The most recent issue of the Richmond Free Press has a piece on an ongoing story that we’d missed:
The Richmond School Board is expected to decide Monday, Nov. 16, whether to reinstate or dismiss Willie D. “Will” Griffin, a popular music teacher and choir director at Armstrong High School.
[…]
According to information provided to the Free Press, retired Richmond Judge Willard H. Douglas Jr. served as the hearing officer. He issued a report this week finding insufficient evidence to sustain any of the eight allegations that Mr. Griffin intentionally had left students unattended or raised money to support the school’s choir without permission.
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@chpn this is tricky I really have respect for Armstrong h.s. the tradition and they have an amazing principal. I hope this works out.
@chpn I don’t know the details of this story beyond what the Free Press has, but..
@chpn … but I worked with Mr.Griffin at MLK Middle some years back and was super impressed by his dedication to his choir students
Link goes to Webpage Unavailable? Is there another source? I am interested to know more about this. I have heard there is not enough arts education already and so dismissing a music teacher sounds very serious.
I mean the link to Free Press.
The Free Press website is kind of wonky
And I guess no one else covered it. :-\
Not that I’ve seen. I’d be surprised.
Me too 🙁
This is the first that I have heard about this. Any details?
All I know is from the Free Press article in the link.
Thanks.
Focusing on music and the arts when so many at Armstrong can’t read or write at grade level is a distraction. And don’t give me the nonsense about music makes get better on school. If we want gets to get better at reading, writing, and math then we need to focus on those subjects. I will settle for the community to stop praising the sports team as if the time invested in that is going to lead these children out of poverty.
Hi Neighbor, Sorry you think this about music and arts. But I challenge you to research the results of official studies about how music can stimulate the brain and reinforce math and reading abilities. As well as be an necessary creative outlet for many who don’t have opportunity elsewhere. I’ve seen it work first hand for many kids and it just made me really sad to read what you wrote.