Media Alert: SCIENCE TEACHER GREG SCHILLER RETURNS TO HIS CLASSROOM TODAY FROM TEACHER JAIL

to 4LAKids by email from Esther & Gerald Schiller

Sent 10pm Thursday April 24, 2014

Hi Scott - For your information:

TO: Assignment Editor Media News Alert

Please consider covering a student celebration at Cortines School of  
Visual and Performing Arts tomorrow, April 25 from 8 am to 8:45 am.

Where: 450 N. Grand Ave. Los Angles, 90012 (Cesar Chavez Avenue  
between Grand Ave. and HIll Street

What: Greg Schiller, the LAUSD science teacher who was removed from  
his classroom at Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts for  
teaching science has been "sprung" from Teacher Jail where he has been  
"housed" since Feb. 26.

What: Mr. Schiller taught his students how to develop projects for a  
Science Fair. Two of his students used the word "gun" in the titles of  
their projects. Administrators, perhaps not experienced or perhaps not  
knowledgeable about Science Fairs, believed the projects were  
dangerous. Many in the scientific community were in disbelief that the  
experiments that were built to convert one form of energy to another  
could be mistaken for "imitation weapons."

Schiller also coached the school's fencing team. Team activities came  
to a halt in his absence, because the administration decided they  
would be too dangerous without their coach.

Schiller teaches six science classes including three Advanced  
Placement classes in Biology and Psychology. He will have just one  
week to prepare the students for the AP tests.

Students have rallied wearing tee shirts with a graphic of Schiller's  
beard and mustache and the words REINSTATE SCHILLER. They are  
justifiably proud about their successful efforts to return him to the  
school. Social media also played a role in his return. There were over  
12,000 signatures in his behalf on Change.com

Visual opportunities: Students celebrating with signs: "Welcome back  
Schiller," "We are the champions," "One down - more to go", "We were  
not silenced." Many of the students continue to be concerned about the  
hundreds of other LAUSD teachers still held in teacher jail.