Teacher placed on leave for questionable Facebook posting (In photo she's holding a rifle)

WKOW-TV ^ | February 3, 2009

[2ndDivisionVet]

BEAVER DAM (WKOW) -- Beaver Dam school officials placed a middle school teacher on administrative leave after discovering a photograph of the teacher with a gun on the teacher's Facebook page.

In the photo, teacher Betsy Ramsdale is training a rifle at the camera.

Ramsdale emailed 27 News in response to our inquiries saying she "removed the photo immediately" and that she is not "interested in any controversy." Ramsdale did not comment on her motivation for posting the photo.

Schools superintendent Donald Childs told 27 News he is unaware of any sinister intent on the teacher's part and said the use of the photo "appears to be poor judgment."

Childs said the Facebook photo was brought to the attention of school district officials by a concerned staff member at Beaver Dam Middle School.

Ramsdale's biography on the school district website states she is in her first year of teaching at the middle school. Department of Public Instruction records show Ramsdale has been licensed to teach since 1996.

Middle school parent Jennifer Buzzell said the teacher's decision to post the photograph was concerning.

"I don't think it's appropriate," Buzzell told 27 News. "I'm not sure why this would be on the computer at all."

"I don't see anything wrong with it," school parent Mark Hagstrom said. "She's on her time to do what she wants."

School parent Chad Van Loo said the photograph sends the wrong message.

"With the way things are going these days, with the kids bringing guns to school and bomb threats, (photograph) is something to be concerned about."

Ramsdale's union representation is through the Beaver Dam Education Association. Association president Janet Schumaker has yet to return a call from 27 News.

Read our Assistant News Director's Blog on this topic:

http://addins.wkowtv.com/blogs/behindthenews/

To comment and provide news tips, contact reporter Tony Galli at tgalli@wkowtv.com

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

Your post is a bull's-eye.

Thank you. As are yours.

[Kozak]

So that First amendment thing, I take you are against it?

[Kozak]

They are not. While the Constitution is just a piece of paper with words and names on it. It is the ideas expressed by the words that makes it significant.

You might want to take a look at that First amendment part, it seems to have gone over your head.

[Doohickey]

Is your journey to sissitude complete, Dan, or are you still working on it?

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

You might want to take a look at that First amendment part, it seems to have gone over your head.

1st Amendment says that Congress may not prohibit the exercise of your free speech.

How does this apply?

Did Congress try to pass a Bill of Attainder against Ramsdale?

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

Is your journey to sissitude complete, Dan, or are you still working on it?

Are you still molesting little boys or did you get help?

[Kozak]

How does this apply?

Supremacy clause.

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

Supremacy clause.

Who in government prohibited the exercise of her free speech?

[Kozak]

You really need to pay attention...

“Beaver Dam school officials placed a middle school teacher on administrative leave after discovering a photograph of the teacher with a gun on the teacher’s Facebook page.”

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

You really need to pay attention...

The freedom of speech is not absolute and without limits.

[death2tyrants]

Here’s an intro for you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3roS8cJRGEk

[Kozak]

Uh huh. You can’t shout fire in a crowded theater etc.
Just what did this teacher do again to warrant being removed from her employment by a government agency? Maybe posting on FR will be grounds for termination next.

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

Here’s an intro for you.

A movie. It's not real. Didn't you know that?

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

You can’t shout fire in a crowded theater etc.

Why not? What's the harm in playing a little joke on everyone?

Just what did this teacher do again to warrant being removed from her employment by a government agency?

For exhibiting poor judgment.

[Kozak]

For exhibiting poor judgment.

Well hell we should then fire every teacher who votes Democratic.

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

Maybe posting on FR will be grounds for termination next.

This shows you still can't distinguish between the message and the medium...

[PLMerite]

“Nope. Like I said, she wasn’t just holding it.”

I normally don’t give grief to people who’ve been on FR longer than I have.

But, dude, you’re creeping up on the Moron-o-meter.

[Kozak]

Why, to the apparatchicks at the school that might be a sign of bad judgment.

[death2tyrants]

A movie. It's not real.

Agreed. It's just a movie, and the teacher's photo is just a photo. It's no more harmful or immoral than the intro to Magnum Force.

[Kozak]

This shows you still can't distinguish between the message and the medium...

Oh yeah and you CLEARLY are clueless as to what the that phrase means.