WEBSTER GROVES, Mo. – Students and teachers in the Webster Groves School District met at the Board of Education meeting Thursday to show their support for a high school teacher after she said administrators forced her to resign.
“It feels targeted. It feels unfair. It feels kind of like I was slighted,” said Margaret Piper-Zamudio.
She expressed her frustration of losing her job directly to the board. She said navigating her way through the loss of her 16-year-old son, teaching virtually during the pandemic, and the changes in her teaching roles have been challenging. She said this year she was doing it without guidelines.
“I did this study hall position. I was not given any curriculum. I was not given any expectations on what I need to do,” Piper-Zamudio said.
She said she wrote a letter to the board saying she was observed five different times throughout the year but was never disciplined or put on a performance plan.
“They said we gave you feedback. We did that. There was feedback in the observation. Which everyone gets,” Piper-Zamudio said. “It’s concerning because now people are thinking, well wait if I don’t listen to this feedback, am I going to be terminated?”
She said she does not know why her contract was not renewed and said the teacher’s union has not been able to get answers either.
The district said in a statement, “The Webster Groves School District does not comment on personnel matters.”