Thursday, May 23, 2013

The Books That Got Me Fired



(The following is my latest Huffington Post blog.)


Two weeks ago today, I walked out of my classroom for perhaps the last time.

It wasn’t anything I planned. Even when I wrote for Huffington Post a couple of weeks ago recommending that young people not become teachers, I never stopped loving my job. I never lost my enthusiasm for teaching eighth graders the finer points of writing.

My students are still in my classroom every day and will be until May 21.  I miss them greatly and hope, perhaps against all hope, that I will get a chance to be with them at least one more time before the school year ends.

That usually doesn’t happen, however, for teachers who have to be escorted from the school building by a police officer in full view of students who were boarding school buses to leave for the day.

You would think that I committed murder or engaged in one of those horrific relationships that bring shame to the teaching profession. That is not the case.

My crime- I write books.

It was just 15 minutes before my police escort that the assistant principal at Joplin East Middle School came into my room during my planning period and said, “They want to see you in the conference room.”

I went into the conference room and found the assistant principal, the principal, and a lady whom I had never seen before. She introduced herself as the school’s human resources director.

The first thing she did was whip a document out. “We prohibit the recording of district meetings like this,” she said, showing me the policy, “so I am going to ask you do you have your cell phone on you and is it turned on?”

“Feel free to check,” I said, as I took it out of my pocket.

“So I’m just going to ask that you turn it off, completely please, and I’m going to ask you to leave it out.”

Once I placed the phone on the table, the questioning began. I was asked about a number of blogs I have, including The Turner Report, my classroom blogs and a few blogs I started, but which had never really taken off.

One of those, which the woman took a particular interest in, was called Room 210 Discussion. I started the site 10 years ago when former students told me they would like to continue having the sorts of discussions they had when they were in my class. I created it and for a few months it was popular then it died down and for the most part, I had just put it out of my mind. During the fall of 2010, I thought once again about starting a discussion site. I changed the description at the top of the blog home page to indicate it was a place for discussion for students and former students, but I never followed up on it. I only used it sometimes to copy and paste some of my blog posts to increase the chance they might catch the attention of a search engine.

After asking me about my blogs, the woman caught me off guard by asking, “Did you write a sexually explicit book called No Child Left Alive?”

I told her I had written a book by that title and that it had sex scenes, but it was not sexually explicit.

She then asked if I had ever encouraged students to download the book and discuss it.

“No.”

With a dramatic flair, she whipped out a page that had been printed from that Room 210 Discussion site and pointed out to me a part that encouraged people to download the book for free and discuss it. I knew what had happened and tried to explain the website was not used for classroom purposes, probably had only about 5 to 10 visitors a month and it was unlikely any of those were students.

She cut me off, saying I would get my chance to give my side.

I never did.

She wasn’t finished, however. She asked me if I wrote a book called Scars from the Tornado. I said I had. It was a book that I wrote, along with students from East Middle School who shared their experiences in the May 22, 2011, tornado and during our first year in our warehouse school.

“Did you advertise that book on your classroom websites?”

“Yes.”

No further questions were asked. I was told I would be placed on “paid administrative leave” while an investigation was conducted.

The bell had just sounded and the shouts of students joyously dashing into the halls, another school day behind them, forced the woman to raise her voice.

After that, I was escorted to my room by the principal, assistant principal, the human resources director, and the police officer. ‘

“We don’t want to draw a lot of attention,” she said, as our parade began, drawing a lot of attention. I handed my school keys to the principal, removed a few personal belongings, and was taken out of the school by the policeman.

As he took me past students and out to my car, I realized I had left my jacket in my classroom, so he escorted me back into my room and back out to my car.

And I left East Middle School, perhaps forever.

For the next 10 days, I waited to hear the results of this “investigation.” Since I had provided the woman with a telephone number, I assumed I would be called for more questions.

That never happened.

On Thursday, I was reading when there was a loud knock on my door. A man sent by the school district delivered an envelope containing 28 pages of charges against me.

Much of it centered on what they termed as “immoral conduct” because I had allegedly encouraged students to read obscene material. I was never allowed to explain that the download reference on my blog, which was not a classroom blog, was from a December 16,2012, Daily Kos diary written just after the murders at Sandy Hook, in which I noted at the end of the piece that No Child Let Alive dealt with the subject of school violence. I invited the Daily Kos readers to download it and discuss it. I had then copied and pasted it into Room 210 for Teachers and Room 210 Discussion. It obviously was never intended for children. That is one of the reasons why the book was published under my real name, William Turner, instead of Randy Turner, the name I normally use.

