Philadelphia School Officials Want 'Rubber Room' Teacher Fired
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Philadelphia school officials have recommended that a teacher -- who for weeks has been disciplined in the district's so-called "rubber room" for her outspokenness -- be fired.
Hope Moffett railed against the plan to turn Audenried High School into a charter school, and students staged a short walkout in protest. The district accused her of encouraging her students to walk out.
She denies the charge, but has been kept in what is basically a basement "teacher's jail" while officials mull the case (see previous story).
Now, she says, the district is urging the School Reform Commission to fire her.
"I absolutely feel that I did the right thing. How they think that the appropriate consequence is removing me from the classroom and firing me from my job, I... I don't know. I couldn't say."
Schools officials have no comment outside of a statement in which they cite district policy and state public school code on employee responsibility to protect the health and welfare of students.
Moffett will be kept in that "rubber room" until the SRC decides what to do.
Reported by Ian Bush, KYW Newsradio 1060.
