Florida Teacher Faces Termination After Alleged Threats In Front of Students: 'I'm Going to F****** Kill Someone'
A Florida teacher is facing termination after he was accused of making a death threat in front of students and threatening to gouge a person's eyes out, officials said.
An investigation into Raymond Berger, a physical education teacher at Eagles Landing Middle School in Boca Raton, Florida, after reported to the School District of Palm Beach County after an incident in April has now concluded, school officials confirmed to Newsweek.
Another teacher at the school reported Berger to officials at the School District of Palm Beach County saying he had made inappropriate comments to him on April 23, according to the school district's summary of the case.
"I'm going to f****** kill someone right now," the teacher reported Berger saying, according to the school district's investigative report. Berger also reportedly said: "I would rip out [someone's] eyes."
It was not clear where the alleged remarks were made, but the teacher reported that it occurred "in the presence of students."
The Palm Beach Post reported that a parent had complained about Berger's behavior earlier in April this year.
An investigation was launched by the school district in May, officials said. The school district's investigation found the allegations against Berger were substantiated and found that Berger had engaged in unprofessional conduct, ethical misconduct and subordination.
As a result, Superintendent Donald Fennoy recommended Berger be terminated from his position.
In a letter to Berger dated November 19, Fennoy said there was "just cause" for Berger's termination and said he would recommend that he be fired effective from January 14, 2020. Fennoy told Berger that if he wished to appeal the decison, he must file an appeal by January 13.
Fennoy also wrote that he would recommend Berger be suspended without pay from Wednesday.
Members of the school board will meet at 5 p.m. on Wednesday evening to discuss Fennoy's recommendation to fire Berger, a spokesperson for the Palm Beach County School District confirmed to Newsweek.
"He is before the board tonight facing termination. It will be a School Board decision as to how to proceed," the spokesperson said. "We do not comment on items prior to the Board's review."
Berger has worked for the school district for 20 years, according to the Palm Beach Post. He has been contacted for comment.
It comes less than two months after the same school district fired a school principal over controversial remarks he made about the Holocaust. William Latson, who had been the principal Spanish River Community High School in Boca Raton for 11 years, had refused to say the Holocaust was a "factual, historical event," the Miami Herald reported.
According to the newspaper, Latson had been responding to a mother's inquiry over email when he made comments including: "Not everyone believes the Holocaust happened."
