The Frisco school district has posted their side of the story. As you can see, it puts an entirely different light on the subject. This proves once again it is important to get both sides of the story:

Frisco School District Responds

http://www.friscoisd.org/news/mcgee_response_06oct.htm

A school district is at an extreme disadvantage in the area of personnel matters due to issues of employee privacy and ethical considerations.

However, since an employee of the district has chosen to express her concerns publicly in a hearing and in the media since that time, it seems fair that a school district can at least point to facts that were stated in that public hearing. Much has been misrepresented.

This is not about a field trip to an art museum. The timing of circumstances has allowed the teacher to wave that banner and it has played well in the media. FISD is a strong supporter of the arts and the Dallas Museum of Arts – our art program is rich and award-winning.

At issue here are performance concerns and the ability of a supervisor to address these concerns. As early as May 2005 the principal verbally brought to the attention of the teacher that there were some areas for improvement. She suggested at that time that a field trip experience might be a way to strengthen the art program and the Dallas Museum of Art was discussed as a viable option – it was not mandated as has been reported.

During the spring of the next school year, 2005-2006, when the teacher began planning the field trip, the principal suggested that the field trip be delayed until the next school year because she was concerned that the planning process was not sufficient.

When the teacher received her evaluation conference, which was in mid May and after the field trip, some issues of concern, unrelated to the field trip, were discussed and the teacher stated that she didn't think it was fair to evaluate her on expectations that had not been clearly communicated to her in writing. The principal did then document the performance areas that needed to be addressed – at the teacher’s request – but the documentation was not brought on by the field trip; the field trip was not a catalyst for anything or the final straw to get her in "hot water." She was never told there would not be a next year for her or that she was not “Frisco material” as has been reported. No teachers’ job status would be jeopardized based on students’ incidental viewing of nude art.

After the memo was provided as requested, the teacher did file a grievance and also asked to be transferred if there was an opening in the district. The transfer was denied because the central administration felt that if you allow a teacher to transfer after a supervisor has given them guidelines for improvement then you have weakened a supervisor's ability to address performance issues by essentially giving the teacher an "escape hatch" to avoid meeting the expectations of the supervisor.

What is getting lost here is that this is not about a field trip, censorship, or a parent complaint. It is not about age, tenure or salary level as has also been suggested in the media. This is about a school administrator working to help an employee improve her job performance and to improve the educational experience of students. Even someone who has taught for a long time can still have opportunity for professional development. Teachers were never directed to “ostracize” her as has been reported and she was never directed to not discuss her “plight.”

As an aside, the Star Award that is being mentioned in the context of the teacher being an award-winning teacher or Star Award Teacher of the Year 2004 is a recognition that took place periodically in the local paper because a local business wanted to sponsor the monthly ad to show support for teachers in the community – someone from each campus was usually represented. There was no set way employees were chosen at each campus for this ad. Some campuses went by tenure for inclusion, others selected based on something that had occurred that month. Teachers were recognized, as were volunteers, custodians, receptionists, others. FISD does not conduct the Teacher of the Year program.

At this time, the teacher has been placed on administrative leave with pay. The Administration and the Board felt that this was the best action for all concerned. A recommendation for the non-renewal of her contract will be forthcoming from the superintendent.

Additional Information has come out about the art teacher allegedly fired for taking her students to an art museum. This teacher is going to eventually wish she hadn't made this all public. Here is another article:


CHERYL DIAZ MEYER / DMN

Frisco ISD officials say parents have complained about Sydney McGee before

FRISCO – Was a Frisco art teacher pushed out of a job over a flap about nude art, or is the national media spotlight shining in the wrong place?

The case has spawned national squabbles over religion, politics and art. Not to mention stereotypes about conservative Texas.

At issue is Sydney McGee's contention that the school district plans not to renew her contract at Fisher Elementary School after a parent complained that a student saw a nude sculpture during a field trip to the Dallas Museum of Art.

Frisco ISD officials ­ who have been contacted by 16 media outlets including Inside Edition and The New York Times since the case surfaced ­ say she is using the trip to take attention off other performance issues.

Personnel records released this week show the 28-year veteran teacher was paid to leave McKinney ISD after parents complained about her in 1998, a few years before she came to neighboring Frisco.

Ms. McGee's attorney, Rogge Dunn, spoke on her behalf, saying he didn't know anything about the deal with McKinney until approached by The Dallas Morning News on Wednesday. He said he couldn't comment on it until he reviewed it.

"I don't know what her performance in McKinney eight years ago has to do with the issues at hand," Mr. Dunn said.

The Morning News obtained Ms. McGee's personnel record from McKinney ISD through a public information request. A similar filing is pending in Frisco ISD.

The records show that Ms. McGee signed a settlement agreement for nearly $8,300 with McKinney ISD in 1998 to end her employment as a second grade teacher at Glen Oaks Elementary School.

Under the arrangement, Ms. McGee received a positive recommendation from the district. McKinney officials declined to comment on the report Wednesday.

The records do not indicate the reason behind the settlement agreement, but her file contains letters from parents who asked that their children be removed from her class because of personality and learning issues.

Her file also contains complaints from unidentified teachers about planning and field trip preparation issues.

