Utahn promotes petition for slain teachers to receive Medal of Freedom

Utahn promotes petition for slain teachers to receive Medal of Freedom

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WEST JORDAN — A West Jordan teacher believes educators who die protecting their students should be considered for the highest honors the U.S. government has to offer.

Westland Elementary School first grade teacher Abram Yospe was jolted into action when he heard of yet another teacher, Michael Landsbury in Sparks, Nevada, dying in a school.

Yospe quickly got behind a cause that his cousin started on Oct. 22 — a petition that asks the U.S. government to recognize educators with the Presidential Medal of Freedom who have died protecting students.

The medal honors people who have made "an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors" (Executive Order 11085).

"Pretty much everyone would agree that recognizing a teacher who gave their life for their students is something we could all get behind," Yospe said.

A recent column in the Huffington Post makes the argument that firefighters, soldiers and police are given medals for bravery in the line of duty, so educators who die while protecting and serving should be considered for the same honors.

Six teachers and staff at Sandy Hook Elementary were given the Medal of Freedom posthumously, but there have been many teachers before and after Sandy Hook that have died protecting their students.

"There have been a lot (of teachers) that have not received any sort of recognition at all for this great sacrifice that they've given," Yospe said.

The feedback he's gotten so far has been positive, but he's got a long way to go to get the required 10,000 signatures.

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Mary Richards

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