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Magic trick costs teacher job
   


By:
Janie PorterLand 'O Lakes, Florida -- The stories in the news about inappropriate relationships between teachers and students have been overwhelming.  There was even a substitute teacher in New Port Richey who got in trouble after investigators say she had a relationship with an underage student.

Well, another Pasco County substitute teacher's job is on the line, but this time it's because of a magic trick.

The charge from the school district — Wizardry!

Substitute teacher Jim Piculas does a 30-second magic trick where a toothpick disappears then reappears.

But after performing it in front of a classroom at Rushe Middle School in Land 'O Lakes, Piculas said his job did a disappearing act of its own.

"I get a call the middle of the day from the supervisor of substitute teachers.  He says, 'Jim, we have a huge issue.  You can't take any more assignments.  You need to come in right away,'" he said.

When Piculas went in, he learned his little magic trick cast a spell that went much farther than he'd hoped.

"I said, 'Well Pat, can you explain this to me?'  'You've been accused of wizardry,' [he said]. Wizardry?" he asked.

Tampa Bay's 10 talked to the assistant superintendent with the Pasco County School District who said it wasn't just the wizardry and that Picular had other performance issues, including "not following lesson plans" and allowing students to play on unapproved computers.

Piculas said he knew nothing about the accusations.

"That... I think was embellished after the fact to try to cover what initially what they were saying to me," he said.

After the magic trick, Rushe's principal requested Piculas be dismissed.  Now, Piculas believes the incident may have bewitched his ability to get a job anywhere else.

"I still have no idea what my discipline involves because I've never received anything from the school district actually saying what it entails," said Piculas.

As a substitute teacher, the Pasco County School District considers Piculas to be an "at will employee." That means the district doesn't need to have cause for not bringing him back at all.

Janie Porter, Tampa Bay's 10 News

 



 U.D.O. - "Animal House"

[Overfiend]

You can never expect the Spanish Inquisition! 

[Brewdog]

You can never expect the Spanish Inquisition! 

"She turned me into a newt...... I got better!!"

[Ulysses]

Fuck the USA. I hate it.

[Sargon the Terrible]

Fuck the USA. I hate it.

Hey, that's the US of A you're talking about pal.

[burning missive]

In a country that's obsessed with garbage like Harry Potter, and being that these were children, I'm a bit surprised about this.

Oh wait, it's the South.  Nevermind.

[Likstrom]

Fuck the USA. I hate it.

The whole world does. Well, except for Israel.

[Overfiend]

Fuck the USA. I hate it.

They make nice Chowder....

[Brewdog]

In a country that's obsessed with garbage like Harry Potter, and being that these were children, I'm a bit surprised about this.

Oh wait, it's the South.  Nevermind.

I'm betting whoever complained were fundies who no doubt thought that Harry Potter was real or based on true facts. I was on a bus in Arizona back in October 2002, and some lady was reading book put out by such types called Harry Potter And The Bible. I said that if his books are getting kids to read again, that's a good thing. She says "No, they're drawing children to Satan and witchcraft". I said "This isn't the 16th Century" and she said "Witchcraft is real". When I asked if she thought we should go back to burning people, she said "yes".

And we wonder why the civilized world laughs at America.

[Ulysses]

Hey, that's the US of A you're talking about pal.

Well, I can't argue - It sucks so bad that it produces only the best Metal! You guys are truly pissed off.

[Sirliftsalot48]

Fuck the USA. I hate it.

Fuck you, you're just jealous you don't get to police the world.  America, Fuck yeah!  Actually what you read about in the news is a very very tiny part of what the US is like.  Most of the stupid crap you read about happens in the south anyways.  I remember talking to some people when I was in London that seemed to think that every high school in America had shootings all the time.

[Only_Ash_Remains]

Fuck you, you're just jealous you don't get to police the world.  America, Fuck yeah!  Actually what you read about in the news is a very very tiny part of what the US is like.  Most of the stupid crap you read about happens in the south anyways.  I remember talking to some people when I was in London that seemed to think that every high school in America had shootings all the time.

Yeah, you only ever hear about the south.
Sadly, it's all true.

[Ulysses]

Fuck you, you're just jealous you don't get to police the world.  America, Fuck yeah!  Actually what you read about in the news is a very very tiny part of what the US is like.  Most of the stupid crap you read about happens in the south anyways.  I remember talking to some people when I was in London that seemed to think that every high school in America had shootings all the time.

Haha, I know - Well, I've been Seattle... And it was terrible! What is with your American kin!? haha!

[4th Horseman]

It seems like this is just another good ol' case of the media sensationalizing crap. The guy was most likely a bad substitute teacher and went around doing magic tricks in his classes and they canned him. That's probably the real truth of it. But that story won't sell. The very fact that this story is interesting and is being linked to forums and being discussed is evidence that the reporter was successful and has accomplished exactly what she wanted to do. Sensationalize a non-issue with half truths and spins.

Re: USA - The only reason some sanity prevails in the North is because they are so close to us   

[Karg]

I'm going to pretend that all the evidence of him being an iffy teacher doesn't exist and think that they fired him purely for 'wizardy', it's more fun that way.

That story is hilarious though - how did they not understand that it was a "magic" trick?

And he's a substitute teacher; why are they getting so pissy about his conduct?

I'm not familiar with how it is in the U.S., but over here in good old "Ostraiya" (Australia), when I was in school - substitute or "relief" teachers were in the class for day or a period or two, then they left. No-one cared if you learnt anything or did any work, because hey - it's not the real teacher! Let's screw with him or her and/or not do any work!

And this one time - We even had a dog come into the classroom! Man, that was exciting. I even got to pat it! What a great dog.

I guess a simple "it's the South." would explain this, right?

MEGA-EDIT: Oh and to subtract from the USA bashing: I've met plenty of Yanks and I've learnt that like everywhere, most of them are normal, sane people and know of their perceived stereotypes and whatnot and are nothing like them. In fact, I seem to remember that not all of them wear 12-gallon (METRIC SYSTEMMMM) hats and wield two magnums that they fire wildly into the air whenever "WAR WERE DECLARED".

Or sleep with an M16 and a Bible under their pillows, waiting for Jesus to come free them from <insert group>. Or are stupid and pose for a photo with the telephone upside-down. Or are Tom Cruise.

ESPECIALLY Tom Cruise.

Every country has dickheads, I sure know that Australia has plenty!

Most people call them politicians or Shane Warne. (a-hurr-hurr-hurr  )

Or that FUCKING kid that everyone hates. The one with the stupid glasses who announced his party on MySpace which caused hundreds of people to show up and chaos in his street/at nearby houses until the police were called in.

Now he's adored by legions or morons and loathed by everyone else.

It may or may not have been on the news in <your country>; I'm thinking it might have been on for a few seconds, as it was pretty damn stupid.

Search for Corey Delaney if you're interested; Wikipedia refused to make a page on him as he's not worth it/not real news, but I prefer to think that they agree with the rest of us when we say that he's just a dickhead.

I guess the Shane Warne joke will only work for people who know who the hell he is, but whatever. He's still a tool. Not as much as that other jerk though.

 Death [Leprosy] - Leprosy