The state attorney general in Florida, James Uthmeier, has written to the Sarasota County school board and superintendent calling for a history teacher, if accusations of bullying and badgering a student based on her politics are documented, to be dismissed.
The teacher “allegedly harassed, disparaged, and deliberately tried to ‘cancel’ an eighth-grade student for his conservative views,” Uthmeier wrote in the letter.
He identified the suspect as Liz Ballard, a history teacher at Pine View School.
She routinely brings politics into her classroom and after the student, not identified, told her his parents forbid him from taking part in those confrontations, she “ignored the parents’ wishes and continued to engage the student as the conservative perspective in the classroom.”
She labeled the student a “misogynist” and eventually “questioned the suitability and influence of the student’s father.”
Multiple parents of multiple students, in fact, raised complaints about the teacher, but she still occupies a classroom in the district, Uthmeier charged.
“Provided these facts are corroborated, and in the absence of any reason to question their reliability, Ms. Bllard’s conduct violated Florida law, school board policy, and basic ethical principles for educators.”
State law bars the harassment of students, and the statute defines “bullying” as “systematically and chronically inflicting … psychological stress on one or more students” and can involve teasing, intimidation, humiliation and more.
Harassment is any insulting, dehumanizing or threatening gesture.
Ballard singled out this student and, in defiance of his parents’ express instructions, pressured him to defend political positions on demand in front of his classmates. “She made disparaging remarks about his father. And by facilitating the spread of a damaging label throughout the school, she engaged in the reputational destruction of a child,” he charged. “Ms. Ballard’s deliberate bullying and harassment of this eight-grade student violated Florida law.”
Based on the allegations, she “should be dismissed and her educator certificate revoked,” he said.
He gave local school officials until October 1 to tell him what they plan to do.
The Gateway Pundit confirmed Jason Means, of the Sarasota Classified Teachers Association, is defending the leftist teacher in the media.
But there’s no word yet on whether the union will formally defend her during the investigation.
He claimed, “She’s a great teacher at a great school; Pine View’s a great school.”
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[ H/T WorldNetDaily ]
