Webster Teacher To Retire After Remark Made In Class
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
A chance remark in a North Webster Elementary classroom has led to the early retirement of a 31-year teaching veteran.
A remark Phyllis Roberts made to her class two weeks ago was overheard by someone passing by, leading Roberts to retire from her position.
Officials will not say exactly what Roberts said, but the remark is believed to be of a discrimantory nature.
Val Conner of the Indiana State Teachers Association said there was "no malicious intent" in Roberts' remark, but "the context of the comment was exacerbated by the situation" in the school system last year.
A Syracuse Elementary teacher came under fire last spring for distributing in her class a worksheet on the Ku Klux Klan.
Conner said Roberts' decision to retire was voluntary, "but had she not taken early retirement, she would have had a hearing in front of the school board."
Conner was at Wawasee High School on Monday afternoon to answer questions that arose from the incident. "There's a lot of faulty information going around; a lot of teachers are upset because of what happened," she said.
She explained the situation to about 70 teachers and also told how the decision to let Roberts retire was reached. She reminded them that "the choice is always the (ISTA) member's choice, whether to fight or not. The teacher deserves the dignity to have her choice respected," she said.
As the meeting evolved, Conner said, "teachers were concerned and justifiably upset by how things were handled. They didn't think the administration handled the situation appropriately."
The teachers expressed concern that sensitivity training did not follow last year's incident, and that they could lose their jobs by unwittingly making an insensitive remark.
The school corporation's Minority Issues Task Force has discussed many racial issues and is working to implement solutions in all Wawasee schools, including hiring more minority paraprofessionals and dealing with racial slurs.
Conner said the corporation has "a long-term plan with good motives, but it hasn't filtered down yet to all levels."
Roberts had no comment on the situation.
The school board is expected to deal with the issue in tonight's executive session, which concerns personnel. [[In-content Ad]]
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A chance remark in a North Webster Elementary classroom has led to the early retirement of a 31-year teaching veteran.
A remark Phyllis Roberts made to her class two weeks ago was overheard by someone passing by, leading Roberts to retire from her position.
Officials will not say exactly what Roberts said, but the remark is believed to be of a discrimantory nature.
Val Conner of the Indiana State Teachers Association said there was "no malicious intent" in Roberts' remark, but "the context of the comment was exacerbated by the situation" in the school system last year.
A Syracuse Elementary teacher came under fire last spring for distributing in her class a worksheet on the Ku Klux Klan.
Conner said Roberts' decision to retire was voluntary, "but had she not taken early retirement, she would have had a hearing in front of the school board."
Conner was at Wawasee High School on Monday afternoon to answer questions that arose from the incident. "There's a lot of faulty information going around; a lot of teachers are upset because of what happened," she said.
She explained the situation to about 70 teachers and also told how the decision to let Roberts retire was reached. She reminded them that "the choice is always the (ISTA) member's choice, whether to fight or not. The teacher deserves the dignity to have her choice respected," she said.
As the meeting evolved, Conner said, "teachers were concerned and justifiably upset by how things were handled. They didn't think the administration handled the situation appropriately."
The teachers expressed concern that sensitivity training did not follow last year's incident, and that they could lose their jobs by unwittingly making an insensitive remark.
The school corporation's Minority Issues Task Force has discussed many racial issues and is working to implement solutions in all Wawasee schools, including hiring more minority paraprofessionals and dealing with racial slurs.
Conner said the corporation has "a long-term plan with good motives, but it hasn't filtered down yet to all levels."
Roberts had no comment on the situation.
The school board is expected to deal with the issue in tonight's executive session, which concerns personnel. [[In-content Ad]]