Schools

Fox Lane Teacher Suspended For Showing Inappropriate Video

Michael Poplardo had shown the video in the past, but district officials said it had a biased political viewpoint.

BEDFORD, NY — A Fox Lane High School teacher has been suspended until further notice over showing a Fox News video on rape occurring on college campuses. Michael Poplardo, who has taught at Fox Lane for 30 years, said he thought he was being punished for giving a conservative viewpoint in a liberal part of the country.

The district deemed the video — "Fox News Reporting — The Truth About Sex and College — inappropriate for showing to senior students, the Journal News said.

The Bedford school district issued a statement in January that said an independent hearing officer order Poplardo be suspended without pay from Jan. 1 through Feb. 1.

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Misconduct consisted of showing the 41-minute video which contained "inappropriate sexual content and presents a one-sided, biased political viewpoint," according to the district statement.

The district described the video as arguing "that college policies against sexual harassment are used by feminist ideologues to manipulate female students into making false claims of rape, resulting in the unfair persecution of men."

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Poplardo had been warned twice in writing not to show videos with inappropriate political and sexual content.

The district said it had offered Poplardo a settlement in which he would have paid a fine of about one week's salary and undergone training and counseling, with no suspension. He refused that settlement, according to district officials, which led to the hearing.


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