In support of Nurse Stafford, Winthrop School, Ipswich, MA

Protect FREE SPEECH!

I support keeping Nurse Stafford on the Winthrop School Staff.

I’m am in a neighboring town of Georgetown.

As a former educator, I would have been appalled to have my right to free speech trampled. Voicing one’s opinion of a public figure outside of school hours does not seem to warrant the response it received.

With this country hearing on National new of the blasting of boats from international waters with no warning given, this hardly merits a comment, let alone a firing.

I support John Stafford

I'm disappointed in this apparent knee-jerk response on the part of school officials. Did Nurse Stafford violate any actual rules? Was he asked for an explanation for what he chose to do on his personal page outside of school hours? This is not the Ipswich I know and love!

Please keep Nurse Stafford on staff and support him.

I support keeping Nurse Stafford employed in our school system.

I am an Ipswich resident. Please do not succumb to the social media pitchfork mob.

Although I have no children enrolled in Ipswich schools, I am a retired teacher and truly believe that Nurse Stafford should N0T lose his job- his words were strong but in no way did he encourage violence- I commend his courage in these difficult times

It was an opinion and nothing of malicious intent. That is the lesson to be evangelized here.

This is not what Ipswich does. We are entitled to our opinions under the Constitution and expressing them should not be punitive. This is what this country was built on.

We must stand against the censuring of free speech. I was a public school teacher for 30 years and I would not choose to work in a school system that fired an employee over this.

Please don't fire Mr. Stafford, he was very supportive towards my child and other children. His post was in a private facebook group, and not on company time. He is allowed to have a private life outside of his job, and is entitled to protections of the First Amendment, which is two-way street and can't be selectively applied. He didn't threaten to harm/kill anyone or call for anyone to do it. Please don't listen to the agitators online, most of them don't have kids in this school, and are essentially taking a break from their weekly rants about how they want to run over the protestors with their cars. Do you really want these people in charge of our kids' education?

Jon Stafford is an invaluable member of the IPS district. He cared for me impeccably during my time as a student at Winthrop School. His protected free speech does NOT impact his ability to care for the health and wellbeing of Ipswich students.

Many of us have voiced angry words about the advocacy of Turning Point, while not wishing harm on an individual. Please support Nurse Stafford as a school department employee. The Ipswich Schools just last year rejected Turning Point as an organization that we did not want our kids involved with. His statement is in support of that.

I have a granddaughter that has a severe peanut allergy so attends Winthrop.. I implore you to ensure that there is a qualified medical provider on site and n case the need arises for her or any other child!

Jon is a qualified and dedicated professional and an asset to our schools.

Please realize no threat and no criminal action. Simply a bad choice of words should not be grounds to be fired. Please don't fire Jon.