Attorney Pens Letter In Defense Of Suspended Cherry Hill Teacher

CHERRY HILL, NJ — A Burlington County based attorney who said she was bullied during her time at Cherry Hill High School East has sent a letter to the school district in support of Timothy Locke, the AP History teacher who was reportedly suspended by the district last week. Alexandra Gitter, a 2006 graduate of the school and current attorney in Mount Laurel, calls the school’s alleged decision to suspend Locke, a beloved teacher of 17 years, “astounding.” She doesn't legally represent Locke.

“Mr. Locke’s suspension in conjunction with my own experience at Cherry Hill East is a prime example of such hypocrisy,” Gitter wrote in the letter to Cherry Hill East Principal Dennis Perry, dated Feb. 28. “During my attendance at Cherry Hill East from 2002 through 2006, each time we received a new schedule, I would map out an emergency exit plan from each class in the event of a school shooting. We never had armed guards. In a school with a population exceeding 2,000 students and with school shootings occurring regularly on a national level, the possibility of a school shooting was strong when I attended East and remains strong today.”

She went on to describe her own experiences being bullied, including death threats, having trash thrown at her in the hallway and having derogatory words spray painted on her locker and her mailbox at home.

“After several months, a custodian was ordered to re-paint my locker, but nothing substantial was ever done,” Gitter wrote. “The bullying became so severe that one of the security guards pulled me aside to teach me how to throw a punch. I suspect the security guard thought the bullying would turn violent at some point and wanted me to be prepared. Still, school officials did nothing.”

The school district had no comment on the letter.

Gitter echoed many current students’ thoughts on Locke as a teacher. She had him twice during her time in school, including as a senior in his AP World History class, which she took voluntarily.

“He is my most favorite teacher to this day,” Gitter said in a phone conversation Thursday morning. “Real world experience, book smarts, everything, he just set such a great example. ... It’s hypocritical for them to do nothing, but then you have a teacher that says they’re going to protect you, and you do something about that? It’s illogical to me.”

Locke was reportedly suspended after discussing his own concerns about security at the high school. One of his students reportedly complained, leading to his suspension. The student told njpen.com Locke began talking about President Donald Trump’s proposal to arm teachers, pointing out that he would be the one with the gun. He wrote “I have the gun” on the whiteboard, and later said it wouldn’t be hard for someone to get into the building, according to the report.

But during the Board of Education meeting Tuesday night, Cherry Hill Superintendent of Schools Dr. Joseph Meloche seemed to indicate Locke wasn’t suspended.

"The Board of Education is the only board that can fire or suspend someone," Meloche said, pointing out that was the first board meeting since Locke reportedly made those comments during his class on Feb. 22, and no action was taken on suspensions at that time.

During that meeting, students echoed Locke’s and Gitter’s concerns about security. They also staged a protest in the hallways of Cherry Hill High School East on Monday, and hundreds of students walked out of class on Tuesday morning. The protests drew national attention.

“Cherry Hill East and the Cherry Hill School District should be grateful that one of its teachers would risk his life, leaving his wife without a husband and his children without a father for the sake of his students,” Gitter concluded her letter by writing. “In a school without armed guards, in the event of a school shooting students depend on their teachers’ heroism and bravery. Cherry Hill East and the Cherry Hill School District should be ashamed.”

Patch file photo from Tuesday's Board of Education meeting