Frisco ISD Superintendent Rick Reedy said Wednesday his district wasn't aware of any problems in McKinney until a recent talk radio report.

Dr. Reedy announced last week that he planned to recommend that the district not renew Ms. McGee's contract. That comes a month after the school board denied her request at a public hearing Aug. 21 to transfer to another school.

Ms. McGee, who is on leave with pay, asked for a transfer after she received a series of directives about her performance, including the parent's complaint about the trip. Spotty lesson plans, professional conduct and classroom art displays were also mentioned in those directives.

Ms. McGee says she never received a negative review or criticisms in Frisco until after she took the 89 fifth-graders to the museum in April.

Her lawyer displayed copies of some positive reviews on Wednesday.

The district maintains there were e-mails and verbal directives about her performance before the trip and that other concerns were put in writing at Ms. McGee's request.

When asked Wednesday why he made the decision, Dr. Reedy replied: "I don't feel it is appropriate to comment on that at this time, although I would say that matters came to a head during and after the Aug. 21 hearing."

Mr. Dunn said the district is violating his client's First Amendment rights by punishing her for speaking out in the media after the hearing.

"This case is not merely about Sydney McGee," Mr. Dunn said. "It's about a teacher broadening kids' horizons by taking them to a museum."

Frisco's lawyers say she isn't protected under the First Amendment because she spoke out about her own employment situation, rather than broader education issues.

Jennifer King said Wednesday she and other fifth-grade teachers who went on the field trip later told their principal it was chaotic and disorganized.

Ms. King said Ms. McGee didn't properly prepare the students for the art they would see or the etiquette involved in going to an art museum.

"Kids are kids and they may snicker a little bit over what they were seeing, but if they had been prepared, this wouldn't have been an issue," Ms. King said.

Since Ms. McGee's case hit the media, Ms. King said staff members at Fisher feel overwhelmed by the negative attention to the school.

Gail Davitt, the museum's education director, said 50,000 school children go through the museum in any given year. The museum has never received complaints from parents in the past, she said.

"I would say the material here is appropriate for anyone at this point ­ definitely for fifth-grade students," Ms. Davitt said.

Pam Laux said her daughter enjoyed the trip to the museum. She said both her son and daughter can't understand why Ms. McGee is no longer in a classroom. Her daughter asked whether she could make T-shirts to support Ms. McGee.

"I don't know why she was reprimanded or the basis of the whole [nonrenewal]," Ms. Laux said. "I know she did well for my kids."

There has been a lot of news relating to an art teacher in Texas who allegedly lost her job due to a field trip. At first glance, it appears to be an outrage that this could happen. Here is the news item when it first came out:

Teacher: Reprisals began after field trip

Frisco ISD: 5th-graders saw nude art; board supports principal
07:38 AM CDT on Thursday, August 24, 2006
By KAREN AYRES / The Dallas Morning News

FRISCO – A veteran Frisco art teacher says school administrators have retaliated against her because a student reportedly saw a nude sculpture during a field trip to the Dallas Museum of Art.

District officials say they are supporting a principal who reprimanded Sydney McGee over the field trip and other performance issues.

At Ms. McGee's request, the situation was aired in public during a school board meeting Monday.

The school board rejected a request that would have allowed Ms. McGee to transfer to another school.

Ms. McGee told the board that the principal of Fisher Elementary School criticized her performance and threatened her job after a parent complained about the April field trip.

Ms. McGee's attorney, Daniel Ortiz, said she didn't receive any negative reports until shortly after the field trip.

"This case is about censorship. ... It's about retaliation front and center," Mr. Ortiz told the board.

Ms. McGee, who has taught in various Texas districts for 28 years, said she visited the museum and spoke with museum staffers before the trip to ensure that it was appropriate for the fifth-grade class. Ms. McGee said she does not know which piece of art offended the parent, and the district did not identify it.

Ms. McGee said principal Nancy Lawson called her into a meeting the day after the trip to admonish her about the parent's complaint. Shortly thereafter, she received a negative review and a series of directives about displaying student artwork and creating lesson plans.

"You have to start somewhere when you've seen things you don't believe are in the best interest of the students," Superintendent Rick Reedy said.

In a memo to Ms. McGee, Ms. Lawson wrote that students were exposed to nude statues and other nude art representations during the trip. Ms. Lawson said she received complaints from parents and other teachers about the trip.

Ms. McGee said Monday that she was afraid of being fired. Ms. Lawson told the board that she planned to have Ms. McGee return to Fisher this fall.

Ms. McGee said she sought to resolve the issue by requesting a transfer.

"There was such hostility, I didn't feel like that was a good environment," she said.

That grievance and another transfer request were rejected by administrators. The school board unanimously upheld those decisions Monday night.

Some board members said it appeared that Ms. Lawson was trying to improve the art teacher's performance and should be allowed to do so.

"It is a principal's job and their duty and responsibility to give directives to the people who work for them, and I don't want to circumvent that process," board president Buddy Minett said.

Board members said there were other performance issues in question beyond the trip complaint.

But Ms. McGee and her attorney said there is a clear connection.

"She made a great effort to see to it that the April 26 field trip was in fact a big success," Mr. Ortiz said. "Apparently one parent complained, and that changed Sydney's work."