Weird Florida teacher fired for "wizardry" after performing magic trick for class

[The Helper]

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!

WEB STORY OF FIRED 'WIZARD' TEACHER SPREADS LIKE MAGIC

A substitute says he was fired for a magic trick. School officials call that smoke and mirrors.

www.tampabay.com

 

[Blackveiled]

Fail? Lol.

 

[duyen]

^Epic fail.

We got a cool science teacher that does magic tricks all the time?

But he hasn't got fired for wizardry - yet lol.

 

[Prometheus]

Ah, back to the good ol' witch burning era.

 

[BlargIAmDead]

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.

Piculas said he knew nothing about the accusations.

Tough call. If Mr. Piculas really is an irresponsible teacher (beyond garnishing a few middle-school lessons with a parlor trick), then of course he shouldn't be asked to substitute again. But the fact that the district only took note of his alleged irresponsibility after he started doing those parlor tricks...does not speak well for the district.

Frankly, Florida's entire educational system is a joke. Besides the numerous stories of "inappropriate relationships", there is a serious and ongoing debate about teaching Creationism in science class. Now, I don't have any hard feelings against Creationism, any more than I hate astrology...but nobody's grading students based on how well they know their star-signs. Meanwhile, Florida's educational budget ranks below almost every other state in the US (and possibly a few Third-World countries).

If I lived in Florida, I'd be really upset.

 

[Prometheus]

Heh, I really don't care.
I grab the best education I can.

 

[darkRae]

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.

What does a computer need to be approved?
An anti-virus?

 

[seph ir oth]

What does a computer need to be approved?
An anti-virus?

Considering the stupidity of the situation, I'm assuming the school has certain specs their computers should have before they are used for any kind of gaming

 

[Miz]

Frankly, Florida's entire educational system is a joke. Besides the numerous stories of "inappropriate relationships", there is a serious and ongoing debate about teaching Creationism in science class. Now, I don't have any hard feelings against Creationism, any more than I hate astrology...but nobody's grading students based on how well they know their star-signs. Meanwhile, Florida's educational budget ranks below almost every other state in the US (and possibly a few Third-World countries).

If I lived in Florida, I'd be really upset.

Ehh, and we still get better test grades then many other states . Although my parents being both High School teachers for the County of Pinellas (thats the county under Pasco) were expecting another budget cut next year...

Many of the Teachers that are causing problems are the new and young ones...

 

[BlargIAmDead]

Mizuio, I assume that you're a Florida native? I stayed in Florida myself for a year during college; beautiful place.

Ehh, and we still get better test grades then many other states . Although my parents being both High School teachers for the County of Pinellas (thats the county under Pasco) were expecting another budget cut next year...

Many of the Teachers that are causing problems are the new and young ones...

At any rate, that's not what I heard:

www.sptimes.com/2004/05/11/State/Elementary_students_o.shtml

www.nea.org/esea/floridascores.html

www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=A...serid=10&md5=da257cacc215bb29c4a4fb8a6a3b2afb

If Florida's test scores are higher than other states, it sounds like it's only in the lower grades...and only because Florida's made its tests easier than they should be, and suspends the kids who fail so they don't show up in the final analysis. I have no doubt that your parents are good, hard-working people, and that at least some of the blame has to lie on "noob" teachers, as they say it does. But again: why are there so many noobs in Florida, that they're unbalancing the whole school system? Is it because, as in so many other parts of the country, veteran teachers are leaving by the thousands? And if that's the case, then why are those veterans leaving?

 

[Flare]

That's a bit stupid, but kind of awesome at the same time. That's the strangest, but coolest way I've heard of someone getting fired

Can't believe he got fired for a magic trick though :S

 

[Ninva]

I over heard that a lot of student teachers go down to Florida for work now.

 

[The Helper]

It's witchcraft I tell you. Burn them all :nuts: