Screaming, pro-Obama teacher in NC keeps her job

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Salisbury high school teacher who made national headlines — thanks to a video showing her screaming at a student for criticizing Barack Hussein Obama — is holding on to her job for another year:

The North Rowan High School teacher who told students it’s criminal to speak ill of the president will keep her job with the Rowan-Salisbury School System. 

Although Tanya Dixon-Neely has been suspended without pay, she will return next school year, when she will be required to start a monitored growth plan, Superintendent Dr. Judy Grissom said in a press release.

The district received national attention when a nearly 10-minute video of Dixon-Neely and senior Hunter Rogers engaging in a heated political debate went viral. In the video, the Dixon-Neely can be heard telling Rogers that he could be criminally charged for speaking ill of President Obama and that people had been charged for insulting former President George W. Bush.

“As I have stated to our entire school system staff, I expect all teachers to be professional during class discussion and not to force their personal or political views on students, demean students, or instruct students on what to believe,” Grissom said in the release. “Teachers must create a positive instructional environment conducive to learning within the guidelines of our state curriculum.

“Ms. Dixon-Neely’s failure to meet these standards during the recorded portion of class is the basis for my disciplinary action against her.”

But Grissom said school administrators report the recording does not reflect Dixon-Neely’s usual performance as a teacher. She received two formal classroom observations before the recording in May, both positive. 

I’m SURE the woman is smart enough not to scream at students while the principal is sitting in the room — EVALUATING HER.  I am sure the kids are more hesitant to speak up or speak out with a principal sitting in the room.   What’s really disturbing in the video at the center of the controversy  is that the teacher — whose specialty is social studies — appears to be unaware of current events and ill-informed about The First Amendment.  READ ON: 

Before taking on a role in the regular classroom setting, Dixon-Neely had been assigned as a teacher in the district’s Alternative to Suspension program, which relocated to North Rowan last fall.

During the second semester, she was transferred to a regular classroom due to staffing needs, Grissom said.

“While I remain deeply concerned about the performance documented in the recording of Ms. Dixon-Neely’s classroom, I have concluded that she should have a chance to improve her teaching skills,” Grissom said. “Under these circumstances, suspension without pay for 10 work days and a requirement that Ms. Dixon-Neely complete a monitored growth plan is an appropriate resolution.

“Ms. Dixon-Neely also will be reassigned to her position in the Alternative to Suspension Program.”

Grissom said she’s ready for the district to move beyond the incident, noting Dixon-Neely has received messages that include racist language and sentiments and that teachers throughout the school system have been criticized. 

Aaah, racism.  I was wondering how long it would take for that word to rear its head.  It sounds like Dr. Grissom is more worried about that fat, sloppy preacher who runs the state NAACP picketing her office than she is about getting an abusive, ill-informed teacher of questionable qualifications out of the classroom.