Random News: Teacher Accused Of Wizardry

[Nbadan]

Only in Florida! (disclaimer: ok maybe in Texas too)

Fla. Teacher Accused Of Wizardry
Man Made Toothpick Vanish In Class


Teacher Jim Piculas does a magic trick where a toothpick disappears and then reappears.

Piculas recently did the 30-second trick in front of a classroom at Rushe Middle School in Land 'O Lakes.

Piculas said he then got a call from the supervisor of teachers, saying he'd been accused of wizardry.

"I get a call the middle of the day from head of 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.

Piculas said he did not know f any other accusations that would have led to the action.

The teacher said he is concerned that the incident may prevent him from getting future jobs.

Local6 (http://www.local6.com/news/16169506/detail.html)

I wonder if they'll burn him at the stake?

[Nbadan]

Doesn't GIG go to SDSUC?


Authorities have arrested nearly 100 people and seized guns and drugs in a sting operation at San Diego State University in California, the Drug Enforcement Administration said Tuesday.

Among those arrested were 75 students, some of them working toward criminal justice or homeland security degrees. One criminal justice major was charged with possession of guns and cocaine, authorities said.

One student sent a mass text message offering a "sale" on cocaine, the DEA said in a news release.

One student allegedly dealing cocaine was a month short of obtaining a master's degree in Homeland Security and worked with campus police as a student community service officer.

Link (http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/05/06/sdsu.bust/index.html)

They should have considered a career in the CIA instead of homeland security

[RandomGuy]

Being the ultimate arbitor of randomness, I do indeed certify that a teacher being accused of wizardry is a random bit of news.

Regards,
RG

[PixelPusher]

I wonder if they'll burn him at the stake?

No, no, no...medievel due process must be followed. First they'll bind his arms and legs and throw him into a river to see if he floats. If he sinks, that means he's not a wizard; if he floats, then you burn him at the stake.

[Galileo]

No, no, no...medievel due process must be followed. First they'll bind his arms and legs and throw him into a river to see if he floats. If he sinks, that means he's not a wizard; if he floats, then you burn him at the stake.

“If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy.”

“It is a universal truth that the loss of liberty at home is to be charged to the provisions against danger, real or pretended, from abroad.”

“No nation could preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare.”

“The executive has no right, in any case, to decide the question, whether there is or is not cause for declaring war.”

“War should only be declared by the authority of the people, whose toils and treasures are to support its burdens, instead of the government which is to reap its fruits.”

“Each generation should be made to bear the burden of its own wars, instead of carrying them on, at the expense of other generations.”

- quotes by James Madison, 4th U.S. President and author of the U.S. Constitution

GREAT QUOTES!

[Nbadan]

wV25KvfJ-hc

[RandomGuy]

wV25KvfJ-hc

:lol

"[is this] why people vote Republican in this country? I mean if you think a disappearing toothpick makes you a wizard, I guess you think George Bush is a great president..."

[RandomGuy]

Only in Florida! (disclaimer: ok maybe in Texas too)

Fla. Teacher Accused Of Wizardry
Man Made Toothpick Vanish In Class



Local6 (http://www.local6.com/news/16169506/detail.html)

I wonder if they'll burn him at the stake?

7227 Land O' Lakes Boulevard
Land O' Lakes, FL 34638

(813) 794-2000
(352) 524-2000
(727) 774-2000

Heather Fiorentino
Superintendent

It might be interesting to see what really happened.

I get the feeling that there is more to this story than in the very short news piece. Local news stories like this tend to be a tad... amaturish.

[AZLouis]

Only in Florida! (disclaimer: ok maybe in Texas too)

Fla. Teacher Accused Of Wizardry
Man Made Toothpick Vanish In Class



Local6 (http://www.local6.com/news/16169506/detail.html)

I wonder if they'll burn him at the stake?

Fuckin' muggles. :ihit

[RandomGuy]

Land '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.

A bit more detail at this other local tv channel: (http://www.tampabays10.com/news/local/article.aspx?storyid=79533)

[RandomGuy]

LAND O' LAKES, Fla., May 6 (UPI) -- A former substitute teacher in Land O' Lakes, Fla., claims he was fired by the school district because he was "accused of wizardry."

Jim Piculas said Pat Sinclair, who is in charge of substitute teachers for the Pasco County School District, called him to say the district would no longer be using his services after he performed a disappearing-toothpick magic trick while teaching at Rushe Middle School, the Tampa (Fla.) Tribune reported Tuesday.

"She said, 'You've been accused of wizardry,'" Piculas said.

However, Assistant Superintendent Renalia DuBose denied the district ever used the word "wizardry" in its dealings with Piculas and said the magic trick was far down the list of reasons the sub is not being asked back.

The district said in a letter to Piculas that he was being let go because he did not follow lesson plans, allowed students to use computers despite being told not to by another teacher, and he left a student in charge during his fifth-period class.

More detail, the district denies using the word "wizardry". (http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Quirks/2008/05/06/sub_teacher_claims_fired_for_wizardry/5191/)

[Heath Ledger]

I used to live in Pascotucky this hardly surprises me.

[RandomGuy]

It seems that some parent complained and they thought of other excuses to get rid of him to mollify ONE parent.

The piece of the puzzle we need to ultimately figure this shit out is what that parent actually said.

As it is, all we have is the teacher's word as to what the complaint was about.

I think the school system went waaaaay overboard.

Don't you just love "at will" states? "Your shoe laces are untied, you're fired." :rolleyes

[xrayzebra]

Oh, well. SAWS just made over 400 grand disappear because they
didn't like the CEO. I think I will stick with "your shoe laces are
untied."

For the folks who don't live in San Antonio, the San Antonio Water
System just fired, negotiate a mutual agreement, with the
departing CEO for something like 412,000.00. Funny part is that
this guy seems to have a knack for leaving places and getting big
bucks when he does. Oh, I forgot, nothing but praise for him.

Read the story:

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA050708.1A.sawsceo.39658d3.html

[PixelPusher]

"W-W-W-Wizard!!!!! I banish you to...hey?"

because of this thread, I can't get that crappy cell phone commercial out of my head.