TRI In The News
Teacher Doug Bartlett Suspended After Showing Students Garden Tools
From Opposing Views
Original article available here
Doug Bartlett, a second-grade teacher, was recently suspended after he showed off some garden tools to his second grade class at Washington Irving Elementary School in Chicago, Illinois.
Bartlett displayed wrenches, pliers, screwdrivers and a pocket knife, but kept the devices out of the students' hands.
However, per UPI.com, the school claimed that the 17-year veteran teacher endangered his students.
Bartlett was given a four-day suspension without pay. He was also accused of possessing, carrying, storing or using a weapon.
Now, the Rutherford Institute has filed a lawsuit against the Chicago Public School District claiming that Bartlett "suffered humiliation, embarrassment, mental suffering, and lost wages, and was suspended for four days," reports CNSNews.com.
The school claims the suspension is over the pocket knife, but Bartlett's lawyers say it was over the garden tools in general.
"This school district's gross overreaction to a simple teaching demonstration on basic tools such as wrenches and pliers underscores exactly what is wrong with our nation's schools," said Rutherford Institute Pres. John Whitehead. "What makes this case stand out from the rest is that this latest victim of zero tolerance policies run amok happens to be a veteran school teacher."
