It has recently been brought to the attention of the staff and students of East Lake High School that the School Board of Pinellas County is not renewing Mr. O'Donnell at East Lake High next year. This is a poor choice on their part as they will not find anyone who is as passionate about their subject as Mr. O'Donnell is. Mr. O'Donnell teaches 10th grade World History and 12th grade AP European History. He teaches with great zest and enthusiasm, which is rarely seen in teachers nowadays. He makes it easy to enjoy history, an important aspect of our society. Most students do not enjoy learning about events in the past, but he makes learning these usually tedious subjects interesting and entertaining. I have never seen anyone more passionate about working with teens than Mr. O'Donnell and I have not encountered one student who doesn't enjoy his classes. Teachers should not be hired, or fired, because of their age or how expensive it may be to employ them (is this age discrimination), but because of their ability, or inability, to teach their subject. Mr O'Donnell is, in my opinion, one of the most able teachers in our school, if not the county. It would be a great loss to the school if Mr. O'Donnell were to be fired. If Florida wants to improve it's educational system, they are not going in the right direction by firing someone as brilliant as Mr. O'Donnell. Wouldn't it be more cost effective to let go of teachers who are not doing as excecllent a job as Mr. O'Donnell and to continue to employ those who, like Mr. O'Donnell, know what they're doing and are good at doing it. The following people sincerely urge you to reconsider your decision regarding the employment of Mr. O'Donnell.