucky honoree, also skipped the ceremony with Trump.
Trump's presidency has only made Holstine more apt to stand up for communities she said are oppressed under the administration.

"I think that the current environment that is being created and has been created in his tenure definitely adds to my feelings of wanting to support individuals who are not being supported," she said. "I really feel like our country is not serving the needs of all its inhabitants ... so many humans right now that are not being given the respect and the rights that they deserve."

The educator said she found out that Trump would be on the field with the teachers ahead of her decision to kneel. She said the honorees were told they could place their hand on their heart, as is traditionally done, or not during the national anthem.
The guidance made Holstine start to consider if standing without placing her hand on her heart "was enough" to support the people she wanted to support. After consulting with other educators and her wife, Holstine said she decided to kneel.
Holstine said not everyone around realized her silent protest was happening, and those that did were "very supportive." She stressed that there are many approaches and strategies people take to "step up for others," and respects the choices the educators standing beside her made during the game.
While she was kneeling on the field, Holstine said she was thinking about the students and other youth she's worked with for 25 years.
"Not everybody is given the opportunity to have a voice, and I can take a small moment, a respectful moment of protest, and exercise my First Amendment rights, and stand up for my students and for vulnerable adults and for people who are not treated in the way that they should be," she said. "It feels like my responsibility to do that."
Holstine previously worked at an alternative high school in Minnesota that she helped design and open. She is now the director of educational equity for OutFront Minnesota, an LGBTQ+ advocacy organization, and released a Ted Talk on Friday discussing why she feels educators should be advocates.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: mrmn50,

You need a subscription to see your link. Not going to happen.

Jim

No surprise. The last thing that interest them is equality. They want to be singled out as the "most" oppressed.

Why does everyone feel the need to make their personal belief system front page news. I'm sorry the world isn't more accepting of your lifestyle, but I'm also tired of it being national news everyone you're offended.

Please be more descriptive in your title, and in the body of your post. No one should need to click the link. You posted this on a discussion board, tell us why.

I’m sure the letters of support are pouring in for the fool who bent the knee.

Apparently everyone has to have their 15 minutes.

quote:

Originally posted by Jimbo54:
You need a subscription to see your link. Not going to happen.

Jim

something with your browser is letting that through. I didn't get the paywall.

quote:

Originally posted by arcwelder:
Please be more descriptive in your title, and in the body of your post. No one should need to click the link. You posted this on a discussion board, tell us why.

Agreed.

quote:

Former Minnesota teacher of year kneels at college football championship Kelly Holstine said given the platform, it had to be done.

By Anthony Lonetree Star Tribune
JANUARY 17, 2020 — 7:13AM


Kelly Holstine, 2018 Minnesota Teacher of the Year

With President Donald Trump nearby, and celebrated teachers, too, Kelly Holstine knelt in protest Monday as the national anthem played at the college football championship game in New Orleans.

Given the opportunity, she had to take a stand for the marginalized and oppressed, Minnesota’s 2018 Teacher of the Year wrote in a tweet that night that also included photos and the Martin Luther King Jr. quote, “No one is free until we are all free.”

The protest has been the subject of national news stories since, but the statement was not without precedence for Holstine. Last spring, she was one of two teachers — the other being Kentucky’s Teacher of the Year — who boycotted a White House visit with Trump.

She said then that the administration’s policies defied her belief that every student matters.

Holstine is a gender-nonconforming lesbian who last summer stepped down from a teaching position at an alternative high school in Shakopee to serve as director of educational equity at OutFront Minnesota, the state’s largest LGBT rights organization.

In the days before Monday’s game, a “TED-Ed” video featuring Holstine was posted during which she spoke of being a tomboy who was bullied and how she wished she could go back to tell that girl how she would learn and grow and be given opportunities to help keep kids safe — and also be one of the first teachers to boycott a visit with the president over discriminatory policies and practices.

Educators must be advocates, not just allies, she said.

In a story posted Wednesday on the Hill website, Hol­stine said she knew in advance that Trump would be on the field and, after consulting with other educators and her wife, decided to kneel.

She added that she respected the choices made by educators who stood beside her.

Her tweet that night brought some criticism, including a football fan’s comment: “Glad you won’t ever teach my kids.”

But she got plenty of support, too. Among those who retweeted her was Jessica Dueñas, the Kentucky teacher who joined her last spring in boycotting the White House visit.

It appears to be a mentally disturbed person.

Yet another example of why public education has to go. For every one that steps down there are a dozen that remain polluting our children.

Educators only think they should be advocates. They are all about power and corruption.

Other than her, is there anyone that seriously believes that she is was the absolute best teacher in MN? Rather than being an obstacle, her orientation and politics were the exact reasons she was chosen.

Kelly Holstine has mental stability issues. How did she get named teacher of the year?

Or maybe I don't understand the nature of the Minnesota award.



.

Thank you Sigolicious for clarifying the thread, I wasn't going to click on the link.

quote:

Originally posted by MNSIG:
Other than her, is there anyone that seriously believes that she is was the absolute best teacher in MN? Rather than being an obstacle, her orientation and politics were the exact reasons she was chosen.

She was chosen "Best Teacher" by a connect-the-dots committee with an agenda in mind, not performance.

There could have been a good discussion about this....

Instead half of the replies are about not seeing the OP, etc.

Guys...post a descriptive thread title, and something that guys can look at.

It's not that hard.

Whoops.

Seems like it was done. Thanks guys.

If I am missing anything in my OP, please let me know and I will endeavor to add or correct.