Middle school teacher and varsity cheer coach Heather Cagle was fired Wednesday night in a rather bizarre controversy. Cagle was fired after she admitted that she drove 11 yearbook students to Walmart for a snack, including two put into a locked trunk of her Honda Accord.
It turns out the the school and Target have connecting parking lots so it does not appear that she went on the road. However, a camera shows the group taking five minutes to find a way to fit in the car including seven in the back with some lying on the floorboard and two in the trunk. It was all voluntary but someone told a parent who complained to the school. The school attorney called the action “mental abuse” while her lawyer insisted that she only violated the seat belt law. I was not sure that the latter defense was entirely accurate. However, it does appear that the only restriction is that there must be seat belts for all occupants in a vehicle.
Students and teachers rallied in support of Cagle who admitted that she had made a “terrible mistake” but that did not spare her from getting the boot with a 4-1 vote for termination. These were 12-year old children and the board clearly viewed her was grossly negligent in facilitating such trip. It is a shame because she appears to be a popular and successful teacher who probably viewed this as harmless fun. She was after all basically driving around a parking lot. However, there truly could have been a horrific accident if someone hit the car. With even elves showing up drunk at stores like Target, there is a real risk to the children.
Source: Fox
Since it was so close it would have probably been wiser, quicker and safer to walk rather than drive.
I bet the kids had a great time, ergo can’t have that! Next they’ll be punished for pointing fingers at people, or have a muffin that looks like a gun in lunch bag. It’s just so hard for our teachers.
When I was little I LOVED to ride in the trunk of a car, bed of a truck, back of an SUV. We did fight over who got the good seats way in back. This one time when I was about six or seven, I did not want to be at the wedding of my parent’s friend, yet I was towed along anyway. Well, I was such a pain in the ass whiny little kid that I wanted to go sleep in the trunk of the car, my father took me to the parking lot, I got in with my mom’s big fluffy jacket, he shut the top, and I went to sleep. Perfect darkness, so good for sleeping.
When he tells the story, his favorite part is, “Vito didn’t believe me about you sleeping in the trunk, so we came out to the parking lot, popped it open and there you were sleeping! His teeth almost fell out.”
At the age of twelve, these kids likely have not gone through puberty yet, and are still small and ‘puppy floppy’. They were fine. Stop the madness.
The kids are 12. They do not belong in the truck of a car. That’s totally negligent. I would be thinking about a sue. You wouldn’t believe the car accidents that occur in a parking lot. Women think they can get away with anything these days.
No wonder all these kids want to commit suicide these days. 🙁
If he school buses in that school district do not have seat belts then the Superintendent and those responsible on down need to be fired right away.
Isn’t it mental abuse to suspend a child for chewing a pastry into the shape of a weapon and playing with it?
It was a lapse in judgement that could have had terrible consequences. They could have just walked there in less time, more than likely. I think a reprimand, and a notice to all teachers about rules for transporting students, would have sufficed.
She should’ve said she sent those kids into the trunk to look for uncounted ballots.
Chip – you know those kids fought to be the ones in the trunk 🙂
We see stupid, over-the-top reactions by school boards and school administrators, and yet we wonder why the teaching profession is losing young, energetic, and enthusiastic teachers by the “trunk-load.”
Students have a relatively safe experience that some will remember for the rest of their lives and what is the message sent by the adults?…
It’s really a sad commentary on the state of our society.
Look if any of those kids are illegal immigrants they probably got into this country in the trunk of car. What’s the big deal?