What is Best for the Children?

          Even though I regularly blog about public schools and education, I’ve resisted writing about this because of my mixed feeling.  However, now that Mick has been arrested, found guilty and the state has suspended his license, perhaps I should reveal my connection with him and summarize my somewhat conflicted thoughts. 

          Five years ago, I taught across the hall from Michael “Mick” Moulton at Morton Junior-Senior High in Lewis County, Washington State.  Even though we were about the same age, I was novice a teacher, while Mick had many years in education and at the Morton school.  Since his door was directly across from mine, it was only natural that I would talk to him.  He was always friendly to me and gave helpful advice.

          At the time, I didn’t know that twice before he had been disciplined for inappropriate contact.   Mick was a strict disciplinarian and did things his way in “his class.”  This tended to evoke strong feelings from students.  The average student didn’t want to meet his expectations for assignments or conduct.  They wanted to be in most any other class, but the school was small and choices were limited.  As I thought about the case over the last few days, I recall a couple of girls saying he was “creepy,” but they never voiced specific complaints with me. 

          I haven’t seen or spoken to Mick since I left the district but, if we had met, I would have shaken his hand and talked about old times.  Frankly, I was surprised when I heard that several students accused him of inappropriate touching and leering.  I wondered if the allegations were true or merely the lies of a few disgruntled students.    

          The district suspended Mick and, after entering an Alford plea on charges of assault in the fourth degree, he served 20 days in jail.  That is usually the end of such cases, but not for this one.  He hadn’t been fired by the school district, only suspended and placed on paid administrative leave for the remainder of the 2009-10 school year.  The Washington Education Association, teachers union, supported his appeal when the district finally did fire him. 

          The indisputable facts are, Mick was disciplined twice for inappropriate contact with students, convicted of assault on students and served time in jail.  The conduct of a man I would have called friend saddens me, but the conduct of the union angers me.  The WEA regularly proclaims that it acts, “for the children.”  How could Mick’s appeal be for the children?

          On what can only be described as a technicality Mick, and the union, won and he was rehired.  Parents were outraged.  Picketers appeared outside the school.  Citizens formed a Facebook page, Morton Schools Justice, to vent their frustrations and organize.  Most parents withdrew their children from his classes. 

          In the end, Mick never showed up at school.  He called in sick for three days and then Randy Dorn, the state Superintendant of Public Instruction, suspended his license for unprofessional conduct.  Mick can appeal, but if he does not, the order will become final in 30 days.  Regardless, I’m certain Mick will never teach again.      

          Twice before in this blog I have taken Dorn to task, but in this case, he has done his duty.  Suspending Mick’s license, allowing another teacher to be hired to teach his classes, was the right thing to do for the children and isn’t that what public education is supposed to be about.    

Update on Thursday, June 16, 2011 at 8:49AM by Kyle Pratt

Controversal Morton Teacher to Resign