Video: Starkville Students Hit The Streets to Call for Teacher’s Return

[syndicaster id=’6082964′]

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – A teacher at Starkville High School will return to the classroom after a controversial project was presented in class by a student.
Friday morning several students rallied behind English teacher, Sherre Ferguson, calling for District administrators to let her teach again.

WCBI’s Renae Skinner has the story.

“Bring her back, bring her back, bring her back”

Students are marching outside Starkville High School chanting for a teacher who they say wasn’t treated fairly.

“The class at Starkville High feels it’s unfair for Mrs. Ferg to be reprimanded for a students presentation.”

Last week Sherre Ferguson was put on leave by school district officials after a student did a condom demonstration as part of a project during class. The presentation was recorded by a student, and then put on Facebook, causing an uproar among some parents. Ferguson was removed from teaching.

In a WCBI exclusive Angelica Sinclair, the student behind the project told our cameras she was shocked by the outcome, and didn’t mean any harm.

“I was actually in the class when it happened and I just feel like what was one was perfectly okay, it was appropriate and that’s my judgement.”

But while some think the project should have been allowed; the school district says several policies and a state law were broken.

A statement from the district reads in-part:

“Currently, House Bill 999 clearly states ‘In no case shall the instruction or program include any demonstration of how condoms or other contraceptives are applied.’

The resulting personnel issue goes beyond that scope to include how the employee involved responded during an inquiry regarding the presentation.”

“Everyone says it was a sex ed class and it wasn’t it was a presentation for a class.”

Support kept growing for Ferguson to be reinstated. On change.org over 2,000 signatures were gathered by students and parents. The English teacher became the talk of social media. And pretty soon talking turned into walking for Ferguson’s students, hoping to get the attention needed to get their beloved teacher back.

“She is a great instructor. We want to see her teaching again and everything back to normal.”

“We love you Mrs. Ferg, and we are here for you.”

District officials also told us they consider the issue resolved and took the proper steps in disciplining the teacher.The district would not comment on how soon Ferguson will be reinstated.