Teacher Fired For Refusing To Credit Missed School Work?
PORT ST. LUCIE, FL — In a farewell message to her eighth grade class, Florida history teacher Diane Tirado didn’t hold back as to why she wouldn’t be coming back to West Gate K-8 School: “Bye kids. Mrs. Tirado loves you and wishes you the best in life,” the note began. “I have been fired for refusing to give you a 50 percent for not handing anything in.” School officials, however, insist there is more to the story than what Tirado has been telling people.
Tirado snapped a photo of her handwritten note on a classroom white board and posted it on Facebook. The message has been shared hundreds of times since it was posted on Sept. 15 and the story appears to be resonating with other frustrated educators in this South Florida community about 115 miles north of Miami.
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Chief Spokesperson Kerry B. Padrick of the St. Lucie Public Schools told Patch that Tirado has been spreading a “campaign of misinformation” about her termination and that there is no “district or individual school policy” prohibiting teachers from recording a grade of zero for work not turned in.
“Ms. Tirado was released from her duties as an instructor because her performance was deemed sub-standard and her interactions with students, staff and parents lacked professionalism and created a toxic culture on the school’s campus,” Padrick insisted. “During her brief time of employment at West Gate, the school fielded numerous student and parent complaints as well as concerns from colleagues. Based on new information shared with school administrators, an investigation of possible physical abuse is underway.”
Tirado said on her Facebook page Tuesday that the school’s grading policy was “ridiculous.” and that teaching should not be so hard.
“Teachers teach content, children do the assignments to the best of their ability and teachers grade that work based on a grading scale that has been around a very long time,” Tirado posted. “Teachers also provide numerous attempts to get the work collected so they can give a child a grade. By nature, most teachers are loving souls who want to see students succeed. We do above and beyond actual teaching to give them the support they need. Are we perfect? NO. We make mistakes like all other human beings, but I know teachers work their butts off to help children to be the best people they can be!!!”
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Tirado told WPTV in West Palm Beach that “a grade in Ms. Tirado’s class is earned.” She claimed that she was told she must give students at least a 50 percent if they fail to turn in an assignment, such as an “Explorer Notebook” project, which some of her students failed to turn in.
“I go, ‘Oh, no we don’t,” she told the news crew, adding: “I’m so upset. We have a nation of kids that are expecting to get paid, and live their life, just for showing up, and it’s not real.”
Padrick said Tirado also refused to comply with a federally mandated requirement. “In addition, her refusal to incorporate students’ Individual Education Plan (IEP) accommodations (a federal mandate) into her instructional practices was deemed defiant and put students at risk,” Padrick told Patch. “Her dismissal was not a result of grading issues.”
Photo of Diane Tirado used with permission