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Old 05-06-2008, 03:55 PM   #1
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Wizardry = Suspension

Magic trick costs teacher job - Tampa Bays Local News

Land 'O Lakes, Florida -- The stories in the news about inappropriate relationships between teachers and students have been overwhelming. There was even a substitute teacher in New Port Richey who got in trouble after investigators say she had a relationship with an underage student.

Well, another Pasco County substitute teacher's job is on the line, but this time it's because of a magic trick.

The charge from the school district — Wizardry!

Substitute teacher Jim Piculas does a 30-second magic trick where a toothpick disappears then reappears.

But after performing it in front of a classroom at Rushe Middle School in Land 'O Lakes, Piculas said his job did a disappearing act of its own.

"I get a call the middle of the day from head of supervisor of substitute teachers. He says, 'Jim, we have a huge issue, you can't take any more assignments you need to come in right away,'" he said.

When Piculas went in, he learned his little magic trick cast a spell and went much farther than he'd hoped.

"I said, 'Well Pat, can you explain this to me?' 'You've been accused of wizardry,' [he said]. Wizardry?" he asked.

Last edited by DoveofPeace : 05-06-2008 at 04:00 PM. Reason: Posting entire articles violates copyrights
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Old 05-06-2008, 04:28 PM   #2
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Sheesh. My H does magic tricks in class. He also has students building Coke bottle rockets. He roller skates and rolls bowling balls to demonstrate physical laws. He has held a match to a filled water balloon over his head to demonstrate temperature stuff (balloon doesn't break--usually). He brings in snakes, slugs, and other critters for bio. They don't get away too often....

He'd be in trouble in this school, that's for sure.

Last edited by garland : 05-06-2008 at 04:45 PM.
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Old 05-06-2008, 04:39 PM   #3
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Harry Potter? I'm sorry, but that was the first thing that came to mind as the books are banned in some schools. (They're fictional!!)
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Old 05-06-2008, 04:42 PM   #4
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And the appropriate punishment is beheading or public stoning ?
Oh wait ...this is America , not Saudi Arabia.
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Old 05-06-2008, 04:53 PM   #5
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Stories like this are almost too unbelievable to be true, but then I realize that, sadly, they're not. All I can say is, ugh.
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Old 05-06-2008, 04:56 PM   #6
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A mom of my D's classmate (was it 3rd grade or 4th?) came to me asking to sign a petition to keep their teacher from promoting witchcraft in class. This is how I found out about the Harry Potter books...
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Old 05-06-2008, 04:59 PM   #7
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There are parents who want to ban HP from the schools and libraries. I can't believe the magic trick story though. I would hope that an explanation took care of that. Unless there is far more to the story than that.
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Old 05-06-2008, 05:02 PM   #8
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I agree, there could be more to the story. In my D's teacher case, I suspect some parents were uneasy that the teacher (gasp!) might have been a lesbian, and the HP book was just an excuse to land this great educator in hot water with the administration.
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Old 05-06-2008, 05:07 PM   #9
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The suspension story reminded me of a local case when the front page article about a wonderful science teacher brought attention to his "unorthodox" teaching style, and in the end he was forced to resign:

Local News | Lighting up learning: Woodinville teacher's chemistry ignites passion for science | Seattle Times Newspaper

And here is what happened several month later:

Local News | Woodinville chemistry teacher under fire | Seattle Times Newspaper
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Old 05-06-2008, 05:15 PM   #10
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Uh, oh.......

(wish H had tenure )
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Old 05-06-2008, 05:18 PM   #11
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Garland, I'd love to see my kids in your H's class! Wouldn't mind taking a class like that myself. : )
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Old 05-06-2008, 05:19 PM   #12
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Did any of you actually READ the article?
Quote:
Tampa Bay's 10 talked to the assistant superintendent with the Pasco County School District who said it wasn't just the wizardry and that Picular had other performance issues, including "not following lesson plans" and allowing students to play on unapproved computers.
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Old 05-06-2008, 05:20 PM   #13
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^^ I will second that
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Old 05-06-2008, 05:42 PM   #14
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Well, cpt, at least you don't have marks in your ceiling from practicing the rockets inside....
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Old 05-06-2008, 05:43 PM   #15
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yes, i read the article....good to know it "wasn't just the wizardry." Apparently there are other major charges that now have surfaced against the wizard. Figures. you just can't trust a wizard.
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