The teacher and the State Journal have both asked for the district’s report of its investigation of the event, but the district has refused to release it, citing student privacy. The state open records law permits the district to black out information that would identify students.
Emails that were sent to Hamilton staff regarding the teacher — and released to the State Journal under the state’s public records law — refer to her initial suspension, recount the event and otherwise support the teacher’s version of what happened on Oct. 31 and in the days after. Several, along with two letters in her personnel file, also laud the teacher’s work and interaction with students.
The teacher’s personnel file, also accessed through a public records request, includes no prior incidents of disciplinary action against her. She said she had never before been subject to such action.
“I’ve never even been called to the principal’s office and said, like, ‘That lesson plan wasn’t a great idea’ or ‘You probably shouldn’t have done that,’” she said.