A Florida teacher may have to pull an unemployment check out of his hat after performing magic in front of students, according to reports.

Jim Piculas said he made a toothpick disappear and reappear in front of students at the Rushe Middle School in Land ‘O Lakes, Fla., Local6.com reported. He said he later got a call from the supervisor of teachers, saying he had 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 told Local6.com.

Piculas said he’s concerned the incident may prevent him from being considered for future jobs.

Source

Beasjt´s number is 669 - 07 May 2008 08:11 AM

Piculas said he’s concerned the incident may prevent him from being considered for future jobs.

He could always try Hogwarts.

Curses!  Beaten to the punch again!

This article goes into a little more detail.

The school district puts a somewhat different spin on the disappearing-toothpick incident.

Assistant Superintendent Renalia DuBose said the word “wizardry” never came up on the school district’s end. “That was his rendition of what happened,” she said.

DuBose also said “there was a lot more involved” than a simple magic-trick demonstration.

She said the principal interviewed students after the regular teacher complained about Piculas’ performance in the classroom. The principal then requested that Piculas not return to the school and said he “absolutely should not be subbing,” DuBose said.

“The toothpick demonstration was minor compared to the other problems,” she said.

In a letter the district sent to Piculas, performing a magic trick at Rushe Middle is just one of the reasons the district gives for dumping him from the substitute-teacher list. The others are that Piculas did not follow the lesson plans, he allowed students on computers even though another teacher said not to and he told the fifth-period student peer that she was in charge.

Piculas said those other reasons are just window dressing. He said he finished the lesson plan, another teacher knew the students were on the computers and he never put the student peer in charge.

Dear...sweet...merciful...Jesus…
There is NO way anyone can be this stupid. Seriously. A guy does a magic trick and gets accused of witchcraft. I am all kinds of raging right now.

I’m going to send them a copy of Reginald Scott’s 16th century expose of magical feats, Discoverie of Witchcraft. And then go over there and smack someone about a bit.

Of course, this is only what he said.
Let’s not get overexcited about it, hmm?

Boo - 07 May 2008 08:26 AM

This article goes into a little more detail.

…

But my article came from a fair and balanced site.

Boo - 07 May 2008 08:28 AM

Of course, this is only what he said.
Let’s not get overexcited about it, hmm?

No, let’s.

I suppose we’re lucky they never burnt him at the stake. But then Salem’s not in Florida. Is it?

No, then the movies would feature the Witchfinder General in shorts.

Beasjt´s number is 669 - 07 May 2008 08:32 AM

But my article came from a fair and balanced site.

It sounds like a ‘he said/they said’ argument, and they’re not releasing the details on his termination.  It’s very possible he’s just trying to get the public on his side, but without hearing the full account it’s impossible to know.

Charybdis - 07 May 2008 09:47 AM

It sounds like a ‘he said/they said’ argument, and they’re not releasing the details on his termination.  It’s very possible he’s just trying to get the public on his side, but without hearing the full account it’s impossible to know.

Agreed.

Agreed, which is my point…
It’s easy to get het up about the crazy Christians, and in cases such as those with the Harry Potter hatred, that’s reasonable.
This isn’t anywhere near that clear, and so a knee-jerk reaction doesn’t make sense.