Posted on 10/02/2004 10:43:17 PM PDT by 11th_VA
SOUTH BRUNSWICK: A middle school teacher walked out on her job after being asked to remove a picture of the president from her classroom, she said.
Though she says he has not resigned, the teacher's situation at Crossroads Middle School South is not yet resolved.
Shiba Pillai-Diaz's walkout involved the local police, left school officials mum and appalled the local Republican Party.
Pillai-Diaz, 33, a volunteer with the Bush campaign and an English teacher, has had a publicity picture of the First Couple hanging in her classroom since the start of the school year, she said.
The photo became an issue last week.
Parents e-mailed an assistant principal accusing Pillai-Diaz of suppressing free speech because the teacher refused to talk to pupils about why the color photo hung in the room.
"Students said, 'You like George Bush? He's killed people,' " Pillai-Diaz said. "As a rule I don't talk about my politics in the classroom."
According to Pillai-Diaz, Assistant Principal Mark Daniels said he had no problem with the photo, which hung next to posters of the Constitution and Declaration of Independence. But Daniels told the teacher she should address questions that arose because of the photo.
"He wasn't giving me the power to direct conversation in my classroom," said Pillai-Diaz, who regarded the picture just as an image of the current president.
Thursday, at back-to-school night, the controversy exploded after a parent asked why the picture was up, Pillai-Diaz said.
"The way she asked was a political assault," the teacher said.
Then the parents started their own debate about the picture, and one mother stormed out of the classroom, Pillai-Diaz said.
Friday morning, the teacher, who is in her sixth year of teaching and her first in South Brunswick, was called into the assistant principal's office. Daniels told her to remove the picture, Pillai-Diaz said.
"He said, 'If you care about your job, you'll take the picture down,' " she said.
Pillai-Diaz told the assistant principal to take the picture down himself. Then she sought Principal Jim Warfel, who gave her an upbraiding.
"He said, 'You've caused more disruption, hatred and anger than anyone I've ever known,' " she said.
The teacher said the principal told her to "get out," so she left and headed to the South Brunswick Police Department.
An officer accompanied Pillai-Diaz back to the school because she said she feared for her safety when she went to collect her belongings, police said.
Once Pillai-Diaz felt safe at the school the officer left, police said.
In the school, Pillai-Diaz had a two-hour meeting with Superintendent Gary McCartney and a representative from the teachers' union. Both parties told the teacher she would lose any fight she would try to start about the picture, Pillai-Diaz said.
"They weren't interested in the substance of the issue," she said.
The superintendent said no one has resigned, been fired or suspended. McCartney would not discuss the incident, calling it a personnel matter.
When reached Friday night, Sylvia Lee, president of the teachers' union, said no teacher had been fired and she didn't know about the incident. Lee did not return multiple telephone messages left for her yesterday.
Board of Education President Robert Long declined to comment on the incident, calling it a personnel matter.
He did say he could not find any district policy addressing the presence of pictures of presidents in classrooms. He said it would be too early to tell whether the incident merited a policy change.
"We don't want to develop a policy for something that is not needed," Long said. "Whatever the facts may be, it is something we will certainly take a look at if needed."
Democrats dominate South Brunswick's government, holding the Mayor's Office and three of the four council seats.
Of the 40,000 people living in the township, about 5,000 are registered Republicans. Registered Democrats outnumber them by a 3-to-2 margin, said local Republican officials.
"It's horrible that a teacher was asked to take down a picture of the president of the United States," said Dawn Smith, chair of the local Republican Committee. "It's unconscionable."
Smith said she would expect the same procedures to apply whether it was President Bush or former President Clinton.
"When did we stop honoring our country's leaders?" Smith asked.
Pillai Diaz said the only way school officials may have known she was a Republican is because she could not attend a meeting with teachers on the day she volunteered at the Republican National Convention in New York.
"I never once said 'I am a Republican' or 'I support the president,' " Pillai-Diaz said.
Pillai-Diaz turned in the keys to her classroom on Friday. She packed up the picture and her classroom decorations, taking them with her when she left. She is unsure about her future employment, but said she is supposed to speak with district officials about it tomorrow.
"My ultimate goal is to teach," she said.
Prayers for this lady as she confronts the evil minority!
It's rumored that the history teacher used to have pictures of presidents Washington, Lincoln and Jefferson in her room and that the history text used to have references to the presidencies held by these men. But, it was just a rumor. We are assured that the children know nothing about these presidents and never will. (Biting sarcasm)
so true so true
Abraham Lincoln was also a Republican. Are teachers no longer allowed to display his photo in the classroom?
**Abraham Lincoln was also a Republican. Are teachers no longer allowed to display his photo in the classroom?**
Probably he would be seen as the domient white male now Clinton with his special interest groups would be allowed.
I hate stupid lawsuits but she needs to sue the pants off this school district.
Hate to imagine my kids in a class with the kids of these militant red SOB "parents"
I spend $800 bucks a month for private school tuition to keep them away from people like that.
At least this time, you acknowledged it was parents, not the teacher.
