AUSTIN, Texas — A substitute teacher at Johnson High School has been suspended and is under investigation after assigning students an exercise that simulated murder.
According to Hays CISD, students reported that the substitute, while teaching a theater arts class, assigned them to create a puppet show that depicted one of the puppets being murdered. Another group of students also reported that they were assigned to create a performance that simulated a mass shooting involving puppets.
The district said that while it is unclear if the assignment was specifically to create scenes that depicted murder or if they were designed to fall within parameters of an assignment, assigning or allowing a performance of that nature "would be disturbing and unacceptable conduct for an educator in Hays CISD."
Both Johnson High School and Hays CISD issued apologies to students and parents, pledging to never allow an assignment of its nature to be assigned again.
The substitute had been hired by Hays CISD in January. In addition to the investigation into this incident, the district said it will also look into "other general classroom management concerns" regarding the substitute.
The district said that the investigation's findings could lead to the substitute not being asked to return and, potentially, referral law enforcement and the Texas Education Agency's (TEA) educator misconduct portal.