Why Let A Good Teacher Go?

I have just recently learned about a teacher at Lawrence High School  in Lawrence,KS . I suppose that would qualify as  almost the heart of the country’s heartland. The teacher  in question is a married father of three, Tim Latham. Mr Latham teaches( or taught) American history and government . He had taught for 19 years prior to this year. So, we aren’t talking about  a rookie or an unproven teacher.

Mr Latham was told in April of this year that his contract was not being renewed and according to him, propper procedures were not followed and he is somewhat convinced that his conservative views are the culprit.Assistant principal Jan Gentry net with Latham early in the school year to let him know his school affiliated web site was “too patriotic” with links to a number of military and history web sites( FYI, go to his web site and see for yourself, I didn’t see the problem). How can one be too patriotic as an American history teacher? Don’t know.

Moving on, at a later meeting with Gentry, he caught flack for his MccCain-Palin bumper sticker. Ms Gentry said, ” I don’t know how you could support that woman”. The  meeting in question came about because Latham was accused of picking on Obama by a student. Perhaps his error was in pointing out a relative lack of experience between McCain and Obama. Latham sees these meetings as the beginning of an effort to remove him.

Now, of course, virtually no one is saying anything . David Cunningham , human resources director for the school district says all procedures were followed correctly. Other parties in question, Ms Gentry, school principal Dr Steve Nilhas( who just retired),District Supt Randy Weseman  and even NEA Director Bruce Lindskog( who presumably would be on Latham’s side) refused comment.

This is a school district that has been rated as recently as 2007 as one of the nation’s 10 best metro school districts and is is the same city as the University of Kansas.

Although there has been lots of no comment, there are students making an effort at getting Mr Latham reinstated. Good luck with that.  So is the case of an incompetent teacher getting removed, a perceived Obama critic being silenced? Hard to tell. As for Mr Latham, he just wants to teach. How would you like being the new principal and having the pleasure of facing this? Oh, the  Lawrence School Board meets again on June 22nd. Standing room only, ya think?