Name: Arkansas history teacher's arbitration hearing canceled after email to lawmakers
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Arkansas history teacher's arbitration hearing canceled after email to lawmakers

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AdvertisementEmail included profanity, strong language. The former teacher sent an apology email and is appealing his terminationArkansas history teacher's arbitration hearing canceled after email to lawmakersEmail included profanity, strong language. The former teacher sent an apology email and is appealing his terminationHide TranscriptShow TranscriptTHANKS FOR JOINING US TONIGHT. JOSH DUBNER SAYS THAT HE APPEALED HIS FIRING AND A REINSTATEMENT HEARING WAS SET FOR TODAY. BUT YESTERDAY HE LEARNED IT WAS CANCELED. 40/29 IS ALISON WISE SPOKE TO HIM AND ONE OF THE FOUR LAWMAKERS HE EMAILED. JOSH KEPNER SENT THIS EMAIL FROM HIS SCHOOL ACCOUNT IN THE EMAIL. HE CRITICIZED LAWMAKERS SAYING IN PART QUOTE YOUR RECENT BILL IS AN APPALLING ATTEMPT TO FURTHER WHITEWASH HISTORY. HE USED THE F-WORD FIVE TIMES IN THAT EMAIL AND CALLED LAWMAKERS QUOTE WHITE SUPREMACISTS. HE LATER SENT AN APOLOGY EMAIL APOLOGIZING FOR USING PROFANITY AND STRONG LANGUAGE IN IT. HE TOLD THE LAWMAKERS THAT HE WAS EMOTIONAL AND UNDER A LOT OF STRESS TEACHING DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. MY CHALLENGE IS DON’T USE MY ACTIONS AND THEY DIDN’T COMMIT MY ACTIONS THAT I PAIR THAT SOLE RESPONSIBILITY MYSELF, BUT THEY DO PROVIDE SOME CONTEXT ACCORDING TO THE TERMINATION LETTER THAT DEPTH IN OUR SHARED WITH 40/29. HE WAS FIRED FOR VIOLATING THE ACADEMY’S CODE OF CONDUCT. THE LETTER SAYS IN PART QUOTE THE SPEECH AND LANGUAGE THAT YOU USED WERE UNACCEPTABLE AND REFLECT BADLY ON THE SCHOOL AS A WHOLE THE CEO OF ARKANSAS ARTS ACADEMY SAID HE COULD NOT COMMENT ON THE INCIDENT OR ON MR. DEP FIRING BECAUSE IT’S A PERSONNEL. U STATE REPRESENTATIVE MARK LOWRY THE SPONSOR OF HOUSE BILL 1218 TOLD 40/29 THAT HE SENT THE EMAIL HE GOT FROM DEP NUR TO THE SCHOOL CEO. I JUST FELT LIKE THE CEO THE PRESIDENT SCHOOL BOARD NEEDED TO KNOW THE KIND OF RHETORIC PROFANE RHETORIC THAT WAS BEING SHARED WITH SCHOOL BOARD. EXCUSE ME WITH STATE LEGISLATORS AND THAT IT SHOULD BE A CONCERN KEPNER SAYS HE’S FRUSTRATED THAT HIS ARBITRATION HEARING WAS OLD AND SAYS HE FEELS THAT THE EMAIL HE GOT FROM THE SCHOOL WAS VAGUE. I WAS INFORMED WITHOUT ANY SPECIFIC EXPLANATION THAT MY ARBITRATION MEETING HAD BEEN CANCELLED WITH NO NO DATE RESCHEDULED. THE EMAIL DUBNER SAYS HE GOT FROM THE CEO OF ARKANSAS ARTS ACADEMY STATES IN REVIEWING RECENT INFORMATION AND IN CONSULTATION WITH LEGAL ADVISORS, I AM CANCELING THE MEETING SCHEDULED FOR 9:00 A.M. ON WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3RD. DEBBIE MEYER SAYS THAT HE HAS AN EXEMPLARY RECORD AS A AT THE SCHOOL AND THAT HE TO CONTINUE TEACHING FOR HIS STUDENTS. I JUST WANT TO HAVE A CONVERSATION. I’VE BEEN DENIED THAT AND I JUST WANT TO ESTABLISH A DIALOGUE TO PURSUE WHAT’S BEST FOR THE STUDENTS AT ARKANSAS ARTS ACADEMY ALLISON WISE 40/29 NEWS DEP NUR HAS BEEN WITH THE ARKANSAS ARTS ACADEMY FOR THREE YEARS. HEAdvertisementArkansas history teacher's arbitration hearing canceled after email to lawmakersEmail included profanity, strong language. The former teacher sent an apology email and is appealing his termination*This story has been edited to include a statement released by the Arkansas Arts Academy following a Freedom of Information Request. Josh Depner, a local history teacher, said that he was terminated from Arkansas Arts Academy for violating the code of conduct after sending an email to lawmakers criticizing HB 1218. Depner's email included profanity and strong language to several state lawmakers. He told 40/29 News that he was in an emotional state and had expereinced a high level of stress while teaching during the pandemic. He later sent an apology email. "My challenges don't excuse my actions. They didn’t commit my actions. I bear that sole responsibility myself, but they do provide some context," Depner said. Mark Lowery, the sponsor for HB 1218, received the email from Depner and a voiemail. Lowery told 40/29 that he informed the CEO of Arkansas Arts Academy about both. "I understand that Mr. Depner has due process rights. It's improper for me to comment on his employment status. I felt like the CEO, and school board needed to know about the kind of rhetoric that was being shared with state legislators, and that it should be a concern. I understand that Mr. Depner has due process rights. It's improper for me to comment on his employment status," Lowery said. Rep. Robin Lundstrom also confirmed to 40/29 that she received the email from Depner. According to his termination letter from the school principal writes, "the speech and language used were unacceptable and reflect badly on the school as a whole."Depner appealed his firing and an arbitation hearing was set for Wednesay; however, on Tuesday evening, an email sent by the CEO that the hearing was canceled. Depner said that he wants to continue "supporting his students" and has a passion for teaching. He said that he was hoping to sit down with school officials following the incident. "I want to have a conversation and "I've been denied that. I wanted to establish a dialogue and pursue what's best for students at Arkansas Arts Academy," he said. On Thursday, the CEO of Arkansas Arts