By David Bass
Carolina Journal
The North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE) has sent a letter to the campaign of Michele Morrow, Republican candidate for Superintendent of Public Instruction, demanding they cease use of an image of an apple in campaign materials, citing trademark infringement.
“Please be advised that this use of the apple and phrases referencing education in your campaign literature to advertise your endorsement to the public is deceptively similar to the official Apple Ballot utilized by the North Carolina Association of Education,” wrote NCAE executive director Matt Aber-Towns in a letter to Morrow’s campaign dated July 12.
“Over the years,” the letter continues, “NCAE and its affiliates have established a vested right in this service mark in connection with political advocacy, building a reputation for making education friendly endorsements. This has taken a considerable amount of time and revenue to establish the apple in the minds of citizens as a source of reliable and thoughtful endorsements supporting public education by educators in North Carolina. Accordingly, others are prohibited from utilizing it or any deceptively similar mark.”
Morrow provided a written statement to Carolina Journal responding to the NCAE letter:
The NCAE’s claim that the apple in my logo (which I also used in my 2022 school board campaign) is somehow an infringement of their trademark is absolute nonsense.
In addition, their accusation that I am trying to make the public believe that I have their endorsement is absurd
I do not want anyone to think that I am connected to their radical, progressive organization.
I completely disagree with their demand to remove SRO’s from our schools, their racially divisive policies and their push to sexualize our young students.
What the people of NC should know is that less than 11% of all teachers are members of the NCAE, so their claim to be the voice of teachers in our state is a misleading.
The NCAE uses the plight of teachers to push their divisive, destructive and dangerous agendas.
As Superintendent, I will work to remove all politics from our classrooms and be the voice of every family in NC.
I will restore common sense values and academic excellence to every K-12 school.
Together, we will make our schools the greatest in the country and an example for the rest of the nation to follow.
According to the NCAE letter, the organization obtained a licensing agreement in 2014 from the Maryland State Education Association to “exclusively” use the apple logo for political advocacy on public education.
“[T]he current use of the apple on your website, on social media, t-shirts, fans, etc. is deceptively similar to the service mark and is prohibited by law … Be notified that NCAE will pursue all available legal remedies to protect its rights under its license agreement and the registered service mark,” the letter reads.
Morrow has made a point in her campaign to go after the NCAE.
“Am I hearing this right? Considering all the problems of NCAE and its parent organization — the National Education Association — have with declining union membership and a labor strike, the organization would pick a fight with Michele Morrow asking her to stop using an apple in her campaign literature because it violated NCAE’s copyright on the image? When you think about it, it actually explains a lot,” said Dr. Robert Luebke, director of the Center for Effective Education at the John Locke Foundation.
David Bass is a senior contributor to the Carolina Journal.
Apple Ballot is a national initiative that is across every teacher’s union in the country. This is a bullying tactic and the logos, while similar, are not the same. Kick rocks NCAE!
If you want to know Mo’s values…look no further than his endorsements
She has my vote.
What do you expect, she’s a MAGA nut. Like the Orange Idiot, doesn’t believe that Laws/Rules apply to them
Like every illegal immigrant crossing the border? Like Merrick Garland snubbing a Congressional subpoena, like the President’s crackhead son? Like BLM/Antifa rioters destroying Raleigh and Durham? Like Roy Cooper and Josh Stein standing in the way of our democratically voted upon Voter ID law from 2018? You mean like that or something different?
Awesome reply! Love it!
EXACTLY!!
NCAE is a very very liberal group. They are loud and obnoxious but do not reflect the values / vision of the overwhelming majority of teachers. No one should judge the teaching profession by what they see from the NCAE!
The Democrats will stop at nothing to distract and destroy the US starting with our children! She has my vote!!
First, unions are not permitted in NC so NCAE is simply an organization of educators.
Second, Trump is a convicted felon, admitted adulterer, encouraged acts of treason and no one says a word about that.
You show your ignorance. Unions are allowed in NC. I am a member of CWA 3606. AFL-CIO has offices in this state and Teamsters roll down the streets every day. State employees, however, are prohibited from unions. Teachers that belong to private schools can unionize.
Second, Trump is a convicted felon, adulterer but has not been convicted of treason. None of that prohibits him from being talked about, an American, or running for president. The democrats often speak of giving convicts second chances, but a convicted Republican name Trump, causes their heads to hurt. Republican should run commercials in every state show how democrats will hold your past over you till you die. Democrats, the makers of modern servitude.
Looks like a turd, smells like a turd, must be a turd. A turd by any other name is still a turd however, in this case:
“As North Carolina’s public school employees union we are educators,”
Literally says it on their website in their “about” section, chief. Stop spreading lies.
Looks like a Trump, Smells like a Trump, Talks like a Trump, Admirers Putin like a Trump, Wants to abolish the Constitution like a Trump. Must be a DICTATOR like Trump
Is that you Commieala? Who’d have thought you would be trolling jocoreport.
For over 39 years I taught in NC public schools and NEVER in that time has the NCAE done anything for me. When governor Bev Perdue stole $500 from my paycheck, where were they? The NCAE is a political organization NOT a teachers union. They have no collective bargaining authority . They are a scam. They skip school to protest for more money… kind of an oxymoron.
NCAE is not a union! Just because you have an “apple” in your logo doesn’t mean no one else can use an apple. I see no infringement here. They just don’t like what she is saying.
I would not want my name to be associated with the NCAE. The teachers I know that are a part of it are nuts!
She could just pick another kind of fruit to use as a symbol, she is a fruit loop after all.
I see DTS is still with us. Trump must love living rent free in some people’s heads. Although, I don’t believe space is an issue.