I was also charged with profiting from the work done by my students in the Scars from the Tornado book and of not getting parental permission to use the material. I had never been asked about either thing, only if I advertised it.

I gave away 1,111 free e-copies of Scars to fulfill a promise I made that all students and staff at East would get one and I had also offered the same deal to the community. Tough way to make a profit.

In addition, as I had written in another blog post, I invested nearly $5,000 in the book and despite that, I had been talking to my fellow teachers, students, and parents about ways to put proceeds into a charity. One of my fellow teachers had suggested a Scars from the Tornado Foundation, with money going to other schools like Joplin’s, Tuscaloosa’s or Sandy Hook that went through tragedies. The students who contributed to the book would serve as a board of directors. All of this had been publicized in my Turner Report blog, as well as on Facebook, and I had also talked the idea over with my principal.

As for those parental permission slips, as I write this, I am sitting a few feet from a folder full of signed parental permission slips.

She never asked.

So a book that has been nothing except positive for Joplin, Scars from the Tornado, is being used to remove me from a job I love.

Why is this happening?

It appears the biggest problem is that in No Child Left Alive, a novel about a year in a dysfunctional high school, I wrote about problems I had heard about from teachers across the United States, including those in Joplin.

I would surmise, that perhaps one of the characterizations in the book offended an administrator. All I know is that when our superintendent issued a statement about my leave, he did not say it was a parent who turned me in, or a student. The complaint came from “a district employee.”

My understanding is that district officials are challenging my claim that I received no opportunity to defend myself. Not only was I treated the way I said I was, but my students and fellow faculty members were treated the same way as they were interrogated in efforts to get them to say something bad about me.

Hopefully, the audio will prove how, in a school district which prides itself on a no tolerance policy for bullies who prey on children, there seems to be no protection from bullies who prey on teachers. 
***
The book that spelled the beginning of the end for C. J. Huff at the Joplin R-8 School District available in paperback and e-book formats.

226 comments:

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Anonymous said...

Interesting situation and comments to say the least. A couple of observations: Administrator trip to Dubai? And beware of Common Core. The education departments are of the government, not of the people.

Anonymous said...

This bullying exists in all departments within Joplin R8 including BG&T. If accused of something - you are guilty until you prove yourself innocent. In the process your bosses allow your reputation to be destroyed. I pray you get justice, but don't be surprised if you don't.

Anonymous said...

Is it true that a certain member of the curriculum department tried to convince people not to go to the "public" hearing? So much for public and open. Is he afraid everyone will find out the truth? Too late. We already know it. Too much koolaid can skew your judgment, I guess.

The witch hunt and abuses of power must end.

Anonymous said...

Cyber crimes? REALLY? Apparently the R8 administration isn't content with just trying to take your job, they also want to trample and crush your reputation under their own dirty jackboots.

Anonymous said...

I heard that next year's flu threat comes under the variety of blue flu. If preventive measures aren't taken, it could hit Joplin as early as August...

Anonymous said...

So, it is presumed if Randy Turner's book is available on the Internet, as Huff asserts, that there must be a child who was victimized by reading it. Strange that no parent made a complaint, if that is the case. Yet, the district, under the direction of Huff and Besendorfer, has provided children with technology to take home on which they can access unlimited sexual and violent material. Shall we fire them for that? Doesn't sound like a bad idea.

Anonymous said...

Let's see if I got this straight, and correct me if I'm wrong. The best friend of the asst. superintendent, who is getting ready to retire to Mexico, is the person who filed the complaint? How was she affected by this book? I can just see them huddled up trying to find a way to silence this man for even daring to criticize the anointed ones. This has nothing to do with the sexual or violent content of the book. It has to do with egos. Since no child victim has come forward to complain, it appears to be an organized scheme to rid the district of a critic.

Anonymous said...

They're worried about cyber crimes, yet they employed a man who was in charge of all the district's technology who in turn used technology to sexually abuse a child. Have they no shame? Do they think we don't remember? Fire them all. Be done with it and start over. We will never trust these people again.

Anonymous said...

They always want to ruin your reputation. Any employee knows not to cross them or show up in the wrong place at the wrong time or your life will be ruined too. That's the way they operate.
If they want to investigate, try looking into what they do with Title 1 federal funds and whether or not they are really using donations from the tornado for the intended use.
Again, they will just go on doing what they always do and no one will do anything about it. Teachers will continue to leave, students will mostly get by and the district will continue to go downhill. We'll have nice buildings with empty promises.

