Teacher Faces Dismissal Over Hispanic 'Hate' Letter
POSTED: Monday, August 22, 2005
UPDATED: 7:12 am EDT August 22,
2005
ORLANDO, Fla. -- An Orange County elementary school teacher accused of writing a letter critical of Hispanics could be dismissed from her job during a School Board hearing scheduled for this week.
A handwritten letter allegedly written by Sadler Elementary School teacher Jan Hall was addressed to a congressman and published in a local Spanish newspaper.
The letter said Hispanics are causing American students to fall behind in school and asked for laws to be changed to prevent Puerto Ricans from coming to Orlando because they are "destroying the city every day," Local 6 News reported.
"Schools are dealing with too many problems which originate in the language differences and that takes teaching time away from our American children whose parents do pay taxes," the letter said.
Many considered the letter racist. However, there are also others who supported the letter and Hall's right to free speech, Local 6 News reported.
"The issue has divided the community, so Hispanic leaders are calling for a conference Monday," Local 6 News reporter Jessica Sanchez reported. "They will be calling for a reconciliation plan for the community."
Tuesday, Orange County school board members will discuss the letter and vote on whether to suspend her without pay or fire her.
Hall was told to be in attendance to defend herself, Local 6 News has learned.
Earlier this week, the Orange County School Board took action Wednesday after reading the letter.
"She has been removed from Sadler Elementary and will not be returning to Sadler Elementary regardless of the outcome of the investigation," Orange County Schools spokesman Frank Kruppenbacher said.
Local 6 News has learned that attorneys are looking into numerous comments in the letter.
"Puerto Rican teachers who work at my school are constantly asking me for help with math because they only received the equivalent of a fifth-grade education in Puerto Rico," the letter said.
Hall confessed to the school's principal last week that she wrote a letter but said she forgot who she wrote it to, Local 6 News reported.
Hall remains on unpaid suspension from the school.
Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.
Copyright 2005 by Internet Broadcasting Systems and
Local6.com.
All rights reserved. This material may
not be published, broadcast, rewritten
or redistributed.