Framingham Music Teacher Placed On Administrative Leave, Again

For second time in three months, a Potter Road Elementary teacher was placed on leave for an incident in the classroom, involving race.

Potter Road elementary music teacher Janice Waterman was placed on administrative leave today following an incident in her classroom on Tuesday involving a skit having to do with Martin Luther King Jr.

Waterman was placed on leave just prior to Thanksgiving after parents and students reported about a ”racist” remark, she made to a fourth grade boy, who is African-American. She just returned to the classroom at the Framingham Elementary school on Monday, Jan. 5.

Framingham Patch received several texts, emails, and phone calls about the incident Tuesday in a different fourth grade class from parents just after 12 p.m. today.

An email was issued to Potter Road Elementary parents just after 4 p.m. today from the school’s Principal Paula Del Prete.

“Mrs. Waterman has been placed on administrative leave effective today, pending the outcome of an internal investigation,” stated the entire message.

“Tonight’s scheduled Chorus/Band Concert (6:30) will still take place. Sarabeth Guptill will direct the 3rd-5th grade chorus in Mrs. Waterman’s absence,” stated the rest of the message.

Superintendent Stacy Scott when contacted by Framingham Patch this afternoon said “We have placed a teacher on leave pending the outcome of an internal investigation. I cannot offer further information at this time as I must respect the process. I wish I could share more.”

Parents, who talked to Patch, all asked to remain anonymous. Each parent told Patch Waterman was discussing the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr, in her classroom on Tuesday, the day after the holiday in the slain civil rights leader’s honor.

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Parents said their fourth graders came home and told them that Waterman had they act out a skit in which white police officers attacked protesters. The parents said their child told them that Waterman selected only white students to portray the white police officers.

Each parent said their child told them they thought the classroom lesson was “inappropriate” or “wrong.”

Several parents came to Potter Road Wednesday morning and reported the skit from Tuesday’s classroom to administration. Potter Road leadership then placed Waterman on administrative leave pending an investigation.

The Framingham Teachers Association (FTA) said they are aware of the “situation.”

FTA Co-President Sarah McKeon said the “union is involved.”

“We are aware of the situation. We are currently supporting the teacher,” said McKeon. “We are working with building leadership and the district. I can not say any more.”

After Waterman returned to the classroom on Jan 5, both herself and the principal issued letters to parents.

In a letter sent to parents Wednesday night, Jan. 7, Waterman apologized for her “poor choice of words when speaking with a student.” No more specifics were mentioned.

Editor’s Note: While the Incident in November and the incident in January both involved fourth grade classrooms, they were not the same fourth grade class of students, in both incidents.

Waterman in her letter to parents wrote, ”please know I used my time to reflect on my own practice and to research new strategies to use in my teaching. I worked closely with Principal Del Prete, FTA leadership, and central administration throughout that time and I am grateful for their support.”

While on her leave of absence, Waterman spent some time at Dunning Elementary School shadowing some staff.

“I am excited to return to work,” wrote Waterman to parents on Jan. 7. “and pleased to move forward with a new understanding after this important learning experience.”

Del Prete in her Jan. 7 letter to parents wrote “this has been a difficult situation for all parties in the face of many rumors.”

Framingham Superintendent of Schools Stacy Scott told Framingham Patch, when asked specifically about the incident last year: ”Whether intentional or accidental, Framingham Public Schools does not condone the use of disparaging remarks especially ones that may be prejudicial or racist. We seek to support all students and want to see their differences as a source of richness instead of as a deficit.”

“Potter Road remains a learning community that values all of our students and families,” wrote Del Prete to parents the first week of January. ”Potter Road will be working on developing resources and ways to examine how we can better meet the needs of all of our students and to provide professional development for staff. We hope we can put this situation to rest and move on.”