And yes, that teacher was me.  I taught elementary music in the public schools in Amarillo, Texas for almost 21 years.  I taught at Landergin Elementary for three years and then at South Lawn Elementary from 1999 until the spring of 2017.  I didn’t finish out the 2016-17 school year because in the Spring of 2017, I was put on administrative leave while the district investigated accusations that were made against me by eight 5th graders.  This is the true story of the events that led up to this unusual and I think, incredible story being allowed to happen. Let’s get a few things straight right off the bat.  First of all:  I was a bad teacher.  Let’s be clear about that.  If you were to ask my former superiors and colleagues, that’s the first thing (if they’re being honest) they would tell you about me.  And they’d be right.  In my class, there was no learning taking place.

 
 

“You finally got rid of that heap?” my friend asked me over the phone. He was referring to my 1992 Geo Metro that I had just sold for $200. Even when it was brand new, it wasn’t what you would call a chick magnate. And the last few years it had become downright embarrassing.

 
 

My parents, God Bless them, were not religious people when I was growing up.  Not that they were atheists or anything, it’s just that I can count on one hand the number of times my father, my mother, my brother, and myself got up early on Sunday morning, put on our nicest clothes, and went to church.  My grandparents, on the other hand, were very religious.