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Florida Teacher Fired for Asking Students to Write Their Own Obituaries [Video]

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In a Nutshell:

  • Florida high school teacher fired after asking students to write their own obituaries ahead of active shooter drill.
  • Jeffrey Keene said he wanted to tie the assignment into a lesson plan as there are “mass shootings everywhere, unfortunately.”
  • The school and district disagreed with Keene’s assignment and called it “inappropriate.”

A Florida high school teacher got fired this week for an “inappropriate” assignment he gave his students. Jeffrey Keene, who taught psychology at Dr. Phillips High School, asked his students to write their own obituaries ahead of an active shooter drill the school had planned.

Keene told The Washington Post that he was trying to tie in a lesson plan with the drill, which he noted was unfortunately necessary in today’s world where mass shootings are all too common.

“There are mass shootings everywhere, unfortunately,” Keene told the outlet. “So being the psychology teacher, I said, ‘I can tie this into a lesson plan.’”

Keene said he also asked his students what positive actions they could take to prevent shootings.

Jeff Keene/Facebook

But the school didn’t see it that way. After receiving complaints from several students, an administrator asked Keene to refrain from implementing his lesson plan tied to school shootings. Later that day, the school gave him an ultimatum: resign or be fired. Keene declined to quit, saying he had done nothing wrong, and was subsequently let go.

The school district released a statement saying Keene’s assignment was “inappropriate” and violated district standards. But Keene argued his assignment was meant to get students to think for themselves and find positive solutions to issues.

Many people have taken to social media to voice their opinions on the situation. Some support Keene, saying teachers should be allowed to teach their students about the reality of the world we live in.

“Maybe it’s a bit in bad judgement on this specific day, but damn, teachers can’t even teach anymore it seems,” wrote one commenter on Reddit. “Being fired for this seems way too harsh a punishment.”

Others, however, argue the assignment was too disturbing and could potentially traumatize students.

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“If you already had anxiety before, I can’t imagine how much harder it would be to wake up in the morning and go to school if you thought you were going to die and had been assigned to write your own obituary,” wrote another Reddit commenter.

Keene has said he plans to appeal his firing, but for now, he’s out of a job. It’s a strange and unfortunate situation, but it begs the question: where do we draw the line between teaching important lessons and causing unnecessary distress to students?


Source: Best Life

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4 Comments

4 Comments

  1. Doc

    April 21, 2023 at 7:27 pm

    Whole inappropriate assignment. I think he could have left out the obituary part of the assignment and it would have been more appropriate. I think adding that part in triggered an emotional response rather than a logical one.

  2. Grandpa

    April 21, 2023 at 7:51 pm

    If the teacher had been a gay transvestite the school district would have had no problem.

  3. Doug Litchfield

    April 22, 2023 at 12:46 am

    Triggering students to reflect deeper then what is at the bottom of their next ice cream cone should help them cypher out what winning and losing is all about.

  4. Sapienne

    April 22, 2023 at 1:56 am

    I do not think that merely thinking about death is “traumatizing”. This teacher should not have been fired. Many teachers teach Shakespeare, who writes a lot about death. Several famous poets write about death. One of my sons’ teachers, more than 2 decades ago, assigned him to write “ten different” poems about death. With my encouragement, he wrote about his own death, death of elderly people, death of pets, etc. He was not traumatized in the least, and later became an active duty Marine. He is and always has been a very centered, smart, and well-balanced human being, who has been married to the same woman long enough to have raised 3 teens of his own. They, also, are all beautiful people.

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Crime

10-Year-Old Boy Drives Stolen SUV on Highway to Meet Mom [Video]

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In a Nutshell:

  • A 10-year-old boy in Michigan stole a 2017 Buick Encore in an attempt to drive to his mother in Detroit, leading to a brief interstate chase that was stopped with the help of OnStar, a vehicle security service.
  • The young driver, who is less than 5 feet tall, evaded police attempts to pull him over, and drove erratically across multiple lanes before the vehicle was disabled by OnStar.
  • After exiting the car, the boy tried to run but was eventually apprehended and taken to the Saginaw County Juvenile Detention Center.

Cue the “Baby Driver” jokes, folks.

It appears we have a junior speed demon on our hands, one who is all revved up and ready for a new type of playdate.

A 10-year-old Michigan lad decided that stealing a car was the best way to meet up with his mom, sparking a highway chase that had more twists than a Hollywood action flick.

On the fateful day of May 27th, our mini motorist, measuring in at less than 5 feet tall, nicked a 2017 Buick Encore from Buena Vista, a township just about 35 miles north of Flint, according to a series of tweets from Michigan State Police.

His destination?

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His mother, waiting some 100 miles away in Detroit.

Apparently, the allure of the family reunion was stronger than a potentially unattended Xbox.

Following a call from OnStar, the high-tech babysitter hidden within the Buick, Saginaw County Central Dispatch was tipped off that the Buick was zipping southbound on Interstate 75.

When troopers located the vehicle near the Birch Run exit and tried to pull it over, our little driver proved he wasn’t ready for nap time, refusing to hit the brakes.

Thanks to OnStar’s ingenuity, the authorities managed to disable the SUV, and what followed would have been perfect for a high-octane Pixar movie.

Witnesses reportedly saw the silver SUV swerving across three lanes, wobbling onto the shoulder, and kissing a guardrail hello before the police, with their sirens wailing, caught up.

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But our pint-sized protagonist didn’t go quietly into that good night.

