US teacher sacked for asking students to pen their obituaries
A schoolteacher in Florida, United States (US), was recently fired for asking students to write their own obituaries ahead of an on-campus active shooter drill, reported NBC News. Jeffrey Keene, a psychology teacher, told the publication that he gave the assignment to 11th and 12th graders and had no regrets. "It wasn't to make them feel like they were going to die," he said.
Keene was fired same day he gave assignment
Following the incident, a spokesperson for the Orange County School District said, "Dr. Phillips High School families were informed that a teacher gave an inappropriate assignment about school violence." "The administration immediately investigated and the probationary employee has been terminated," they added. Notably, Keene was not part of any teachers' union and thus had no recourse to challenge the district's decision.
US witnessed over 100 school shootings in 2023
The incident occurred against the backdrop of rising school shooting-related violence in the US. Just weeks ago, an assailant killed three children at an elementary school in Nashville, Tennessee. It was reportedly one of more than 100 shootings at the kindergarten through 12th-grade schools or during school-related activities in 2023. Moreover, a new Florida law now allows gun-owners to carry firearms without a permit.
