Teacher Fired For Stepping On Flag In Class
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He was trying to demonstrate free speech, but that was lost on the school board.
School district Superintendent Jill Rogers reported that the Martinsville school board voted 6-0 Thursday evening to dismiss English teacher Jordan Parmenter, effective immediately.
Parmenter said Sunday afternoon that he was present at Thursday’s meeting, where he addressed the school board and answered questions from individual board members. Parmenter declined to discuss the issue further until he is able to speak with his union representative.
After the May 15 incident, the district placed Parmenter on leave for the remainder of the school year. Parmenter subsequently wrote a letter of apology that he submitted to the school board.
Parmenter has said he was teaching a planned lesson on freedom of speech May 15 when he used the small U.S. flag in the room as a pointer for a chart.
One of the students in this class stated that using the U.S. flag as a pointer is disrespectful, Parmenter said. The teacher said he then made what he says was the rash decision of dropping the flag to the floor and stepping on it to illustrate an example of free speech as part of the lesson that day.
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