A Public Education Teacher Fights Back

In the spirit of unity and compassion, I, Jenny Murray, have started this campaign so the community can come together to support one of our own. Mrs. Stacy Forte is a dedicated and inspiring public school math teacher, who has touched the lives of many students in the 29 years she’s been teaching via her unwavering commitment to education. Recently, Mrs. Forte became the target of harassment, slander, libel at the hands of malicious individuals who seek to intimidate her, push her out, and ruin her career by sharing harmful rhetoric, untruthful information, and assassinating her character.

The Inciting Event:

On February 6th, the middle school that she teaches at held an after-school event aimed at celebrating all the ways students have come together to lift-up and support their peers. At this event, student organized clubs had tables showcasing each club and shared information pertaining to each specific club. Students had reached out to Mrs. Forte about her sponsoring their club, Safe Spaces, and she agreed. Upon Mrs. Forte’s sponsorship, permission slips got sent home to parents of students looking to join, explaining what the club was and getting parental consent for their child to take part in the club. She followed all protocols and there was total transparency with the parents of the students wanting to take part in this specific club that is not held during school hours.

A week later, on February 12th, a post made by a certain individual in a Facebook group sought to incite a movement against this teacher using a photo taken at the event of the Safe Spaces flyer, which not only listed Mrs. Forte, but also the uncensored names of the two minors who came to Mrs. Forte for sponsorship. Not only that, but it shared the middle school name and the room number, further endangering these minors and Mrs. Forte herself.

Since that original post made in February, it has gained the attention of several individuals outside the school district, on a local, state, and national level via various Southern Poverty Law Center designated hate groups, individuals, and even a mayoral candidate for the city of Roanoke, Texas. This has led to the targeted harassment of Mrs. Forte and has now resulted in bomb threats towards her and the school she teaches at.

Mrs. Forte’s Legacy:

After growing up in the Lewisville/ Flower Mound area and graduating from Lewisville High School in 1989, she put herself through college, graduating from UNT in 1995 while also working at a preschool full time. Stacy became director of the preschool the week she graduated from college. After holding that position for 3 years, she decided that teaching was her passion, so she started teaching middle school at Travis Junior High in south Irving. She then moved to teach 5th grade in The Colony for several years before moving on to Flower Mound to teach 3rd grade.

When she got married in 2003, and after the birth of her oldest daughter, they moved to the Boston area for her husband’s job, where she served as the President of the school district’s Educational Foundation, which provided support and worked to secure grants for teachers. Stacy volunteered at the elementary school her daughter attended, was on the board of the town’s Community League, which provided residents with opportunities for social fellowship, fundraising, and various other things. In 2008, she helped organize a fundraiser to benefit the local schools that raised over $80K through a silent auction and ticket sales.

Upon moving back home to North Texas, Stacy served on the PTA board for several years, worked as a guest educator across the district in several capacities (including elementary and middle schools), served on the district PTA board, completed the NISD Leadership Academy, and tutored for the math STAAR at a district elementary school daily by organizing small groups throughout the day where she worked to increase the students’ understanding of math concepts through games, lessons, drills, and practice.

She works every day to make sure every student in the building knows her door is open for them, tutors not only her own students, but students from other math classes, helps colleagues with technology, curriculum in any way she can, greets every single student at her classroom door with a high five, a fist bump, or a hug, and creates working relationships with her students so she understands how to effectively teach them.

Stacy is the first person to say she’s wrong when she’s wrong, say she doesn’t know when she doesn’t don’t know, and cheer you on saying “You got this”.

Why this is important:

Folks, things have gone too far and instead of apologizing to Mrs. Forte and the minors parents and removing said image(s), these individuals continue to share the uncensored image(s), slander, and libel her. They are putting ALL children in danger (not just the two minors on the flyer), families through unimaginable pain, undue stress, thanks to their promotion of targeted fear and hate. We have got to stand with these students, parents, and this teacher and say enough is enough.

How You Can Help:

Mrs. Forte is taking a stand against these individuals and is standing up for ALL students by seeking legal action. Unfortunately, Mrs. Forte currently cannot afford to hire an attorney. Investigations are ongoing, but once finished, she’ll look for representation. We know how expensive legal fees and retainment of an attorney is. All funds raised will go directly to her for legal recourse and the hiring of legal counsel and what isn't used will be donated.

Please join me in helping Stacy stand up for what is right and just.