share.triangle.com - Robert Escamilla case - Comments

former student

Visitor — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 09:08:45 -0400

As a former student....dating back to 1998....I AM NOT SURPRISED AT ALL....This should've happened MANY MANY years ago when so many students and parents complained about Mr. Escamilla's prejudicies. I do not believe he should have the privilege to teach AT ALL. I wouldn't want another student to have to deal with what so many other students have been exposed to in his 18 years of "teaching"..cough cough... I mean videos.

"No child was forced to

Visitor — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 15:39:58 -0400

"No child was forced to study world religions"

No, they weren't. But they were a captive audience required to be in class, listening to a speaker spout hate about a group of people.

Escamilla

froghollow — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 12:34:13 -0400

Exactly! He is not a bad teacher. Students at Phillips are high maintenance and require strong teachers like Mr. E. "Smearing the questioner" is an old technique employed for years by the school board and principals. Escamilla is a scapegoat. Referring to his treatment in this morning's paper as "giving him a second chance" is an insult to anyone's intelligence.

Escamilla

froghollow — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 12:29:44 -0400

What items? Referring to students by their religious choice during a class about different religions? Showing videos? If showing videos were grounds for dismissal, hundreds of teachers would be fired! And how much of his record have you seen?

Escamilla

froghollow — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 12:25:35 -0400

He was teaching a course called "World Religions and Bible in History"!!! Like duh! Seems like this speaker was appropriate to the class AND to the age of the students. Apparently his Dept. chair and several of his colleagues agreed. ( I will gently chastise Mr. E for not being savy enough to simultaneously schedule a Muslim speaker, but that's it) I strongly suggest that any of his detractors first read THE FACTS on Mr. Escamills's web site before commenting. As a veteran, retired teacher I am appalled at the Board's tactics that are best exemplified by the release of part of his file...coincidentally only that part recently added regarding this case! WCPSS has removed the course from the Enloe curriculum. Gosh! Golly! It still exists in other schools! And, I stand possible correction, but I believe this is an elective class. No child was forced to study world religions. More and more, as school systems get bigger and bigger, they get more and more political, more and more medicore and less and less capable of attracting and keeping motivated, intelligent educators. They don't want them! If you were a young person reading about this controversy would you want to risk teaching?

question?

Visitor — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 11:47:48 -0400

Does anyone know if the principal who approved this speaker or the other teachers who let him speak received reprimands? Did the other teachers stop him as Del Burns seems to think Escamilla should have?

Escamilla

Visitor27 — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 08:21:44 -0400

Seems awful strange to me that if this guy is such a terrible teacher, why was he teaching at a school which has been recognized as one of the best in the country? If he's as bad as they're making it seem, he shouldn't have been teaching in Wake County at all. Hmmm.....more here than meets the eye.

file release

Visitor — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 02:16:31 -0400

How mean-spirited to release his personnel file. This is unconscionable, even more so than the teacher's 'dereliction of duties' in the classroom . I in no way support this teacher, in fact cannot believe that he is still teaching, with his painfully clear biases as reflected by the speaker incident, his WASPISH comments, and his lack of content in the classroom. But I do respect his right not to have this made public, and question the vindictive motives behind the file's release.

Personnel records

Visitor — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 22:16:13 -0400

I'm sure that each teacher in Wake County is now feeling extremely secure about their personnel records. I believe that there could have been a bit more discretion involved.

I also am leery of items in personnel files. So much of what is said about an individual is based on being "politically correct" and bowing down to the system.

Additionally, many grievances in teacher's personnel files were sent in by parents whose children did not get A's and B's in the teacher's classes. This makes them automatically subjective.

I think one reason that he has taught so long is that he probably inspires the young people to think about political and moral issues.

When I was in college, one of my professors would frequently discuss such issues and how they played out again and again in World History.

Time for Escamilla to Go

Visitor — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 20:20:51 -0400

This prosetlyzing, mendacious idiot should be fired outright and immediately from the Wake County schools.

escamilla case

John — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 19:13:43 -0400

The superintendent's letter is simply a self serving statement to support the administration's actions. The teacher is evaluated each year, yet the superintendent has chosen not to release the evaluations, but to but forward a well after the fact litany of allegations. If these allegations are true, the teacher would have been dismissed years ago.

Escamilla Case

Jewel — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 17:15:07 -0400

If the school board & principal are questioned, there answers seems to be to smear the questioner. Releasing records for 1st time in 20 yrs of someone who criticizing them seems rash & unfair.
If he is as bad as they say, what is the chance of him helping the students at Phillips. Is Principal Burns saying the Phillips students deserve less qualified teachers? This is a sad statement for Wake County. If he is a bad teacher, fire him & if not leave him to his class.

Mixed feelings. One, I don't

Visitor — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 16:09:22 -0400

Mixed feelings. One, I don't like how readily they gave up his record. From experience I know that items documented in your record can be biased and subjective.

However, based on the items that are in his record, I'm surprised that he was able to continue to teach.

Robert Escamilla case

mike williams — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 15:34:08 -0400

What are your thoughts on the Robert Escamilla case?