CENTRAL FALLS, R.I. (CBS) ― Click to enlarge1 of 1
President Barack Obama waves as he walks towards Marine One while departing the White House on March 15, 2010 in Washington, DC.
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A Rhode Island teacher has been disciplined after an effigy of President Barack Obama was found hanging by its ankle in his classroom.
The male teacher at Central Falls High School was not named, nor did the school district say specifically what disciplinary action was taken.
Central Falls is the troubled high school where all of the teachers were fired last month in an effort to reform the chronically underperforming school, reports CBS station WBZ-TV.
Superintendent Dr. Frances Gallo told CNN that the President Obama doll was found late Monday night holding a sign that said "Fire Central Falls teachers." Obama had called the firings in Central Falls an example of holding failing schools accountable.
"This was an ill-conceived imprudent act that has upset the lives of some of our students," Gallo said in a written statement. "The matter was investigated by the District, reported to the appropriate authorities, and the proper disciplinary actions have been taken."
The Central Falls teachers union also condemned the teacher's action, which he described to the union as a "lesson plan."
"Simply put, the teacher's actions were wrong and cannot be condoned under any circumstances," union president Jane Sessums said. "The teacher has apologized verbally to his students and has asked Superintendent Frances Gallo for permission to apologize to them in writing. He understands that his actions affect not just his students but all of us. There is no excuse for what he did."
http://wcbstv.com/national/president.barack.obama.2.1572732.html