When word spread that Donald Trump was headed to a Worcester County High School, some people sounded the alarm. Including the union that represents most teachers in the state.
"We see a lot of divisiveness with the Trump Campaign,” said Vice President of the Maryland State Education Association, Cheryl Bost. “We see a lot of name calling, and bullying, and that is not what we want in our schools, of our students, so we don't believe people should be able to use our schools to carry that message."
Tuesday, the group called on the school system to block the rally from being held at Stephen Decatur High School, saying Trump's rhetoric has no place in the hallways.
We reached out to the district, and officials tell ABC2 News the rental of the school does not imply an endorsement, saying in part "Worcester County Public Schools' policy does not discriminate on the basis of political or religious affiliation. The facility policy does not exclude a political candidate from renting facilities because of the views he or she conveys."
"The school system should examine whose going to be using the facility,” said Bost. “Right now we've heard from our educators there that it's gonna cancel their dress rehearsals for some of their shows, adult education classes are going to be disrupted."
A petition launched by Progressive Maryland also wants the campaign event stopped. As of Tuesday night it has more than 700 signatures, from people agreeing that "allowing Trump to use Stephen Decatur High School as a tool to broadcast his divisive message stands against the principles Stephen Decatur High School expects its students, teachers, and staff to adhere to every day."
Other opponents are planning to get their message across by peacefully protesting the rally. Many say trump's fear mongering and violent messages need to go.
Folks with the People's Power Assembly here in Baltimore got together to make signs, and will carpool down to the campaign event.
"It's his message of hate that we're there to oppose tomorrow,” said Sharon Black. “And that message of hate is a very, very broad umbrella, he is against immigrants, he is against women, he is against LGBTQ, he's against black people, he's against pretty much everybody that's not like himself."
We reached out to the Trump Campaign to see what they had to say about the push-back, but so far, we have not heard back.
Doors open at the rally Wednesday at 4 p.m, and the event it set to start at 7 p.m.
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