A teacher at South Laurel High School has come under attack for penning a political comment on the whiteboard in class earlier this week. This is the latest in similar incidents of teachers making politically charged comments over the recent Presidential elections.
The teacher under the scanner has been identified as Kendra Baker. She embroiled herself into a mess, after she wrote this statement: 'You can't be a Democrat & go to heaven.'
It's said that Baker wrote the statement after hearing it from one of the students in the classroom and doesn't reflect her views. The student is still to be questioned.
According to a report, a student took the picture of the whiteboard and notified the Laurel County Board of Education about the incident.
"Baker heard the statement from a student then proceeded to write it on her board. The statement was not a part of the curriculum or lesson plan and was a blatant opinion following the recent Presidential election," Sentinel-Echo reported Superintendent Doug Bennett as saying. "She wrote it on her own, and she wanted to write it on the board. She realized it was inappropriate."
Baker has been working at South Laurel High School for nine years and has 17 years of experience as a teacher. She teaches multiple subjects such as psychology, U.S. history, and sociology.
Baker has violated the district policy No. 8.1353. "The Student Code of Conduct states that teachers have the responsibility to maintain a classroom atmosphere conducive to learning, with mutual respect and trust, and be a model of a responsible citizen. In addition, the code specifies that teachers have the responsibility to develop positive self-concepts, self-confidence in order to respect the worth and dignity of others; clarify their values; and make choices that lead to responsible citizenship," said Sentinel-Echo.
The concerned school officials immediately launched an investigation into the issue and reprimanded Baker over the incident, apart from making her apologize to the students.
