Sixth-grade students from a Sacramento, California, elementary school walked out of class Wednesday to join their parents in protesting their teacher’s reassignment.
The students from Phoebe Hearst Elementary School demonstrated alongside their parents in support of their former teacher, Jeanine Rupert, KCRA3 reported. The woman has been removed from the school’s staff, though she remains a Sacramento City Unified School District (SCUSD) employee, the district said. Rupert received a reassignment to a different school, though the district did not clarify the exact reason for the decision, KCRA3 reported.
Rupert’s removal is the result of an incident that occurred at the close of the last school year, according to families involved with the school.Rupert and her students reportedly took out old carpet from her classroom they claimed had suffered a flea infestation. The removal followed repeated requests from Rupert to the school district, but they didn’t act, according to parents.
The district was concerned that Rupert’s decision to remove the carpet may have disrupted materials that possibly contained asbestos, the outlet reported.
However, in a statement to KCRA3 on Sept. 4, the SCUSD said no damage had occurred.
“The District’s fact-gathering and investigation into the matter were just completed earlier this week. The determination was made that none of the asbestos tiles underneath the classroom carpet had been damaged when students were present. The removal of the carpet did not cause a disturbance that would cause exposure to asbestos.”
“Nonetheless, now that the investigation is complete, District staff will begin the process of reaching out to individual families to reassure them of their student’s safety and provide any necessary support,” the school district said. (RELATED: Mom Receives Eerie Photo Before Missing Daughter’s Abandoned Camper Surfaces)
Almost 100 parents and students protested Rupert’s removal at a school board meeting on Sept. 4, according to KCRA3. One parent, who was not identified, said Rupert always helped her pupils.
“Mrs. Rupert has been the leader. She’s been an absolute joy to the school,” the parent said. “She’s been somebody who’s constantly helping our students, not just in the classroom, but outside the classroom.”
James Frazee, another parent, claimed Rupert was removed “without “due process.”
Rupert’s own father, Tim O’Brien, attended the meeting and expressed his daughter’s devastation over the decision.
“She tried to get [the carpet] replaced for five years, and she decided to take it on her own. She’s torn up. She’s given her life to Phoebe Hearst,” O’Brien said.
The students who protested Wednesday were not part of the carpet removal efforts, but their parents said they would not have been worried if their children had assisted.
“If it had been my kid lifting up that carpet, I would not have been immediately concerned,” Phoebe Hearst parent Lyndsy Barge told KCRA. “Especially after hearing it came out that none of the tile was disrupted or exposed.
Students’ parents also said they want Rupert back because their children have not received consistent teaching since the new school year began.
“Ultimately, we want Ms. Rupert back,” Barge said. “I mean, we really would love to have Ms. Rupert back in this classroom at the school. If that happens this year, next year ultimately. If it happened this year, that would be amazing, but we need permanency for our kids.”
Rupert had taught at Phoebe Hearst Elementary School since 2000, ABC 10 reported.
Editor’s note: Headline and article updated to note