A Michigan school district is flopping like a fish out of water over backlash from the firing of a very popular teacher.
Varsity baseball coach and social studies teacher Justin Kucera was ordered to a closed-door meeting with school district officials after he posted this:
He lost his job over this tweet https://t.co/Ti5s31NM3y
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) July 21, 2020
Kucera told the Washington Free Beacon that the Walled Lake Western principal and district superintendent gave him an ultimatum: be fired or resign.
Kucera said:
“I was required to meet with [human resources], the superintendent, and my principal [on July 10]. They initially took my statement on why I tweeted those tweets and they told me they would have a decision about my future employment in the upcoming days. When they completed the meeting, I was told I had the option to either be fired or resign.”
“I know a lot of people are just rooting for Trump to fail, and I don’t think that anybody should do that,” Kucera said. “Agree with him or not, you should want the president to do well. I apologized that [my tweet] brought so much negative attention, but I’m not sorry for what I said.”
In an update, a spokesperson for the school district told the Daily Caller that the tweet was not why Kucera was fired, it’s a secret as to why he was fired, and they can’t tell you (sarcasm).
UPDATE: Spokesman from Walled Lake Consolidated Schools told us “…Please know that no disciplinary action was taken as a result of any support of President Trump and we are unable to comment on specific staff discipline /personnel matters….”https://t.co/UbetZBhwI9
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) July 21, 2020
Kucera was a very popular teacher and even people that don’t agree with his political beliefs had nothing bad to say about him.
Recent graduate, Bryant Hixson said, “Prior to Mr. Kucera’s tweet, I cannot recall an instance where he shared his political affiliations while teaching or coaching,” Hixson said. “My political views have no impact on how I feel towards Mr. Kucera. Mr. Kucera has always been supportive of me as my AP World History and student leadership teacher and as my baseball and basketball coach.”
Two parents who wished not to be named for fear of retribution – because that’s the freaking crazy world we live in now – told the Free Beacon:
“Justin coached my son his entire high school career and also was his AP History teacher and student leadership teacher for two years. I know Justin very well,” the parent said. “If there’s one thing that I would commend Justin for is, he always tried to stay apolitical. He always tried to stay right down the middle, avoid [political] conversations, and let the students make their own call based on their own life experiences.” The father of two believes Kucera lost his job because administrators caved to a mob that had little to do with the school district.
Other teachers in the school district have expressed their political beliefs in school and faced no retribution. Now retired Paulette Loe encouraged students to read an Atlantic article about how to beat President Trump. A kindergarten teacher wrote that Trump was a “sociopath” and a “narcissist” in a Facebook post in 2016 and is still employed.
The last sentence in the Free Beacon’s report was also very telling:
“The teachers’ union representative that accompanied Kucera at the meeting did not respond to a request for comment.”
That’s very interesting…since when does a teachers union remain quiet when a teacher is disciplined or fired?
