Since Kara Kelley, of Portsmouth (N.H.) High School, teaches math, perhaps a suitable opening question would be “How many iterations of the word f**k does it take to get a teacher suspended?”
The video that follows captures only a moment from Kelley’s puerile and profane demonstration, but apparently the district saw all it needed to arrive at the decision to remove her from her classroom.
According to the Portsmouth Herald:
Superintendent of Schools Stephen Zadravec said Monday that he can’t comment about specifics involving the incident, or the teacher, Kara Kelley, because it’s a personnel matter.
“But I will say that the teacher is not presently in the classroom and we are investigating the situation,” Zadravec said. “There is no place for offensive language in our school community, nor is it our practice in school to support or discredit political candidates.”
Although Kelley’s fate has yet to be sealed, the response from the community has been mixed.
Michael Grondahl said his son was in Kelley’s geometry class when the incident occurred Monday morning. He said his son contacted him shortly after 9 a.m. to say Kelley was “making fun of” Trump in the classroom.
“He texted us and he felt very uncomfortable,” said Grondahl. “It’s not even like this was a sociology teacher. This is a geometry teacher.”
But another student emailed the paper in defense of Kelley whom the unnamed individual described as “one of the most incredible, kind hearted, funniest people in our school.”
She’s dressed up every year that I can remember, and this year she dressed up as Trump. Another student played the song, not her. Yes, she danced to it, but she did in no way intentionally play the song.
Parent Marcy Baer said she feels that Kelley “crossed the line” but doesn’t think the teacher should lose her job permanently.
I agree. At the very least, the school should wait and see her “Hillary dance” before making a final determination.
