Vampirate Kitsune
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- Posted: Wed, 22 May 2013 03:44:36 +0000
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Teacher suspended for allegedly touching girl with banana
Banana used in class during lecture on sex objects
A local teacher returned to his classroom duties on Tuesday after an unpaid suspension for allegedly touching a female student with a banana.
The school district suspended Jonathan Hampton from his teaching job at North Marion High School after the student's parents complained, nearly three months after the incident.
According to his discipline letter dated May 13, 2013, a student said Hampton "rubbed a student's head and neck area with a banana" during a lecture about "cylinder objects, phalluses and/or sex symbols."
Responding Saturday to Local 6's report, Hampton's stepfather, Mark Fiedelholtz, a South Florida lawyer, said, "According to my son -- which has not been reported -- he doesn't recall ever touching the student with a banana, but if he did it would be to get their attention."
Parents and adults Local 6 spoke with Friday night said they felt the sexual implications were clear.
"That is disgusting, very disgusting," said Dale Johnson, a grandmother at the school. "I don't think he should be allowed to teach kids. You don't do stuff like that and get away with it."
A district spokesman said it seems the teacher was using the banana as a prop in his Freudian psychology lecture and said the discussion topic was district-approved, but the touching was inappropriate.
The district said the girl's parents complained because she felt embarrassed. And she wasn't alone. The district said other students felt the topics in his advanced class veered over the line with "excessive frequency, causing discomfort to many of your students," said the letter.
Hampton's stepfather, Fiedelholtz, disputed the possible sexual connotation of the banana.
"Upon a full investigation by the Marion County Public School District they found no evidence of sexual connotation or intentionality touching
the student against her will or to physically hurt the student in any way," said Fiedelholtz. "Jonathan was reinstated back in the classroom after serving his suspension."
"They have to be professional about this," said Brenda Bewley, a parent at NMHS. "What was going through his mind when he did something like that?"
Fiedelholtz said he believes Hampton was "maligned by an incident that was blown out of proportion. Despite the fact that my son has proved himself
as a caring, respectful and competent teacher that is loved by thousands of students and parents, the Marion County School District decided to allow my step-son's hard-earned reputation to be tossed in the garbage can based on the testimony of a father who may have had issues with the school before and other teenagers taken three months after the incident."
On his Facebook page, Mr. Hampton said he's taught at NMHS since 2007 and was once Teacher of the Year from 2011-2012. His personnel record indicates his performance overall has been "outstanding," however in 2009, Hampton was given counseling for making negative comments online about fellow teachers and students.
Banana used in class during lecture on sex objects
A local teacher returned to his classroom duties on Tuesday after an unpaid suspension for allegedly touching a female student with a banana.
The school district suspended Jonathan Hampton from his teaching job at North Marion High School after the student's parents complained, nearly three months after the incident.
According to his discipline letter dated May 13, 2013, a student said Hampton "rubbed a student's head and neck area with a banana" during a lecture about "cylinder objects, phalluses and/or sex symbols."
Responding Saturday to Local 6's report, Hampton's stepfather, Mark Fiedelholtz, a South Florida lawyer, said, "According to my son -- which has not been reported -- he doesn't recall ever touching the student with a banana, but if he did it would be to get their attention."
Parents and adults Local 6 spoke with Friday night said they felt the sexual implications were clear.
"That is disgusting, very disgusting," said Dale Johnson, a grandmother at the school. "I don't think he should be allowed to teach kids. You don't do stuff like that and get away with it."
A district spokesman said it seems the teacher was using the banana as a prop in his Freudian psychology lecture and said the discussion topic was district-approved, but the touching was inappropriate.
The district said the girl's parents complained because she felt embarrassed. And she wasn't alone. The district said other students felt the topics in his advanced class veered over the line with "excessive frequency, causing discomfort to many of your students," said the letter.
Hampton's stepfather, Fiedelholtz, disputed the possible sexual connotation of the banana.
"Upon a full investigation by the Marion County Public School District they found no evidence of sexual connotation or intentionality touching
the student against her will or to physically hurt the student in any way," said Fiedelholtz. "Jonathan was reinstated back in the classroom after serving his suspension."
"They have to be professional about this," said Brenda Bewley, a parent at NMHS. "What was going through his mind when he did something like that?"
Fiedelholtz said he believes Hampton was "maligned by an incident that was blown out of proportion. Despite the fact that my son has proved himself
as a caring, respectful and competent teacher that is loved by thousands of students and parents, the Marion County School District decided to allow my step-son's hard-earned reputation to be tossed in the garbage can based on the testimony of a father who may have had issues with the school before and other teenagers taken three months after the incident."
On his Facebook page, Mr. Hampton said he's taught at NMHS since 2007 and was once Teacher of the Year from 2011-2012. His personnel record indicates his performance overall has been "outstanding," however in 2009, Hampton was given counseling for making negative comments online about fellow teachers and students.
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Teacher suspended for bonk with a banana
A North Marion High teacher was suspended for three days without pay this week on accusations he touched a student in the head with a banana, according to School District documents.
The parents of the student contacted the district because they felt the teacher, Jonathan Hampton, crossed a line during discussions about the Freudian implications of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest."
Hampton teaches college-level courses as part of the North Marion's magnet program, called Advance International Certificate of Education (AICE).
The incident was reported by the girl's parents on May 6, about three months after it occurred.
Hampton referred all comments to Plantation attorney Mark Fiedelholtz, who is also his stepfather.
The attorney said Hampton — who had gotten the banana at lunch — tapped the student with it to get her attention.
"There was nothing else to it," Fiedelholtz said, adding no student in the class complained about the incident during the months afterwards.
The district concluded that the teacher-student contact warranted the reprimand and suspension for professional misconduct.
School District spokesman Kevin Christian said "Freudian" discussion is part of the curriculum in the college-level course.
Deputy Superintendent Rick Lankford wrote in the reprimand that Hampton used poor judgment by using "a banana to make physical contact with a student during a discussion on cylinder objects, phalluses and/or sex symbols."
A North Marion High teacher was suspended for three days without pay this week on accusations he touched a student in the head with a banana, according to School District documents.
The parents of the student contacted the district because they felt the teacher, Jonathan Hampton, crossed a line during discussions about the Freudian implications of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest."
Hampton teaches college-level courses as part of the North Marion's magnet program, called Advance International Certificate of Education (AICE).
The incident was reported by the girl's parents on May 6, about three months after it occurred.
Hampton referred all comments to Plantation attorney Mark Fiedelholtz, who is also his stepfather.
The attorney said Hampton — who had gotten the banana at lunch — tapped the student with it to get her attention.
"There was nothing else to it," Fiedelholtz said, adding no student in the class complained about the incident during the months afterwards.
The district concluded that the teacher-student contact warranted the reprimand and suspension for professional misconduct.
School District spokesman Kevin Christian said "Freudian" discussion is part of the curriculum in the college-level course.
Deputy Superintendent Rick Lankford wrote in the reprimand that Hampton used poor judgment by using "a banana to make physical contact with a student during a discussion on cylinder objects, phalluses and/or sex symbols."
