Teacher fired for witchcraft

[The Winslow]

Are they going to hang him, next?

Source link (http://www.local6.com/news/16169506/detail.html?rss=orlpn&psp=news)

LAND 'O LAKES, Fla. -- A substitute teacher in Pasco County has lost his job after being accused of wizardry.

Teacher Jim Piculas does a magic trick where a toothpick disappears and then reappears.

Piculas recently did the 30-second trick in front of a classroom at Rushe Middle School in Land 'O Lakes.

Piculas said he then got a call from the supervisor of teachers, saying he'd been accused of wizardry.

"I get a call the middle of the day from head of supervisor of substitute teachers. He says, 'Jim, we have a huge issue, you can't take any more assignments you need to come in right away,'" he said.

Piculas said he did not know of any other accusations that would have led to the action.

The teacher said he is concerned that the incident may prevent him from getting future jobs.

This is a victory for JackChicks everywhere!

[Pigs in Space]

Imagine if he'd pulled a penny out of someone's ear!

[Singularity]

Hey Florida, stop making the country I live in look like it's run by the mentally retarded!

.... Isn't Jeb Bush still governor there?

[Lady Fury]

I wonder if he could teach me wizardry? :plotting:

[Name Lips]

He only seems to know cantrips... :(

[Bagpuss]

My sister got accused of witchcraft when she was at school, after leading a Tarot book to a friend. They called the police and got them to speak to the head mistress.

[Limper]

My sister got accused of witchcraft when she was at school, after leading a Tarot book to a friend. They called the police and got them to speak to the head mistress.

Thank you for that story it makes me glad that this sort of idiocy isn't just in the US.

[Varaj]

LAND O' LAKES - The telephone call that spelled the end of Jim Piculas' career as a substitute teacher in Pasco came on a January day about a week after he performed the disappearing-toothpick trick for a group of rapt middle school students.

Pat Sinclair, who oversees substitute teachers in the Pasco County School District, was on the phone. She told Piculas there had been a complaint about his performance at Rushe Middle School in Land O' Lakes.

He asked what she meant.

"She said, 'You've been accused of wizardry,' " Piculas said.

He said the statement seemed bizarre to him, like something out of Harry Potter.

Piculas said he replied, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

He said he also told Sinclair, "It's not black magic. It's a toothpick."

The school district puts a somewhat different spin on the disappearing-toothpick incident.

Performing a magic trick at Rushe Middle is just one of the reasons the school district gives for dumping Piculas from the substitute-teacher list. The others are: Piculas did not follow the lesson plans, he allowed students on computers even though another teacher said not to, and he told the fifth-period student peer that she was in charge.

Piculas said those other reasons are just window dressing. He said he believes it all comes down to the disappearing-toothpick trick and a student who may have interpreted the trick as wizardry.

The trick requires a toothpick and transparent tape. A sleight-of-hand maneuver causes the toothpick to disappear then reappear. At least, so it seems. In reality, the toothpick hides behind the performer's thumb, held in place by the tape.

"The whole thing lasted 45 seconds," Piculas said.

He said the students liked the trick. He showed them how to do it so they could perform it at home.
One student in the Rushe Middle class apparently took the trick the wrong way, Piculas said. He said he was told the student became so traumatized that the student's father complained.

Sinclair wrote Piculas a letter, date Jan. 28, to say the district would "no longer be using your services." The letter mentioned magic tricks at the end of the list of other classroom offenses he is accused of committing.

The word "wizardry" does not appear in the letter.

"I think she was trying to downplay it because it sounded so goofy," Piculas said.

Piculas said he has tried to get a hearing before Superintendent Heather Fiorentino with no luck.

He tried to enlist the assistance of U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Palm Harbor, whose office forwarded his complaint to Fiorentino, but that effort reached a dead-end because the federal government has no say over who the school district hires as a substitute teacher.

He said he also sought assistance from United School Employees of Pasco, only to learn that substitute teachers aren't covered by the union contract.

