(ConservativeJournal.org) – A teacher has been put on indefinite leave at a high school in Arizona after allegations that he dressed up as the devil and walked into his classroom telling the students to “hail Satan”.
The incident occurred at Mesa High School, where a student, sophomore Nathaniel Hamlet, reported that his teacher wore devil horns and carried a pitchfork in the classroom. As students came in, he greeted them with the controversial phrase and waved the pitchfork over their heads.
While it remains uncertain whether this costume was related to Halloween or a school spirit week, it sparked mixed reactions from students. Some found it amusing, while others were displeased or simply ignored it. However, Hamlet, who is a devout Christian, took offense and repeatedly requested the teacher to cease the behavior.
Hamlet recounted that he said to the teacher to not wave the pitchfork at him. He further explained he pushed away the pitchfork 3 or 4 times before the teacher stopped.
Disturbed by the teacher’s persistence, Hamlet informed his father, Chris Hamlet, a former candidate for the Mesa Public School board, who then reported the incident to the school’s principal.
Chris Hamlet, who is also a Christian, expressed his anger. He stated that even when his son said no, the teacher kept bothering him with the pitchfork, which he found frustrating. He also noted that the persistence of the teacher was strange.
Following the complaint, the teacher, who has not been publicly identified, did not return to the classroom. Mesa Public Schools disclosed that he has been placed on paid administrative leave while an investigation is conducted.
While Nathaniel Hamlet believes that this action was inappropriate and warranted termination, others within the school community expressed varying opinions. Some parents, who chose not to be identified, disapproved of the teacher’s actions but did not believe he should be fired for the incident.
Mesa Public Schools issued a statement acknowledging the reported incident and stated that they are investigating the matter.
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