Gwinnett County parents furious about teacher's controversial Facebook post

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. - Gwinnett County parents are reacting to a schoolteacher’s controversial Facebook post about how to teach students during the pandemic.

That schoolteacher posted a list of suggestions for teachers who don’t want to teach in-person out of coronavirus concerns and school leaders have addressed the issue.

The post from a Gwinnett County English as a Second Language teacher lists ways teachers could protest in-person learning.

It reads in part:

“They claim teachers don’t have a choice, so let’s think of some choices we can explore..."

Gwinnett County Schools have given students and families an option to learn virtually or in the classroom, but teachers must report to work.

The controversial post includes a few suggestions such as:

• all teachers calling out sick August 26th or September 1

• and giving presentations, but refusing to answer student questions

The post continues: “Let’s be the professional babysitters these taxpayers want us to be…stick to the contract, all work ends at 4 p.m.”

Gwinnett County Public Schools representatives said Human Resources met with the teacher and they cannot comment further on the situation because it is a personnel matter, but the school did say fewer teachers called out on the August 26 than on that date last year.

Parents, like Viorel Lupu, say the post was heartbreaking, not just because students, like his daughter, were excited to return to school, but because an ESL teacher made the comments.

"These are students who can’t speak English. They need help the most," he said.

FOX 5's Alex Whittler reached out to the teacher for his side of things. He did not immediately respond, but over the past several weeks of covering back to school stories, Alex has spoken to other Gwinnett County teachers who said they value the work they do to educate students and want to find a safe way to do so.