Schools
Batavia Teacher's Letter of Remedy: No Sarcasm, No Discussion of Employment Status
The disciplinary letter to Batavia teacher John Dreyden lists the behaviors that School District 101 wants the teacher to avoid.
John Dreyden, the Batavia teacher sanctioned by the Batavia School Board for advising students they had a right to refuse to take a school survey has received his letter of remedy from School District 101.
And among the stipulations are that Dreyden can't use sarcasm, can't give students legal advice and can't talk about his employment status with the district, according to a report by the Daily Herald.
The Daily Herald says Dreyden also is requred "to refrain from making statements or taking any actions that may tend to dissuade students from participating" in school district initiatives.
Dreyden was called on the carpet in April, after he informed students that they had a Fifth Amendment right to refuse to take a School District survey, which asked, among other things, whether students take drugs.
The Board of Education approved a Resolution Authorizing a Notice of Remediation on Tuesday, May 28, 2013.
A notice to remedy is a written warning issued by a school board that warns the employee of improper conduct and the possible consequences.
In a letter to the public regarding the disciplinary action, School District 101 Superintendent Jack Barshinger said the board heard many facts that could not be shared with the public. Those facts "may or may not be the same as information you may have read in the newspaper or on social media websites," Barshinger said.
"The issue before the board (Tuesday night) was whether one employee has the right to mischaracterize the efforts of our teachers, counselors, social workers and others; and tell our students, in effect, that the adults are not here to help, but that they are trying to get you to 'incriminate' yourselves."
Barshinger underlined that student discipline was not discussed or contemplated as a response to disclosures made by students.
"What the BPS101 Board does not, and will not support, is any employee giving students false impressions about the motivations of those who come here every day to try to improve the lives of the students entrusted to our care," Barshinger's letter said.
Dreyden told the School Board and media that he had seen the surveys with each student's name written on it and was concerned that might be a Fifth Amendment violation in that students might incriminated themselves. The district said the surveys' purpose was to identify which students might need help from counselors, psychologists and social workers.
The Daily Herald said the letter of remedy characterized Dreyden's actions as the latest example of "a pattern of inappropriate and unprofessional statements to students."
An online petition in support of Dreyden has 9,015 online signatures as of Sunday, June 2.
"John Dryden is a uncharacteristically engaging educator who sees it his duty to make his students aware of their rights as citizens. He encourages critical thinking, problem solving strategies, and educational stewardship from all of his students," the petition says. "His learning objectives go beyond mandated standards and bring student awareness to real-world concerns."
