Community Rallies Behind Music Teacher Placed on Leave
CBS 58—The Grafton community is rallying behind a teacher who was put on leave earlier this month.
Bob Maronde teaches music at Woodview Elementary school and coaches basketball at the high school. Maronde CBS 58 he was put on leave as the result of two incidents. In the first, he says two students were disrupting class, so he took them in to his office to talk. In the second, a student was about to hit another student in the eye with a kazoo, so Maronde says he grabbed the instrument and it went flying. He says both incidents were minor and he didn't think anything of it. Two days passed and then he was called to the district office and put on leave.
Maronde says the district gave him a letter of resignation to sign but he said he won't quit on his students.
“As a teacher and a coach you always encourage your kids to not quit. Don't give up,” Maronde said. “When you're right, stick for what's right.”
After people heard what happened, students and parents started a Facebook page to support Maronde. The page has more than 1600 likes. Some former students who are in their 40s even commenting and sharing positive stories about the music teacher. The group plans to show up at the May 9 school board meeting to urge the district to reinstate him.
Maronde calls the support overwhelming and he is awestruck.
“I had no idea [of the impact I had],” Maronde said. “Some of the texts, emails and things I've heard are on Facebook, they're remembering things we did a long time ago.”
Maronde says the worst part of this is the students spring concert has been canceled. He is hoping that will change and he can get back to his kids. He also plans to be at that school board meeting.
As of now Maronde is on paid leave for the rest of the year and then his contract won't be renewed.
CBS 58 did reach out to the Grafton superintendent who says he can't discuss personnel matters, but a letter did go out to parents stating the music teacher is on leave for the rest of the year.