UPDATE: The board voted unanimously to terminate the employment of the teacher in question.


 

Marlin Independent School District's Board of Managers will decide Tuesday whether to fire a teacher who allegedly made negative comments about students moments before a state algebra test last week.

Superintendent Michael Seabolt told Rissa Shaw with our news partner, KWTX, that Claude Kelley was placed on paid administrative leave after allegedly remarking to students and a teacher that only a couple of students in his class were smart enough to pass the state's Algebra I course exam. Tonight, the board will decide if Claude's probationary contract ought to be terminated in light of the allegation.

“I think with an academically fragile environment like Marlin is, we don’t need educators to make comments like that right before a state test, literally right before kids are walking in to take the test,” Seabolt told KWTX. “I contacted the school board that evening to let them know about it. You can think bad things about my kids, but I better never hear it."

According to Seabolt, the comments violated the ethical conduct section of the Texas Education Code, and may have also violated district policy and state law testing protocol. He also mentioned that Kelly recently filed a grievance for retaliation after learning that the district planned to eliminate his position.

Marlin ISD officials have requested that police be present at Tuesday night's meeting.

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