Piculas had worked as a substitute teacher for eight or nine months, spending time at 15 schools. He said he also was working toward teacher certification with the dream of being hired full time.

That appears unlikely now. Piculas said he tried to apply for a job as a GED instructor and wasn't allowed to interview.

"My whole career is in limbo," he said.

I'm thinking the job performance issues may be more important than the magic trick.

Here (http://suncoastpasco.tbo.com/content/2008/may/05/substitute-teacher-says-wizardry-accusation-cost-h/)

[Harry]

Those "performance issues" sound like excuses after-the-fact to me. Seriously, since when was the performance of a substitute teacher of any real concern to a school district. If he kept students engaged, he was better than most in that field.

[Varaj]

Those "performance issues" sound like excuses after-the-fact to me. Seriously, since when was the performance of a substitute teacher of any real concern to a school district. If he kept students engaged, he was better than most in that field.

Heh I read it the other way, his complaint of wizardry is an after the fact attempt to keep from being fired.

[The Winslow]

No matter.
Sinclair wrote Piculas a letter, date Jan. 28, to say the district would "no longer be using your services." The letter mentioned magic tricks at the end of the list of other classroom offenses he is accused of committing.

Taping a toothpick to his thumb was still considered a classroom offense, whether or not the other reasons were more important.

Also, WTF?
He said the students liked the trick. He showed them how to do it so they could perform it at home.
One student in the Rushe Middle class apparently took the trick the wrong way, Piculas said. He said he was told the student became so traumatized that the student's father complained.
I'd like to have this tidbit a tad more developed, because it's not making sense at all. Unless...
- The student was a total moron and thought he had to hide the toothpick by sticking it in his thumb.
- My mind is not dirty enough and I should have gotten the innuendo behind the "let's play hide the toothpick" game. Also, let me laugh at the guy. Toothpick. Heh.

Baring these two interpretations, nothing makes sense.

[Name Lips]

Some people genuinely believe that even pretending to do magic is flirting with the devil. Seriously. They don't make a distinction between pretending and reality. This is the same logic they use to say that D&D is devil worship.

[Singularity]

Some people genuinely believe that even pretending to do magic is flirting with the devil. Seriously. They don't make a distinction between pretending and reality. This is the same logic they use to say that D&D is devil worship.

Hey, D&D owes a lot to fear mongering. It was because of these supposed Satanic links that it became so popular in the first place.

[The Winslow]

I'd have snarky things to say, but I think they just genuinely need psychiatric help. That's schizophrenic paranoia or something.

[Dawnstar]

Well I am happy to hear that this was just one of the reasons that the guy was let go but believe that it should not be a reason.

If someone is going to be fired for "wizardry" should that go against the whole freedom of religion? Just curious.

[Varaj]

Well I am happy to hear that this was just one of the reasons that the guy was let go but believe that it should not be a reason.

If someone is going to be fired for "wizardry" should that go against the whole freedom of religion? Just curious.

The only person claiming that wizardry is a reason is the guy that got fired.

[doc]

Maybe he can pull a new job out of his ass

[Brynja]

Maybe he can pull a new job out of his ass

That would be some trick.

[doc]

That would be some trick.

Least 2nd level

[Singularity]

If someone is going to be fired for "wizardry" should that go against the whole freedom of religion? Just curious.

Not really. You aren't allowed to practice your religion at school, particularly if you are a teacher and doing it in front of students.

[doc]

Not really. You aren't allowed to practice your religion at school, particularly if you are a teacher and doing it in front of students.

I guess to some doing stage magic is a religon, if he was fired for explaining beltain to the class and how he celebrates I'ld be more upset.

[Snatch]

:what:

There has to be more to the story than this.

[Space Cadet B^3]

I guess to some doing stage magic is a religon, if he was fired for explaining beltain to the class and how he celebrates I'ld be more upset.
Would you really be upset by that? I can see circumstances where that could come up, and not in a proselytizing way.

