An Alabama teacher has been suspended after using a hypothetical assassination plot on President Obama to teach a class.
According to reports, geometry teacher Gregory Harrison was teaching his high school math class about angles when he said,
“If you’re in this building, you would need to take this angle to shoot the president.'”
Although initially the school didn’t find the comments threatening, after receiving calls from all over the country about the lack of severity for the teacher’s punishment, the school is now considering terminating Harrison.
“There is nothing that can be said to rationalize what he said. We take this very seriously.” School Superintendent Phil Hammonds said. “There is no place in our society for a person to make these comments.”
Roy Sexton, special agent in charge of Birmingham’s Secret Service office, said his agency spoke with the teacher after being told about his comment, but there was no ‘credible threat’, so no charges were filed and the investigation was closed.
Hammonds said he will talk to teachers and students before recommending to the school board what action, if any, might be appropriate. It was not immediately known how long the teacher may be on leave.
Hammonds said the school system in Alabama’s most populous county was embarrassed by what Harrison said.
As of press time a decision regarding Harrison’s employment had not been reached.
Do you feel like people are overreacting or should the teacher be terminated, let us know?
