The Batman
February 6th, 2010, 01:17 PM
LITCHFIELD PARK, Ariz. -- The principal of Litchfield Elementary School has been put on administrative leave after a letter he wrote as a joke commenting on their children's math skills apparently found its way to parents.
Principal Ron Sterr apparently distributed the letter to teachers last week as a joke -- but one teacher who thought it was real sent it home to parents of her second grade class.
The letter read in part: "The math we do is really easy. If your child is either too lazy or too stupid to finish it in class, I'm sending it home so that you can work with them and judge for yourself whether it is laziness or idiocy that inhibits your child's progress."
The principal was put on administrative leave following a flood of phone calls from outraged parents, and is pending further disciplinary action.
Other parents think the district is blowing the letter out of proportion.
"It's just a little levity," says parent Celia Laughlin. "In the times that we're living in right now, any laughs can lift the spirit a little bit, and I don't see anything wrong with that."
"It was a joke, it was never intended for parents to see," says parent Krista Hill. "It wasn't a real letter, it was a joke sent to coworkers, and that's it."
Hill says Principal Sterr is a wonderful principal. "I would hate for anything bad to happen to him over this."
Superintendent Dr. Julianne Lein declined to comment, but she did issue a press release calling the principal's remarks "unacceptable."
Litchfield Elementary School District statement
"On Wednesday, January 26th, an inappropriate parent letter was sent home with a second grade class at Litchfield Elementary School. The letter contained disparaging remarks about students which were unacceptable. The letter was authored by the principal, who was originally not forthcoming with parents in taking responsibility for his actions. The principal has called each parent individually to render an apology and take responsibility. The school district has placed the principal on administrative leave and has removed him from the principalship. Further disciplinary action is pending. The Litchfield School District renders its most sincere apology to our students, parents, community and staff for this incident. We are taking specific steps to remedy this situation."
Principal Ron Sterr apparently distributed the letter to teachers last week as a joke -- but one teacher who thought it was real sent it home to parents of her second grade class.
The letter read in part: "The math we do is really easy. If your child is either too lazy or too stupid to finish it in class, I'm sending it home so that you can work with them and judge for yourself whether it is laziness or idiocy that inhibits your child's progress."
The principal was put on administrative leave following a flood of phone calls from outraged parents, and is pending further disciplinary action.
Other parents think the district is blowing the letter out of proportion.
"It's just a little levity," says parent Celia Laughlin. "In the times that we're living in right now, any laughs can lift the spirit a little bit, and I don't see anything wrong with that."
"It was a joke, it was never intended for parents to see," says parent Krista Hill. "It wasn't a real letter, it was a joke sent to coworkers, and that's it."
Hill says Principal Sterr is a wonderful principal. "I would hate for anything bad to happen to him over this."
Superintendent Dr. Julianne Lein declined to comment, but she did issue a press release calling the principal's remarks "unacceptable."
Litchfield Elementary School District statement
"On Wednesday, January 26th, an inappropriate parent letter was sent home with a second grade class at Litchfield Elementary School. The letter contained disparaging remarks about students which were unacceptable. The letter was authored by the principal, who was originally not forthcoming with parents in taking responsibility for his actions. The principal has called each parent individually to render an apology and take responsibility. The school district has placed the principal on administrative leave and has removed him from the principalship. Further disciplinary action is pending. The Litchfield School District renders its most sincere apology to our students, parents, community and staff for this incident. We are taking specific steps to remedy this situation."