HINDS COUNTY, Miss. (WJTV) – The hearing about an educator who was fired for reading a children’s book continued on Monday, March 28.
Toby Price, a former principal at Richland Upper Elementary, along with a human resources representative from Rankin County schools spoke in the hearing.
The hearing lasted nearly five hours. The first part of the hearing actually happened a week ago, when the superintendent spoke, among others.
Price is also the former assistant principal at Gary Road Elementary, who was suspended with pay after reading a book titled, “I Need a New Butt!” to second-graders.
Today, other books like the “No, David!” sequel and more were brought up as a comparison to the images it depicts and behavioral problems that it displays.
Part of that sequel is available online through the Gary Road Elementary reading directory.
“You’ll notice there’s been no testimony about his performance at this school district, except his own testimony that he did a great job. It remains undisputed that he’s got no discipline. It remains undisputed that they had no problem with his performance in Hinds County, until he read that book,” said Toby Price’s attorney Joel Dillard.
Price went on to clarify that if he was given the chance to read the book to children again, he would not, at least not within the Hinds County School District.
What are the next steps? The fate of Price’s job will depend on a decision from the Hinds County School Board.
The decision should be made within two months or so.