SC for Ed says death threats forced protesters to meet in secret

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - SC for Ed organized a secret meeting for teachers after a planned protest was sidelined due to alleged death threats.

Law enforcement informed teachers that the threats were coming from a well-known, violent organization that has ties to the storm on the U.S. Capitol.

Teachers say after receiving the death threats they didn’t want anyone to know where they were meeting in order to keep everyone safe.

At the meeting, teachers wore red t-shirts and wrote letters to the Governor to demand better work environments so South Carolina can retain teachers.

“We can collaborate share ideas and build each other up,” Lisa Ellis with SC for Ed said.

RELATED STORY | SC for Ed cancels protest after receiving numerous threats

Organizers say they wanted to meet with teachers from across the state but death threats forced them to cancel the event.

“When we announced our ‘Enough is Enough’ protest, we got more violent threats,” Ellis said. “More in terms of ‘We’re gonna come and get you.’”

After SC for Ed filed a police report about the threats, they were informed that law enforcement was already aware of the group.

“The groups had already carried out things around the nation and are on the radar of law enforcement,” Ellis said.

Reina Floyd, a teacher who took the day off to protest, expressed what she hoped to gain from the experience.

“When I say I want better working conditions, I’m saying it because it directly affects my students,” Floyd said.

Floyd, however, said she was not surprised by the death threats.

“After the events that took place on January 6 I’m not surprised,” Floyd said.

South Carolina teachers say they are going to continue to push the Governor for the sake of their profession.

“If the governor doesn’t work to retain teachers by giving good salary, by improving work conditions, by making it a profession people want to come in to, then you’re just hurting South Carolina,” Ellis said.

SC for Ed says law enforcement is investigating the death threats, however, they will not be disclosing the name of the organization involved.

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