Statements by Natalie Munroe, lawyer Steven Rovner

Natalie Munroe Statement

While I appreciate the district's respect of my right to my employment as a teacher there, it is disappointing that they have attempted to publicly bring up the past instead of working on building a future positive teaching environment.  I will be going back to the same school, teaching the same subjects and grades as last year.  I requested to start the year anew in one of the other 7 intermediate school buildings (middle or high school) within the district, but the district has refused this request.   My comments made over 2 years ago were meant to be private and were anonymous, without naming the district where I worked or any student names.  I have publicly stated that my personal opinions in this anonymous blog were only about some students and not all students in the school and should not be taken that way.  Many of my students were excellent learners and have gone on to succeed in college and elsewhere.

Steven Rovner, Statement on Natalie Munroe Situation

I seriously question the genuine offer of reinstatement for my client Natalie Munroe.  This situation began with the district exposing Mrs. Munroe's private, anonymous blog as hers to the press, and now they have chosen to hold a press conference on the eve of the start of a new school year to "stir the pot" of public opinion at the school and in the district against Mrs. Munroe.  The statement today from Principal Lucabaugh was nothing more than a challenge to the press to come down harder on Mrs. Munroe and to challenge her authority as an educator.  Since this story gained public notoriety in February involving an important social, first amendment, and employment law issue Mrs. Munroe has received the support of educators and school administrators from around the world excited by her blog's honest exposure of issues with  students in classrooms everywhere.  The nerve she touched with educators was that she was able to express their similar frustrations with our national public school systems.   A national debate was begun due to Mrs. Munroe's experiences expressed through her writings.   I can only surmise that the tone and nature of the Central Bucks school district administrators is showing their hand that they have reinstated Mrs. Munroe as a matter of law, yet they are setting her up for failure in the classroom.  Mrs. Munroe is excited to get back to teaching in the classroom and putting all of this behind.