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Fla. teacher removed after bringing musket to school for Revolutionary War lesson

Posted at 5:33 PM, Dec 12, 2014
and last updated 2014-12-12 18:05:09-05

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — A teacher has been pulled from her classroom because of what she brought in  to teach her students about the Revolutionary War.

As a result, Gema Evans was reassigned from her job at Neptune Middle School in Kissimmee and is now working at Osceola School headquarters.

“If it was one of those like a squirt gun looking thing, then by all means that fine,” said parent Lauren Beck.

However, what the eight-grade social studies teacher school brought to class was a musket.

WKMG reports that the replica was supposed to be used as a teaching tool in her American Revolutionary War lesson last week.

neptune

But after some scared students came forward and said they were taken aback by the weapon, the teacher was reassigned.

“I think she took it took far in today’s times. Any other time, I would say no,” parent Donna Smith said.

WKMG reports that Evans has been with the Osceola County school district for at least two decades.

Someone who knows her, who did not want to be identified, said the teacher shouldn’t lose her job.

“She was doing her job, she was teaching a lesson, and no way was she out of context, or going across the line. Maybe some parents might think that, but in reality she was doing her job — and she would never mean to scare kids on purpose,” the person said.

Other parents agree.

 Lauren Beck

Lauren Beck

“Personally, whenever I was a kid that would’ve been acceptable. Why is that nowadays that everything is just so taboo,” questioned Beck.

The district handbook prohibits students from bringing look-a like weapons to school. And that also applies to teachers and staff.

School administrators are deciding what to do in this case.