School Officials Explain Decision On Hatboro-Horsham Teacher Post

HATBORO / HORSHAM TOWNSHIP, PA — Hatboro-Horsham Schools Superintendent Scott Eveslage has explained why a high school teacher was placed on leave.

At a recent school board meeting, a resident urged school officials to support the teacher's right to free speech under the First Amendment and that the teacher should be reinstated.

The unnamed science teacher was placed on administrative leave in late February following a social media post.

The post, obtained by Patch, was made by a "bakeranand," uses a curse word against "ICE, Nazis, Trump, and MAGA."

Eveslage said the unidentified staff member has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

Patch reached out to school officials for an update on the investigation, but did not receive a response.

At the meeting, Eveslage said that while such posts are generally protected by free speech, that protection isn't guaranteed.

In an email to the school community, Eveslage said the district takes the investigation into potential policy violations "very seriously."

Since the investigation is for a personnel matter, the district said it would not release any further information and that appropriate steps are being taken "to ensure a thorough and fair review."

In other school district business:

The district also approved a contract for the installation of a new elevator at Simmons Elementary School to L.J. Paolella Construction for $716,818. The board also approved spending $230,000 to relocate the Life Skills apartment and to purchase a new truck for the operations department for $81,083.