A Tulsa-area librarian has been honored by her school district after being the target of online harassment less than a year ago.
Kirby Mackenzie, a librarian at Ellen Ochoa Elementary, was designated as the 2023-2024 District Teacher of the Year by Union Public Schools last week.
"I'm honestly so excited and so honored," Mackenzie said. "I have taught at Union my whole career. I went to Union as a kid, and I know the depth of talent in this district."
Last year, Mackenzie was the focus of online attacks after a conservative social media account targeted her for a video she posted. The attention triggered days of bomb threats to Union schools, none of which were founded.
Mackenzie said she and her fellow staff tried to stay focused on their jobs throughout that period.
"We’ve never lost sight of what our goals are," she said. "That is, to create readers and to provide every single one of the 977 kids in this building with the best education possible."
The announcement of Mackenzie’s award was made during a professional development day at the school district.