Academy, Richard Burrows, released a statement with further information related to Depner's termination. Mr. Joshua Depner was terminated at 8:25P on January 27, 2021 by email communication, under my direction, by Heather Wright and included: “We received communication this evening regarding emails sent to Arkansas legislators from your Arkansas Arts Academy professional email address that contained problematic and unprofessional language and violate the personnel technology agreements and educators code of ethics we are all bound by. The speech and language used were unacceptable and reflect badly on our school as a whole. We are left with no choice but to terminate your employment immediately."At no time was Mr. Depner’s opinions about House Bill 1218 or his capacity to deliver quality instruction to AAA students in discussion. He is well-liked and appreciated by many people. Mr. Depner was terminated because he exceeded any acceptable norms in communicating with others. With the FOIA release, citizens of our community will have access to his original email and can decide for themselves within context of how important words are, the value of words in public education, and the use of words in reasonable public discourse.Click here to read previous coverage of this story, including text of emails sent to lawmakers.*This story has been edited to include a statement released by the Arkansas Arts Academy following a Freedom of Information Request.AdvertisementJosh Depner, a local history teacher, said that he was terminated from Arkansas Arts Academy for violating the code of conduct after sending an email to lawmakers criticizing HB 1218. He told 40/29 News that he was in an emotional state and had expereinced a high level of stress while teaching during the pandemic. He later sent an apology email. "My challenges don't excuse my actions. They didn’t commit my actions. I bear that sole responsibility myself, but they do provide some context," Depner said. Mark Lowery, the sponsor for HB 1218, received the email from Depner and a voiemail. Lowery told 40/29 that he informed the CEO of Arkansas Arts Academy about both. "I understand that Mr. Depner has due process rights. It's improper for me to comment on his employment status. I felt like the CEO, and school board needed to know about the kind of rhetoric that was being shared with state legislators, and that it should be a concern. I understand that Mr. Depner has due process rights. It's improper for me to comment on his employment status," Lowery said. Rep. Robin Lundstrom also confirmed to 40/29 that she received the email from Depner. According to his termination letter from the school principal writes, "the speech and language used were unacceptable and reflect badly on the school as a whole."Depner appealed his firing and an arbitation hearing was set for Wednesay; however, on Tuesday evening, an email sent by the CEO that the hearing was canceled. Depner said that he wants to continue "supporting his students" and has a passion for teaching. He said that he was hoping to sit down with school officials following the incident. "I want to have a conversation and "I've been denied that. I wanted to establish a dialogue and pursue what's best for students at Arkansas Arts Academy," he said. On Thursday, the CEO of Arkansas Arts Academy, Richard Burrows, released a statement with further information related to Depner's termination. Mr. Joshua Depner was terminated at 8:25P on January 27, 2021 by email communication, under my direction, by Heather Wright and included: “We received communication this evening regarding emails sent to Arkansas legislators from your Arkansas Arts Academy professional email address that contained problematic and unprofessional language and violate the personnel technology agreements and educators code of ethics we are all bound by. The speech and language used were unacceptable and reflect badly on our school as a whole. We are left with no choice but to terminate your employment immediately."At no time was Mr. Depner’s opinions about House Bill 1218 or his capacity to deliver quality instruction to AAA students in discussion. He is well-liked and appreciated by many people. Mr. Depner was terminated because he exceeded any acceptable norms in communicating with others. With the FOIA release, citizens of our community will have access to his original email and can decide for themselves within context of how important words are, the value of words in public education, and the use of words in reasonable public discourse.to read previous coverage of this story, including text of emails sent to lawmakers.Loading more articles...

AdvertisementEmail included profanity, strong language. The former teacher sent an apology email and is appealing his terminationArkansas history teacher's arbitration hearing canceled after email to lawmakersEmail included profanity, strong language. The former teacher sent an apology email and is appealing his terminationHide TranscriptShow TranscriptTHANKS FOR JOINING US TONIGHT. JOSH DUBNER SAYS THAT HE APPEALED HIS FIRING AND A REINSTATEMENT HEARING WAS SET FOR TODAY. BUT YESTERDAY HE LEARNED IT WAS CANCELED. 40/29 IS ALISON WISE SPOKE TO HIM AND ONE OF THE FOUR LAWMAKERS HE EMAILED....

Arkansas history teacher's arbitration hearing canceled after email to lawmakers

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