PEABODY — In a joint statement released Tuesday from Peabody Public Schools (PPS) and Peabody Federation of Teachers (PFT) regarding the employment status of a Peabody teacher currently on leave, the two organizations shared that the teacher will return to their classroom Wednesday.
Following some social media comments made after Charlie Kirk’s murder, two teachers were put on leave while investigations were carried out. One teacher resigned. Superintendent Dr. Josh Vadala confirmed that it was a resignation rather than a firing last week.
The second teacher has now been taken off of leave and placed back in their classroom.
According to the statement, “The Peabody Public Schools and Peabody Federation of Teachers are deeply committed to the well-being, safety, and education of all students of Peabody. After a thorough review of the details related to the alleged social media policy violation, the school department and the teacher’s union are pleased to announce that they have reached an agreement that will allow the Peabody educator to return to the classroom on Oct. 1.”
The statement continues, “It is important that our community work together to foster greater understanding and respect opinions that differ from our own. We hope that the same things students are learning in the classroom, including how to engage in debate thoughtfully, the importance of empathy, and how to be a critical thinker, can find their way back into public discourse.”
The statement finished by stating, “We look forward to continued collaboration and working together to prevent any further disruptions in our schools.”
