It has come to our attention that certain parties have called for the termination of the employment of our dear friend and mentor, Mr. Dave Peterson, from Arcadia High School on the basis that he teaches material too offensive for high school reading. We contest both the allegation and the proposed termination. We assert that Mr. Peterson teaches literature that is praiseworthy and relevant to high school students’ lives and experiences. Is the material he teaches challenging? Absolutely. But good literature is meant to be challenging, and high school students are meant to be challenged.
Mr. Peterson is an excellent and caring educator who has inspired many students to become lovers of literature and better writers, and at this time we want to demonstrate our unwavering support of him and the material he teaches.
We sincerely ask the Scottsdale Unified School District and the Arcadia High School administration to fully support Mr. Peterson in this difficult time and allow him to continue teaching the material he has so carefully selected for the edification of his students. We ask the district and the administration to stand behind this extraordinary teacher.
Updates
Reached 1,000 supporters
November 15, 2014
Reached 100 supporters
November 14, 2014
November 12, 2014
We are approaching the one hundred signature mark which is the threshold required for the upcoming meeting with the district board members. Please ensure your contacts have verified their emails so these signatures are counted toward our total before the formal audit.
633 Comments
Literature is the social history of people, and a way for our students to meet and encounter the idea of the "other." We cannot simply ignore what is inconvenient or uncomfortable; that is the purpose of education. Let teachers teach!
I have had four children graduate from Arcadia High School and consider David Peterson to be in their top 3 teachers. his method was to interest the students, give th3m enthusiasm for learning and to 0repare them for the future. he succeeded!
Mr. Peterson was my freshman English teacher and now as a freshman in college I can honestly look back and see how that material he taught us helped immensely. It was a great start for challenging literature. If this man is fired Arcadia loses a great educator.
Dave Peterson is the reason I found a love for reading and some of my favorite authors. He is a gifted educator as well. I not only respect and admire Dave Peterson but hope that ony day my children have the privilege to learn from him as well.
Mr. P's english class fostered conversation about literature/short stories/life better than many of my college courses. Not only did I feel better prepared for courses in a university environment because of this class, I became like a better person.
Typo I guess is the result of typing this at 6 in the morning. Ironic, meant to say “I graduate from Penn State in May”.
I graduate in Penn State from May, and am grateful for the education I received beforehand. Mr P was one of the best teachers I’ve ever had, and it’s pathetic that parents cannot let their children actually learn. How are you going to get through life if you must always be sheltered from things? Mr. P is a fabulous teacher and person, such a shame he is never given the respect he deserves.
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It has come to our attention that certain parties have called for the termination of the employment of our dear friend and mentor, Mr. Dave Peterson, from Arcadia High School on the basis that he teaches material too offensive for high school reading. We contest both the allegation and the proposed termination. We assert that Mr. Peterson teaches literature that is praiseworthy and relevant to high school students’ lives and experiences. Is the material he teaches challenging? Absolutely. But good literature is meant to be challenging, and high school students are meant to be challenged.
Mr. Peterson is an excellent and caring educator who has inspired many students to become lovers of literature and better writers, and at this time we want to demonstrate our unwavering support of him and the material he teaches.
We sincerely ask the Scottsdale Unified School District and the Arcadia High School administration to fully support Mr. Peterson in this difficult time and allow him to continue teaching the material he has so carefully selected for the edification of his students. We ask the district and the administration to stand behind this extraordinary teacher.
Updates
Reached 1,000 supporters
November 15, 2014
Reached 100 supporters
November 14, 2014
November 12, 2014
We are approaching the one hundred signature mark which is the threshold required for the upcoming meeting with the district board members. Please ensure your contacts have verified their emails so these signatures are counted toward our total before the formal audit.
633 Comments
Mr. P was easily one of my favorite teachers, and yes, his class was challenging. That was the point. But his class did more to prepare me for college writing than any other class at Arcadia. Firing Mr. P would be a pitiful and avoidable mistake.
Literature is the social history of people, and a way for our students to meet and encounter the idea of the "other." We cannot simply ignore what is inconvenient or uncomfortable; that is the purpose of education. Let teachers teach!
I have had four children graduate from Arcadia High School and consider David Peterson to be in their top 3 teachers. his method was to interest the students, give th3m enthusiasm for learning and to 0repare them for the future. he succeeded!
Mr. Peterson was my freshman English teacher and now as a freshman in college I can honestly look back and see how that material he taught us helped immensely. It was a great start for challenging literature. If this man is fired Arcadia loses a great educator.
Dave Peterson is the reason I found a love for reading and some of my favorite authors. He is a gifted educator as well. I not only respect and admire Dave Peterson but hope that ony day my children have the privilege to learn from him as well.
Mr. P's english class fostered conversation about literature/short stories/life better than many of my college courses. Not only did I feel better prepared for courses in a university environment because of this class, I became like a better person.
Typo I guess is the result of typing this at 6 in the morning. Ironic, meant to say “I graduate from Penn State in May”.
I graduate in Penn State from May, and am grateful for the education I received beforehand. Mr P was one of the best teachers I’ve ever had, and it’s pathetic that parents cannot let their children actually learn. How are you going to get through life if you must always be sheltered from things? Mr. P is a fabulous teacher and person, such a shame he is never given the respect he deserves.
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Mr. P was easily one of my favorite teachers, and yes, his class was challenging. That was the point. But his class did more to prepare me for college writing than any other class at Arcadia. Firing Mr. P would be a pitiful and avoidable mistake.