Fort Worth ISD votes to appeal TEA's decision to reinstate fired teacher Georgia Clark

FORT WORTH, Texas - The Fort Worth ISD school board voted to appeal the TEA's decision to reinstate a fired teacher who sent anti-illegal immigration tweets to President Donald Trump.

The Fort Worth Independent School District lost when Georgia Clark appealed her firing – first to a hearing examiner and then to the state education commissioner. The state ordered Clark reinstated or given one year’s pay and benefits.

Clark taught at Carter Riverside High School and was fired for a Twitter message to President Donald Trump complaining about illegal immigrants in her school and asking him to “remove the illegals from Fort Worth.

There were also past complaints from students saying she made derogatory comments about race.

An independent hearing examiner that looked into the case recently found that Fort Worth ISD did not properly document past incidents and that student witnesses had conflicting stories.

The state education commissioner ruled she did not give up her free speech rights when she became a teacher.

Fort Worth ISD has said from the beginning that it will appeal this decision, arguing the commissioner’s decision was not made based on the merits of the case.

The board allowed the public to speak Tuesday night. A handful of people showed up to express their concern about Clark’s possible reinstatement.

“I will ask you to please stick to your guns and remove a teacher that isn’t making it safe for the students to come and learn in Fort Worth ISD,” said Sandra Garcia-Rubio with the Hispanic Women’s Network.

“I think we should pay her out. I want her gone,” said parent Jessica Ramirez. “I don't want her in our classrooms anymore. I think she has done enough damage. And I just want her gone.”

Of the nine people who spoke about Clark during public comment, none spoke out in support of her.