LEBANON, Tenn - A popular Wilson County elementary school teacher was fired Monday for a prank the school board said went too far. Some believe it could have been racially motivated.
The only minority teacher in the building was one of several targeted, but she apparently felt so threatened she locked herself in her room and called for help.
Dr. Donna Wright, the director of Wilson County Schools, said the teacher didn't want to make a complaint because she didn't want to get any attention for it, so her fellow teachers did it for her.
Matthew Mock had been a teacher for 14 years and had tenure within Wilson County Schools.
He was most recently a 6th grade teacher at Tuckers Crossroads Elementary School in Lebanon.
On May 28th, school officials allege Mock and three other employees smeared lotion on door handles, having the children of teachers take their parents car keys so the cars could be moved, filling those cars with packing peanuts and moving and stacking desks in classrooms.
Some called it harmless fun, but one teacher said she was taunted and targeted by employees so much that she felt threatened.
Wright called the pranks "malicious."
"When these charges were originally read to Mr. Mock he was clearly warned contacting the teachers who were victimized would be viewed as retaliation and should not happen," Wright said. "However the minority teacher has been contacted twice asking if she was really scared and if she had written a statement about the incident."
Mock's supporters packed the Wilson County School Board meeting on Monday.
"When the initial pranks occurred there were no students in session. Were the pranks thought out? Probably not," said James Welch, a former student. "But these charges pent against his name and losing his job is not an appropriate punishment."
Kelly Waldron is the parent of one of Mock's former students.
"(The teacher) wasn't targeted for being African American. She was targeted because the staff involved liked her and mistakenly thought she would find the humor in it," she said.
The Wilson County School Board voted unanimously to fire Mock.
He has five days to appeal the decision.
Mock and his attorney would not comment following the vote.
The other teachers and employees involved were not tenured and have already been fired.