[Dawnstar]

Not really. You aren't allowed to practice your religion at school, particularly if you are a teacher and doing it in front of students.


Very good point.

[Ancalagon]

well, in Canada they fired a Tim Horton cashier for giving a timbit (a mini-donut sort of) to a baby. They re-hired her within a day of the story hitting the media.

Ancalagon

[Snatch]

well, in Canada they fired a Tim Horton cashier for giving a timbit (a mini-donut sort of) to a baby. They re-hired her within a day of the story hitting the media.

Ancalagon


I just heard about that. That was a well thought out move. Firing someone over a $0.10 donut. :grey:

[Ancalagon]

I just heard about that. That was a well thought out move. Firing someone over a $0.10 donut. :grey:

Someone who's a single mom. And who gave the timbit to a baby.

[doc]

Would you really be upset by that? I can see circumstances where that could come up, and not in a proselytizing way.

Well it is called Freedom of Religon, I don't care if you're Muslem, Chirstian, Jew or Wiccian if you can't worship how you want it's wrong. So when the far left wants to ban the navtity at Chirstmas I feel just as stongly about it as some fundies demonizing some chick in a coven. As long as you don't intrude on others beliefs go for it. Ok so the Jehovah Witness's freak me out but as long as they don't rink my doorbell I'm cool with them

[Name Lips]

The problem with freedom of religion is that there ARE limits. I mean, obviously you can't be a member of the "go ye forth and kill innocent babies" religion and still be granted religious immunity for your actions, but I think you understand what I mean. Religious practices sometimes come in direct conflict with the laws of the land. Some of these things you can get exemptions for - like vaccinating children, carrying religious knives, or doing certain (normally illegal drugs). Other things, you can't get exemptions for, like having multiple legal marriages and sex with underage people (sorry, I was reading articles about the Mormon compound that was raided in TX, so these examples came to mind).

So what do you do if your country exposes the virtue of Separation of Church and State, but your religions says it should be a part of your every action and you should tell everybody you meet about its virtues? There are lots of different flavors of Christianity, but there are people who believe Christian beliefs should be instituted as law (the US is a good start, but they have "worldwide" as their dreamy ideal), that they should talk about God and Jesus to everybody they meet, and so on. Should these people be banned from jobs in the government? Most of them have just learned to keep a low profile unless they're around the appropriate audience. It rankles them, and they genuinely believe their religion is being repressed, but they do it rather than lose their job and what influence they DO have.

I can totally believe a person like this being in a public school and occasionally letting out a real opinion... even though they could lose their job because of it. At some point their personal beliefs become more important to them than separation of church and state. They honestly believe to keep their mouth shut would be doing the kids a dangerous disservice. In a way, I can admire the courage that drives them to take such risks, even though I totally disapprove of it.

This isn't limited to Christianity, of course, it's just that as the dominant religion of the country, that's where we're going to find most of our examples, by sheer coincidence of numbers. There are people of all beliefs and religions who look flabbergasted at the mere concept of not seeking to institute their beliefs as law. "If you don't believe it's the right thing for EVERYBODY to do, why do you believe it at all?" They ask, dumbfounded. They're honestly confused by the notion of creating a country where people of differnet beliefs can ALL thrive, and none are trying to usurp the system and convince the world of their point of view.

I am a Wiccan, and I am a Unitarian Universalist, and I think a world where everybody lived and worshipped as I do would be a very boring place. I believe in variety and diversity, and finding common interests that bind us all together, even though we value so many different things.

I don't think the teacher in the article was trying to promote or teach occultism or wizardry. It was a silly trick, and he even explained how it was done. When you're a substitute, you often do little things to entertain the kids, especially when the lesson is going poorly and the kids are rambunctious and distracted. To a certain extent, you don't have to be a real teacher and maintain discipline and respect, because you're not going to be there tomorrow. You can be the fun person, so long as they do their assignment, what's wrong with a bit of fun?