Anonymous said...

I have been in education for decades. In all those years, I have rarely, if ever, been asked by boys to have my picture taken with them. I have been asked by hundreds of girls. I am female. There is nothing significant about the fact that more girls have posted pictures or tagged pictures on Turner's Facebook. That's what girls do. Shame on yet another corrupt IT person in the district for trying to do in Turner's character with such a cheap shot. That puts her own character in question, doesn't it? The same person who divorced and remarried within days? Who went to Florida with the person she replaced the next week at district expense, putting on Facebook their fun times on the beach at the expense of Joplin taxpayers? I'm ashamed to be a part of this district now.

Anonymous said...

I hear CJ cried on the stand. Do his tears move anyone anywhere anymore? I'd cry too, if I were involved in the mess they've created. Lying is a sin, no matter who does it. How will he ever face his staff again? They will never respect him, no matter what intimidation techniques they come up with.

Anonymous said...

Word on the street is that the district is out of money until July 1. No orders will be filled, including for the parts necessary to fix those computers that are getting torn up by the kids. Where is the money? Spent sending 23 people to Houston on an unnecessary trip. Spent on unnecessary job positions. Spent sending a departing IT person to Florida the week before she retired. Spent on hundreds of substitute days to pull teachers from the classrooms for worthless professional development. The people who should be fighting for their jobs are the ones who have drummed up this debacle. We'll hope that happens soon. Very soon. Before it's too late, if it isn't already. The district is in horrendous shape in all ways, thanks to gross mismanagement, greed, and ambition.

Anonymous said...

Dr. Hugg, oops, I mean Dr. Huff was "holding back tears" at the hearing? What is he? A middle school girl? He seems to be able to turn the tears on whenever he's at a public event and needs some drama.

Anonymous said...

How much money has been wasted on this situation alone? We will hope the Board is smart enough to see what real crime has happened here and who should really be fired. What a set up. They are incredulous. So used to getting away with everything that they believe themselves invincible. Wrong.

Anonymous said...

If policies are found to have been broken or abused, disciplinary action is appropriate, no matter what the intent was. "Yes, mom, I took the cookie when you told me not to. But i wasn't going to eat it. I was going to give it to someone else." Intent was good, but rules were still broken. Getting clearance beforehand is always best!

Anonymous said...

Someone sure seems to have someone else by his shorthairs, doesn't she? Why else would he dig himself into such a deep hole? Is it the corrupt waste of money? When is law enforcement or DESE going to get curious? These people are so corrupt they should move to Chicago. Blend right in with the folks up there.

Anonymous said...

How corrupt is it for an administrator to hire a member of the board to do construction work for him? Is that a conflict of interest? Can we expect an objective vote from that board member? Is that not corruption? Another purely hypothetical question, of course. Even if no money changed hands, isn't that just too cozy? Hypothetically. Of course.

Anonymous said...

As I sat through yesterday's hearing, I was appalled at the conduct (or should I say misconduct) of Joplin school administrators. Students, teachers, and parents, as well as, Randy Turner were forced to endure a grueling 12 hours interrogation. If this had been tried in a civil court, it would have been thrown out in half the time (at least) for lack of evidence.
At the beginning of the proceedings, Mr. Flowers, president of the school board, asked that all phones and devices were turned off. I watched as parents and students in the audience turned off their devices. Then I observed board member Mike Landis, board attorney, John NIcholas , and superintendent Dr. Huff use their devices to text throughout the hearing. I began to wonder what had happened to the integrity of these men that had been elected and hired to represent our district.
As the day progressed, and witness for Mr. Turner were called to the stand, it became more apparent that Dr. Huff and his attorney, Shelly Quinn (from a Kansas City firm that specializes in school board cases) were desperate to find some evidence against Mr. Turner. A student was brought to tears as Ms. Quinn badgered her and a veteran teacher was wrongly accused. As I left the administration building, I heard a group of students discussing how they had lost all respect for their building principals, Bud Sexson and Jason Weaver and others who testified against Mr. Turner (Lisa Orem and CJ Huff) because of the lies that they told on the stand. One young lady approached Dr. Huff and asked him about not turning off his phone and then she proceeded to tell his that what he had done to this "teacher was unfair, she is a good person, and a good teacher and she didn't deserve what you did to her." (this was regarding the accusations made against a veteran teacher who testified).
I came today hoping to better understand the problems in the Joplin school district. I left with more questions than answers.
1. Where was Dr. Besendorfer?
It was told that she was in Oklahoma. I am thinking how convenient that the main one that was behind the accusations was absent.
2. What cost are administrators willing to pay as they lie in a court proceeding just to save their jobs and further their careers?
3. Who governs the Joplin School District? the board or the administrators?
4. Will students and teachers face more retaliation in the coming months because they had the courage to support a teacher and colleague? (my guess is yes, after I observed how they were treated in the hearing)
5. Why would Lisa Orem "like" a facebook post supporting Randy Turner and then testify against him?
I no longer have students in the Joplin District, but I am still a taxpayer. I will continue to investigate this and find out the truth. I will question administration on their motives and actions. I believe they should be held accountable to the school board and to community. In this case, the truth is abundantly clear. No evidence was found against Mr. Turner. No student or parent testified against him. Over 9 community members supported him and were found to tell the truth. I urge the board to support the truth, and have the courage to stand up against Dr. Huff and Dr. Besendorfer and their agendas. I urge them to support their teachers.
As for this taxpayer, I will support the teachers. I will encourage my friends to do the same. And the next time a bond issue comes up, I will not support it under the present administrators.

