Teacher placed on leave for questionable Facebook posting

[Danno 1,228]

Teacher placed on leave for questionable Facebook posting

Posted: Feb 3, 2009 04:36 PM

BEAVER DAM (WKOW) -- Beaver Dam school officials placed a middle school teacher on administrative leave after discovering a photograph of the teacher with a gun on the teacher's Facebook page.

In the photo, teacher Betsy Ramsdale is training a rifle at the camera.

Ramsdale emailed 27 News in response to our inquiries saying she "removed the photo immediately" and that she is not "interested in any controversy." Ramsdale did not comment on her motivation for posting the photo.

Schools superintendent Donald Childs told 27 News he is unaware of any sinister intent on the teacher's part and said the use of the photo "appears to be poor judgment."

Childs said the Facebook photo was brought to the attention of school district officials by a concerned staff member at Beaver Dam Middle School.

Ramsdale's biography on the school district website states she is in her first year of teaching at the middle school. Department of Public Instruction records show Ramsdale has been licensed to teach since 1996.

Middle school parent Jennifer Buzzell said the teacher's decision to post the photograph was concerning.

See a small sample of the pic here:

http://www.wkowtv.com/global/story.asp?s=9781795

"I don't think it's appropriate," Buzzell told 27 News. "I'm not sure why this would be on the computer at all."

"I don't see anything wrong with it," school parent Mark Hagstrom said. "She's on her time to do what she wants."

School parent Chad Van Loo said the photograph sends the wrong message.

"With the way things are going these days, with the kids bringing guns to school and bomb threats, (photograph) is something to be concerned about."

Ramsdale's union representation is through the Beaver Dam Education Association. Association president Janet Schumaker has yet to return a call from 27 News.

Read our Assistant News Director's Blog on this topic:

http://addins.wkowtv.com/blogs/behindthenews/

Edited February 8, 2009 by Danno

[msu17 0]

That's ridiculous. To be fair, she should not have put questionable photos on a public forum or at least made her profile private, but that is her private time. If she isn't bringing anything into the classroom, why should it matter? The teacher that "expressed concern" should be the one in trouble, stupid tattle tale.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Over-reaching for sure....just like the single teacher who was fired from her job for being pregnant and not married, which Danno should also wonder if that was part of a Left Wing agenda?

[Scott & Lai 12]

School parent Chad Van Loo said the photograph sends the wrong message.

What's the "right" message?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

School parent Chad Van Loo said the photograph sends the wrong message.

What's the "right" message?

Who knows... I'm certainly not seeing the "left" one.

[HAL 9000 96]

Scraping the bottom of the gossip column for more assumptive reactions? Naaaaaaaaaaaaaa...

[Ken y Leidys 20]

I went to a military recruiting event in Northern Colombia, and after reading this article, I pulled some of my photos down. Don't want anyone to think I might have participated in any jungle warfare lately.

[Brad and Vika 129]

School parent Chad Van Loo said the photograph sends the wrong message.

What's the "right" message?

The same picture with a subtitle that says "if you are close enough to read this, you are to stupid to live".

[one...two...tree 2,762]

School parent Chad Van Loo said the photograph sends the wrong message.

What's the "right" message?

The same picture with a subtitle that says "if you are close enough to read this, you are to stupid to live".

...and hopefully spell 'too' correctly....because that kind of takes away the power of the message.

[HAL 9000 96]

School parent Chad Van Loo said the photograph sends the wrong message.

What's the "right" message?

The same picture with a subtitle that says "if you are close enough to read this, you are to stupid to live".

...and hopefully spell 'too' correctly....because that kind of takes away the power of the message.

Brother Brad PWNED.

[Brad and Vika 129]

School parent Chad Van Loo said the photograph sends the wrong message.

What's the "right" message?

The same picture with a subtitle that says "if you are close enough to read this, you are to stupid to live".

...and hopefully spell 'too' correctly....because that kind of takes away the power of the message.

Brother Brad PWNED.

Absolutely. Either type slower or use a spell check (when necessary) or just read gooder, eh?

Edited February 8, 2009 by Brad and Vika

[HAL 9000 96]

School parent Chad Van Loo said the photograph sends the wrong message.

What's the "right" message?

The same picture with a subtitle that says "if you are close enough to read this, you are to stupid to live".

...and hopefully spell 'too' correctly....because that kind of takes away the power of the message.

Brother Brad PWNED.

Absolutely. Either type slower or use a spell check (when necessary) or just read gooder, eh?

[one...two...tree 2,762]

School parent Chad Van Loo said the photograph sends the wrong message.

What's the "right" message?

The same picture with a subtitle that says "if you are close enough to read this, you are to stupid to live".

...and hopefully spell 'too' correctly....because that kind of takes away the power of the message.

Brother Brad PWNED.

Absolutely. Either type slower or use a spell check (when necessary) or just read gooder, eh?

Just don't read subtitles...people will assume you're smarter.

[Dan J 277]

Teacher placed on leave for questionable Facebook posting

Posted: Feb 3, 2009 04:36 PM

BEAVER DAM (WKOW) -- Beaver Dam school officials placed a middle school teacher on administrative leave after discovering a photograph of the teacher with a gun on the teacher's Facebook page.

In the photo, teacher Betsy Ramsdale is training a rifle at the camera.

Ramsdale emailed 27 News in response to our inquiries saying she "removed the photo immediately" and that she is not "interested in any controversy." Ramsdale did not comment on her motivation for posting the photo.

Schools superintendent Donald Childs told 27 News he is unaware of any sinister intent on the teacher's part and said the use of the photo "appears to be poor judgment."

Childs said the Facebook photo was brought to the attention of school district officials by a concerned staff member at Beaver Dam Middle School.

Ramsdale's biography on the school district website states she is in her first year of teaching at the middle school. Department of Public Instruction records show Ramsdale has been licensed to teach since 1996.

Middle school parent Jennifer Buzzell said the teacher's decision to post the photograph was concerning.

See a small sample of the pic here:

http://www.wkowtv.com/global/story.asp?s=9781795

"I don't think it's appropriate," Buzzell told 27 News. "I'm not sure why this would be on the computer at all."

"I don't see anything wrong with it," school parent Mark Hagstrom said. "She's on her time to do what she wants."

School parent Chad Van Loo said the photograph sends the wrong message.

"With the way things are going these days, with the kids bringing guns to school and bomb threats, (photograph) is something to be concerned about."

Ramsdale's union representation is through the Beaver Dam Education Association. Association president Janet Schumaker has yet to return a call from 27 News.

Read our Assistant News Director's Blog on this topic:

http://addins.wkowtv.com/blogs/behindthenews/

The concept of an employee being fired over behavior or activities outside of work is not new particularly when that employee is visibly linked to their employer. What is new, is that now ones private life has much greater chance of becoming public.

[Jasman0717 9]

Oh brother