The boy bolted from the car before finally being caught, thus ending his daring adventure on a less than victorious note.

And where does a would-be underage wheelman wind up after such escapades?

The Saginaw County Juvenile Detention Center, according to the police.

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Let’s just hope he doesn’t get any ideas about hot-wiring any more cars in the meantime.

For now, we’ll chalk this up as one of the strangest episodes of “Kids Say (and Do) the Darndest Things” we’ve ever heard of.


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U.S.

Man Sues Girlfriend Over Family Heirloom

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In a Nutshell:

  • A man from Illinois, known as John, is suing his ex-girlfriend after she sold his family’s prized 1972 Ford F100 pickup truck to a junkyard in an act of revenge following a disagreement.
  • After learning about the incident, John instantly broke up with her, filed a police report, and managed to retrieve his truck from the junkyard. The truck was sold for $400, significantly less than its estimated worth of $9,500.
  • Jasmin Hughes, an attorney specializing in administrative law and consumer protection, explained that John’s ex-girlfriend could face serious legal consequences, as she committed the tort of conversion by knowingly depriving John of his property. John could potentially recover damages including loss of wages and the cost to repair any damage to the truck.

A furious man named John from Illinois is literally taking his ex-girlfriend to the cleaners (or should we say the junkyard) for selling his family’s prized pickup truck to a scrapyard.

According to him, this wasn’t just a road rage incident, but a premeditated attempt to “hurt” him after an argument over their pet cats.

Yes, ladies and gents, we’re dealing with a cat-astrophic breakup here.

You see, this wasn’t just any old pickup truck.

This was a 1972 Ford F100, handed down through his family and kept in pristine condition.

John’s tale of car woe first appeared in a Reddit post titled “My girlfriend sold my car because of a petty argument. I am now suing her,” where he laid out the gritty details of the whole fiasco.

He recalls coming home from the bar one night to find the truck missing and his girlfriend confessing to her auto-atrocity.

The offending girlfriend had sold the truck to a junkyard for a measly 400 dollars, a far cry from its estimated worth of $9,500.

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“When I got back home from the bar, I noticed the pickup wasn’t there. I asked her and she told me what she did. I instantly packed up my things, my cat, told her we were done and left,” John explained.

John, like many of us would, quickly broke up with her and has not spoken to her since.

He subsequently filed a police report, tracked down the truck at a local junkyard, and is now ready to gear up for legal action.

Jasmin Hughes, an attorney specializing in administrative law and consumer protection, clarified to Newsweek that John’s ex could be in some serious trouble.

“When someone knowingly takes property with the intention of depriving the owner, they have committed the tort of conversion,” she explained.

Even though the truck was returned, John may still be entitled to damages, potentially covering any loss of wages due to the incident, along with compensation for the damage to the truck, which now sports some unwanted scratch art.

Since this gasoline-infused saga hit Reddit, the post has garnered over 8,800 votes and hundreds of supportive comments cheering John on.

Moral of the story: don’t mess with a man, his cats, or his 1972 Ford F100, especially if you’re not ready for the legal road trip that could follow.

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Business

For Sale: High School Listed as Single-Family Home in Oklahoma

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In a Nutshell:

  • An old high school in Burbank, Oklahoma, originally built in 1924, is listed for sale as a single-family home for a remarkably low price of $60,000.
  • The 17,408-square-foot property boasts five bedrooms, four bathrooms, and even features an indoor basketball court, preserving its athletic heritage.
  • Prospective buyers have the opportunity to unleash their imagination and transform this historic building into their dream home or explore its potential as a unique commercial space.

In the realm of unusual real estate listings, a peculiar gem has emerged in the form of an old high school in Burbank, Oklahoma.

This historic 17,408-square-foot building, originally known as Burbank High School, has hit the market as a single-family home, listed for the surprisingly modest price of $60,000.

If you’ve ever dreamt of living in a quirky space with a rich history, this might just be the opportunity you’ve been waiting for.

Constructed way back in 1924, this former educational institution has since transformed into a potentially unconventional living space.

The listing on Zillow proudly boasts of the property’s five bedrooms, four bathrooms, and, most intriguingly, an indoor basketball court.

Yes, you read that right—an indoor basketball court!

It seems the spirit of athleticism has lingered long after the school’s closure in 1968.

According to the real estate listing, the old high school presents a myriad of possibilities for its future owners.

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“There is plenty of opportunity to make this property your own,” the listing gushes.

“The large lot size and open floor plan provide endless opportunities. With some imagination, this could be the perfect home for you.”

Imagine the creativity that could be unleashed within those spacious walls—a home theater, an artist’s studio, or perhaps even an eccentric museum of oddities.

Not limited to residential use, the realty firm behind the listing suggests that the versatile structure could easily be converted into a commercial space.

So, for those entrepreneurs out there seeking a distinctive building to house their business, this peculiar property might just be the answer to your offbeat aspirations.

Situated at 450 McCorkle Ave. in Burbank, OK, this extraordinary residence has been on the market since May 19, beckoning curious buyers to explore its unconventional charm.

The listing emphasizes that the property remains active on multiple listing services, ensuring its continued presence in the real estate spotlight.

If you’re looking for a conversation starter or a home that breaks the mold, this old high school turned single-family home is a rare find.

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With its intriguing history, spacious rooms, and the potential for imaginative transformations, it holds the promise of a truly one-of-a-kind living experience.

So, if you’re in the market for a dash of quirkiness blended with an affordable price tag, this Oklahoma oddity might just be your dream come true.


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