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How Stupid Can People Get? This Stupid: Florida Teacher Accused Of Wizardry

May 7th 2008 08:27
A humble toothpick? Or an instrument of the devil?


I really wish I was joking about this but I am not. A substitute teacher in Land O’Lakes Florida has been sacked after being accused of practising wizardry. Yes, you read right: wizardry. This is the year 2008. And this man has been accused of being a wizard.

So what did this hapless fool do? Did he whiz about the school playground on his broomstick? Did he turn one of his students into a toad? Did he free a magic sword from a 500 year old piece of granite?

No. He performed a magic trick with a toothpick in front of his primary school students.

From local6 news:

"LAND 'O LAKES, Fla. -- A substitute teacher in Pasco County has lost his job after being accused of wizardry.

Teacher Jim Piculas does a magic trick where a toothpick disappears and then reappears.

Piculas recently did the 30-second trick in front of a classroom at Rushe Middle School in Land 'O Lakes.

Piculas said he then got a call from the supervisor of teachers, saying he'd been accused of wizardry.

"I get a call the middle of the day from head of supervisor of substitute teachers. He says, 'Jim, we have a huge issue, you can't take any more assignments you need to come in right away,'" he said.

Piculas said he did not know f (sic) any other accusations that would have led to the action.

The teacher said he is concerned that the incident may prevent him from getting future jobs.”

If your chin has just hit the floor with an almighty thud, trust me, you are not the only one. I've just gaffer taped mine back together, but it still wants to drag along the floorboards. Seriously, I am slobbering all over myself, I am that slack-jawed. Just totally flabbergasted. Is superstition and fear this rife, in this supposed age of science and reason, that a teacher loses his job because some parents and/or other teachers think magic tricks performed with toothpicks of all things, are apparently a sign of the devil? In the Western world?

Tampa Bays10 adds to the story:


"Tampa Bay's 10 talked to the assistant superintendent with the Pasco County School District who said it wasn't just the wizardry and that Piculas had other performance issues, including "not following lesson plans" and allowing students to play on unapproved computers.

Piculas said he knew nothing about the accusations.

"That... I think was embellished after the fact to try to cover what initially what they were saying to me," he said.

After the magic trick, Rushe's principal requested Piculas be dismissed. Now, Piculas believes the incident may have bewitched his ability to get a job anywhere else.

"I still have no idea what my discipline involves because I've never received anything from the school district actually saying what it entails," said Piculas.

As a substitute teacher, the Pasco County School District considers Piculas to be an "at will employee." That means the district doesn't need to have cause for not bringing him back at all".

Phew! What a relief, wizardry wasn’t the only reason for his dismissal. Well, that's infinitely more reasonable then isn’t it? I mean if wizardry was the only reason, I might be fooled into thinking this poor man was the victim of a modern day witch-hunt.


Oh look, there goes Goody Proctor with the devil! Someone call the hangman please…


Ruby

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Comments
14 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by Cheryl J

May 7th 2008 09:10
Quick bring kindling and I'll run and get the matches, we could have ourselves a good old witch (wizard burning)!

Seriously, shit America is weird.

Comment by samaritan

May 7th 2008 10:16
Well my son's teacher actually taught my son magic tricks. Terrible, terrible stuff. I am thinking of asking the school board to tie him up and throw him in the river. If he floats, he's obviously a wizard and we should burn him. If he drowns - well he shouldn't be teaching my kid magic tricks anyway.

Samaritan

Comment by Winston

May 7th 2008 11:33
I read this yesterday, and I'm going to continue to assume that the entire story is one, large typo. Otherwise it would be insane and my brain would hurt. So, typo it is.

Cheryl, we're not all crazy!

Comment by Morgan Bell

May 7th 2008 14:12
wizardry? BAHAHAhaha now that IS dumb!
is it just because its wizardry during work hours when he should be focussed on other more important topics? like sex ed perhaps? haha
this blog is always entertaining!

Comment by Jim Stillman

May 7th 2008 14:30
With all due respect, I believe that you have underestimated the crazy aspects of life in Florida. Please check out my posts on how silly we can get.
Really Long Link

We spend a great deal of time worrying about license tags for our cars with the Confederate Battle Flag, even though many of us acknowledge that the South lost that war, cannot re-count ballots and get the same result each time and have really big bugs and lousy bagels.

Really Long Link .
I wrote on another site,

I have lived in Florida for over 30 years and, for the most part, love it dearly. We have the largest, ugliest bugs around, politicians not quite bright enough to be venal, and great beaches, complete with occasional shark incidents (A shark “incident, is when the one bitten isn’t you) and an increasing number of instances when the friendly neighborhood alligator swallows somebody’s pet.

At least this teacher wasn’t seducing his or her students and hadn’t hung bull testicles on the blackboard!

Comment by D. Armenta

May 7th 2008 20:21
Hahahahaha!!!

Apparently Land-o-Lakes residents were unaware of our teacher's exchange program with Hogwarts.

Comment by Louie

May 8th 2008 00:30
OMFG...but it kinda explains a lot doesnt it...especially how George Bush got re-elected, there's MILLONS of them...

Comment by postmoderncritic

May 8th 2008 01:56
I don't think 'ridiculous' quite covers it...

Comment by Thoraiya Dyer

May 8th 2008 03:08
*shakes head*

Comment by Mr Nice Guy

May 8th 2008 04:35
Would never have happened to Harry Potter!

Quick Hagrid . . . under the cloak of invisibility.

MNG

Comment by KylieW

May 8th 2008 05:46
What a bunch of total f**kwits!!!!!!!

Comment by Garrett Mickley

May 8th 2008 06:10
Oh noes!

I happen to be a wizard!
And I live in Florida!
And I'm studying to be a teacher!

I"m screwed.

Comment by Anonymous

May 9th 2008 07:26
Holy shit, they think he's a wizard because he performed the Criss Angel toothpick trick?

Honestly... wow.

Criss Angel must be the second comming then. Look. He can walk on water.

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