Apparently somebody didn't see it that way. I can't believe a student would complain about a magic trick, but there are people out there who think even pretending to do magic is flirting with the devil. It's the first step in seeking out real magic! A slippery slope! And to those people, doing an innocent magic trick in class is tantamount to violating the separation of church and state in a way that, is to them, particuarly damaging.

I can't really get behind them on this because these are the same people who think evolution and science are a threat to their religion, and thus breach the separation of church and state, and should be remove from the classroom. But I find it valuable to understand their point of view, no matter how ludicrous. Probably this teacher would have done very poorly as a real teacher in that school district. He sounds like the kind of person the parents and administration would tolerate very poorly.

[Varaj]

(sorry, I was reading articles about the Mormon compound that was raided in TX, so these examples came to mind).

Wasn't a Mormon compound. FLDS not Mormon.

[Name Lips]

Wasn't a Mormon compound. FLDS not Mormon.

They say they're Mormon, and they tell everybody they meet that they're Mormon, and that their religion recognizes the possibility of new prophets, and that they're following one, and that the "Mormon Church" in Utah isn't really Mormon.

When it comes to religion I tend to go with "what people say they are" because who the hell am I to argue with what they choose to label themselves? You have to remember I share religious circles with people who call themselves Druids. I don't argue with them either.

[Varaj]

They say they're Mormon, and they tell everybody they meet that they're Mormon, and that their religion recognizes the possibility of new prophets, and that they're following one, and that the "Mormon Church" in Utah isn't really Mormon.

When it comes to religion I tend to go with "what people say they are" because who the hell am I to argue with what they choose to label themselves? You have to remember I share religious circles with people who call themselves Druids. I don't argue with them either.

If I call my self the Pope it doesn't make it so or this guy for that matter.
http://popemichael.homestead.com/

[Name Lips]

If I call my self the Pope it doesn't make it so.

I will respect your religion, Your Holiness.

[Varaj]

Generally speaking the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints refer to their members as "Original Mormons" or "Fundamentalist Mormons."

[Singularity]

When it comes to religion I tend to go with "what people say they are" because who the hell am I to argue with what they choose to label themselves? You have to remember I share religious circles with people who call themselves Druids. I don't argue with them either.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXGbwIkvh38

[Radu]

oh man, Spinal Tap for the win!

[Cat of Ulthar]

My sister got accused of witchcraft when she was at school, after leading a Tarot book to a friend. They called the police and got them to speak to the head mistress.

Yeay. And here I thought you guys were sane and this was a happy place for me to live...:rolleyes:

[Varaj]

Yeay. And here I thought you guys were sane and this was a happy place for me to live...:rolleyes:

Don't you guys have the pedo political party?

[Cat of Ulthar]

That's the Netherlands, yeah... But I will be moving to Bagpusscountry!:D

[Hatter]

If your hometown doesn't have religious protesters dressed in sackcloth and ash in July then you got nothin' on nutso extremists.

[Space Cadet B^3]

We've got Phelps, is that enough?

[Hatter]

We've got Phelps, is that enough?

The judges say we can accept that answer. Though in the Springs there's a radio host who advocates concentration camps for homosexuals, so Phelps is really only notable for being loud about his extremism.

[Harry]

If your hometown doesn't have religious protesters dressed in sackcloth and ash in July then you got nothin' on nutso extremists.

These two pictures were in my daily paper today, taken over the weekend here in town:

[Hatter]

These two pictures were in my daily paper today, taken over the weekend here in town:

The right one is begging to become an image macro.

[Random Encounter]

The right one is begging to become an image macro.

What about the far-right one? :D

[SpikeyFreak]

Those "performance issues" sound like excuses after-the-fact to me. Seriously, since when was the performance of a substitute teacher of any real concern to a school district. If he kept students engaged, he was better than most in that field.
So you are assuming that someone actually got fired for wizardry.

-- :what: Spikey

[Harry]

The right one is begging to become an image macro.

I did one just to see if I could. I've never made my own before. However, as I've said on numerous occasions, I'm not a very funny fellow so I stole a common line: