Teacher who was subject of violent cartoon fired

Friday, Feb. 4, 2005 | 11:16 a.m.

A Centennial High School substitute teacher said she was fired Wednesday because she talked to the media after she was the subject of a violent cartoon drawn by a student.

As reported first by the Sun on Monday, Eddie Jo Goodwin noticed students passing around two sheets of notebook paper during a class Jan. 6. When she confiscated the sheets she discovered the cartoon strip showing her being shot and killed in class, with blood pooling from her head onto the floor. Students cheer in the following panel.

Goodwin said that on Tuesday several students came into class with copies of a Sun story, which didn't reveal her name.

Goodwin, who was given a long-term assignment to Centennial in November to teach biology, said Principal Gerald Velasquez called her to his office during fourth period Wednesday and told her it would be her last day at the school.

"He said due to the media attention coming toward the school and toward him he was going to let me go," said Goodwin, who taught full time for more than 30 years in Northern Nevada. "He said he wanted to wash his hands of the whole thing."

Goodwin said she didn't receive much support from the school's administration after intercepting the cartoon and passing it on to one of the deans. She said no one, including Velasquez, followed up with her about what she perceived to be a threat.

Reached this morning Velasquez said he would not comment.

Carla Steinforth, the district's northwest region superintendent, said she could not comment on matters related to personnel. She would not say if she was involved in the decision. Principals have the authority to release a substitute teacher at any time.

Because she is not protected by a contract with the district, Goodwin said she has hired an attorney to explore her legal options.

"I told Mr. Velasquez I didn't want to leave," Goodwin said. "My students had already been through a bunch of substitutes and I was worried about them getting through the material they needed to learn."

Goodwin apparently wasn't fired from the district, and she hoped to secure another long-term substitute teaching position soon.

The 10th grader who drew the cartoon was pulled from the school and referred to one of the district's alternative education programs. But district policy required that he be automatically recommended for expulsion, said Edward Goldman, associate superintendent of alternative education services.

Recommendations for expulsion are reviewed first by Goldman's office. Once a student is expelled, he may appeal the decision to a review panel made up of district teachers and administrators. If that panel upholds the expulsion, the student may also appeal to the Clark County School Board.

In a letter of apology to Goodwin, the student who drew the cartoon said he never intended for her to see it.

"I only drew it as a joke and never meant for it to be a threat," the student wrote. "I deeply apologize to you and anyone else who was offended by my comic."

But Goodwin said the letter brought little comfort.

"He (the student) said it was just a joke but it was very upsetting to see myself drawn like that with so much violence and anger," Goodwin said.

The student has since been withdrawn from the district, Goldman said.