A beloved Spanish teacher in upstate New York has been placed on a paid leave of absence by school officials after helping students launch a Turning Point USA chapter.
Jennifer Fasulo is an educator at Charles W. Baker High School in Baldwinsville, a suburb of Syracuse.
A student-led petition demanding her reinstatement has garnered over 2,100 signatures as of February 20, declaring, “We believe no educator should be punished for their personal beliefs.”
The petition states:
Mrs. Fasulo is a Spanish teacher at Charles W. Baker High School located in Baldwinsville New York. She is currently facing discrimination for her spiritual and political beliefs. She has been put on administrative leave and is pending termination. We believe no educator should be punished for their personal beliefs. Please sign this petition to show support and help us get Mrs. Fasulo back where she rightfully belongs. #FreeFasulo
One student praised her as a mentor whose “wisdom and compassion… is unmatched,” while Club America President Jerry Dygert blasted the decision at a February 9 school board meeting, saying, “This teacher is being targeted not because of her performance, but for her political beliefs… Our club exists to promote political understanding through civil discourse, removing the one teacher who best embodies those values puts that mission in serious jeopardy.”
Hellbound and Down 