HOWEVER, I think the braver thing would be to let your kids be an example to those "other" kids. I went to public schools, but my parents values had more influence on me than anything. Having more positive examples can do a lot of good for kids. In the area where I grow up, many "conservative" parents have their kids in public schools and they stand as good examples to their peers, and are often the top students BECAUSE they are influenced much by their parents.
Being a good parent and teaching the right values to your kids is THE most important thing. It's too bad that some parents feel they have to withdraw their kids from society (I have seen decent reasons in some cases though).
It is interesting to note, though this is probably a rare case, that the teen pregnancy rates were about 8% for my public high school and about 50% for the private high schools in my area when I was growing up. I don't think that this figure has anything to do with anything though.
Until a democrat is elected.
If this teacher had hung up a poster of Che Guevara, or Fidel, or Malcolm X,she would have been on the Fast track for promotions...
I'm a teacher and have never heard of this. I do need to earn more money since my wages have gone down about 15% the past two years. Can you tell me where I can find these posters so that I can teach my kids other things besides the boring reading, writing, working hard, having strong families, respecting parents, being honest, etc.?
I would really like a promotion so again, please let me know where I can find these pictures.
Try the mall, Paul.
This wouldn't be a stupid lawsuit.
I wonder if they had to discuss the blue dress or proper use of the oval office when clintoon was the potus.
While I myself went to public school in the 70's, the complete lack of supervision and enforcement of discipline I see these days leaves me no choice but to keep my kids in a Catholic school.
The system doesn't work without accounatability, from teachers and parents.
The parents don't care, the teachers don't care because they can't be fired for anything short of sodomy, and the kids certainly don't care.
It is a sick and depraved system that is not salvageable.
One of the strongest branches of the Democratic party.
They bitch and moan about not being treated as "professionals," yet they continue to act as trade union thugs. They don't get to have it both ways.
Thanks for the email addy, I have sent a note to James.
I , of course agree, but not all school districts and schools are like this one (I know you are not saying this). I am a History middle school teacher in Fairport NY which is outside of Rochester. Whenever I read stories like this I thank God my school and community are not like this one! I am an known Repub, but I play it fair in class-teach the facts etc...although it leaks out perhaps with my passion that I lean right....
On parents night I had six sets of parents come up to me and comment about my room-very patriotic-flags, 9/11 rememberence pics, troop pics (tasteful and well done) they and a few of their astute kids were guessing that I was a Repub just because of the patriotic images...what does that say!?! In a lot of people minds to be a patriotic teacher=conservative. Not always and in every case-but in my six years in the classroom that has been my impression! In fact many would be amazed at the amount of Bush supporters we have on staff! The underground is alive and well!
Sorry for the length!
While I myself went to public school in the 70's, the complete lack of supervision and enforcement of discipline I see these days leaves me no choice but to keep my kids in a Catholic school.
The system doesn't work without accounatability, from teachers and parents.
The parents don't care, the teachers don't care because they can't be fired for anything short of sodomy, and the kids certainly don't care.
There is plenty accountability in the schools today--every year (at least in my state), we get more and more big government regulations added to the list. I have lost an week of instruction time because I am supposed to give a required individual reading test (with no assistance) to the kids. I would like to see more accountability from parents myself--who put extracurricular activities above doing homework, who don't spend time with their kids, etc. Fortunately, most parents of my students are involved with them.
Teachers can be fired for lots of things or let go. AND it happens as often as meny jobs. Your statement of that is just plain false.
As for not caring, I have to say bluntly, well I'll temper it down quite a bit, What in the world are you saying????
Most teachers that I know of are quite dedicated to their students. We don't go into teaching for the money or for the glory. WE DO CARE.
I spend 4-8 hours a week tutoring my students, 2-3 hours a week calling parents to tell them how their kids are doing, about 3 hours a night correcting or doing things for the classroom, about 10-20 hours on the weekends doing the same, work 1-2 hours extra a day, spend my lunchtimes tutoring or providing extra learning opportunities for the kids, serve as a community advocate at City council meetings for kids, spend at least a month's salary on things for the kids (only a small amount on treats), spend several dozen hours on breaks working on classroom things, often make home visits to drop off things or if there is a concern, drop off my student of the week award each Sunday to two exemplary students, emphasize such values as having strong families and spending time together when I talk with parents and the kids, etc. etc. etc. Oh yeah, I try to have each of my kids reading above grade level by the end of the year and the great majority do. I spend as many UNPAID hours at a MINIMUM outside the classroom as I do in it. Don't tell me that I don't care. I often have to be a parent, psychologist, counselor, etc. as many teachers are nowadays. Yet we get blamed by some people for everything short of ending the world. I'm tired of hearing such things and I'm tired of hearing that I don't care.
If we changed our attitudes, put more effort into supporting one another, worked together, etc. etc. then we would get amazing results. Also, I do think that parents are the biggest influence in a kid's life. We all need to be better examples as adults. I cringe when I see the dishonesty, greed, etc. rampant in the business world (and other places), especially when I try to teach my students positive values such as working hard, being honest, respecting parents, etc. However, I do look for those who are honest and give good service too.
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