Anonymous said...

I wonder if the Board will release their decision late on a Friday just before a three-day weekend. That wouldn't surprise me, if it goes against Turner. But they need to understand that contrary to the belief of current administrators, we will all remember it for much longer a time.

Be fair, be just, do the right thing, and put the man back in school. Fire those who manufactured a crisis where there was none, make them pay the district back for the expenses (I hear we need the money), and then start weeding through the problems, replacing people who are ineffective and eliminating needless expense. That is the job of the Board of Education. Don't make us go over your heads in order for the job to be done, because it is OUR KIDS' EDUCATION you are allowing to be destroyed.

Anonymous said...

Has the shredding of documents stopped yet? Forget about the sex in No Child Left Alive. It's the rest of it that has C. J. and Angie scared. Law enforcement knew there was no reason to pursue a case against Randy. I would bet they won't be quite as charitable with C. J.

Anonymous said...

Has anybody taken a count of how many teachers are leaving the Joplin School District willingly or unwillingly? What kind of a school district do we have when our administrators place so much value on building their own resumes with new programs that are not educationally sound and technology for the sake of technology and place so little value on teachers and books?

Anonymous said...

Does anyone else have a problem with this scenario. Five administrators, including C. J. Huff, conspired to destroy Randy Turner's reputation with nothing more than a tissue of lies and he is the one who stands to lose his job, his reputation, and never be able to teach in the state of Missouri. And these people will go on blithely destroying lives and enriching themselves at the expense of the taxpayers. How in the hell did the school board allow these kinds of monsters to be in charge of the school district. Isn't anyone paying attention?

Anonymous said...


Randy, whether you win or lose, pick up a phone, find a lawyer, and sue the bastards for what they have done to you. They not only tried to fire you and probably will succeed for things you clearly did not do, but they lied under oath, did everything they could to ruin you, and C. J. as usual came to tears though he knew full well that you had not done anything wrong. Sue them for everyone else these evil people have run over the past few years and thank you for having the guts to stand up to them.

Anonymous said...

Wow i had no idea that R8 was that awful to work for. It sounds almost Kafkaesque. This is truly horrible. Good luck, Mr. Turner, and may you prevail in the end.

Professor Toothbury P. Fiddle MSSU said...

There used to be a time when school board rules across the country forbade the hiring of known gays, or communists, or others deemed undesirables".

What we nee today is a prohibition on hiring the kind of doctrinaire Fascist meat-heads who are in charge of our public schools!

That this kind of thing goes on in our schools, of all places, clearly demonstrates that we have advanced not a step since poor old Socrates!

If I were he, I'd be inclined to leave for saner more thoughful climes, and urinate on the schoolboard's desks in leaving -- except that Turner needs a job, and his students need an inspiring, dedicated teacher like him.

The fact is, as hard as it is on the teacher in these cases, year after thousand years, it is hardest on the students who lose a master, a mentor, and friend like Turner.


Anonymous said...

Unfortunately there is not a day and date on these comments. Maybe you should make a list of all the R8 admin and building leaders that were in place the day you left and provide their current R8 employment status. What happened to you was a travesty but I believe it was the wake up call for the community to take a stand against a corrupt administration and a weak school board. People that complain today seem to not have a reference to how things were six years ago. Thanks for your service to this community, before and after this date six years ago!!

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