Syracuse Teacher To Keep Her Job

SYRACUSE - Lera Reinholt will return to her teaching duties at Syracuse Elementary in the fall.

Reinholt, a fourth-grade teacher, came under criticism in May for a worksheet on the Ku Klux Klan made available in her class. The worksheet asked several questions regarding the inner workings of the Klan and also contained a word search with words such as "nigger" and "Commie."

While many felt the incident was blown out of proportion, some people felt Reinholt should be disciplined, and others thought she should be fired. Reinholt was placed on administrative leave for the rest of the school year while administrators decided how the situation should be handled.

Superintendent Mark Stock read a prepared statement at Tuesday's Wawasee School Board meeting explaining the corporation's decision to retain Reinholt.

Stock said he and the principal interviewed Reinholt and reviewed the curriculum and lesson plans. He said he listened to several calls from parents, reviewed notes from students and talked to many who know Reinholt.

He said they feel the worksheet "was inappropriate but the teacher's unit and lessons were well intended. The teacher has made an instructional mistake with no ill intent.

"... The reason this incident struck a nerve across the state is because similar feelings and circumstances are present in communities everywhere," he said.

Stock also mentioned the Minorities Issues Task Force, which was formed last fall to help staff and students "understand the changing demographics of our county." The task force had several ideas in place for increasing sensitivity to minority issues before this incident occurred, he said, and the group will continue to meet to implement its goals.

Two patrons responded to Stock's statement.

Rosie Belin said she knows Stock "did a lot of investigation" into the matter, but she was still concerned. "It's hard for me to understand how a teacher of her experience could say she wasn't doing anything wrong," she said.

Meredith Mignery, the grandmother of the fourth-grader whose parents exposed the worksheet, said she was upset because Reinholt would not meet with the parents. "It took four weeks for a meeting," she said.

"If this was a child that lied, that did something like this in school, they would be reprimanded," she continued. "... In my heart I don't want her to lose her job, but she's not setting a good example."

Though Reinholt was on leave, she did return to Syracuse Elementary the last day of school, and Mignery said her granddaughter was "really glad" to see her. "She loves her teacher - she believes in her," she said.