J. L. Long Middle School

J. L. Long Middle School

A teacher at J.L. Long Middle School in Lakewood is under investigation after “an inappropriate photo was inadvertently shown to students” earlier this week.

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The teacher used a laptop tied to the school’s network and broadcast a nude photo to all the students in the classroom. Principal Danielle Petters says the incident “wasn’t intentional,” but rather an “unfortunate mistake.”

In a school-wide email sent out on Tuesday, Petters said: “This was an embarrassing situation for both the teacher and students that is now being handled administratively. Please know that, out of respect for all parties, there is little else that should be said about the incident at this time. Still, I wanted you to hear about it from the school rather than through the rumor mill.”

Petters says some parents are upset, but the response she has received from parents has been “overwhelmingly supportive.”

“I’ve had some calls and some emails,” she says. “I’ve had parents send me flowers to say, ‘Hey we’re thinking about you.’”

Others have taken to Facebook to vent their concerns.

One neighbor posted this status on the popular Lakewood, Dallas Facebook page: “Long Middle School was just on the news and unfortunately not for a good reason — a teacher sharing inappropriate photos with the class.

For days the post has been met with an outpouring of comments from parents and non-parents alike. Some feel bad for the teacher. Some feel bad for the students. Some think it was a mistake. Some think the teacher should be fired.

Among the parents calling for the teacher’s dismissal is Long parent Christine Carey, who says this is not the first time she has expressed concern about this particular teacher to Long leadership.

“I have a series of emails to the principal and her boss from Jan. 20 of this year expressing concerns once again about this same teacher,” Carey says. “I am positive that is why [Petters] sent out a letter at all. It was a preemptive damage control move.

“She did nothing just like she has done nothing about this teacher for the past 3 or 4 years that I have been contacting her about problems in that classroom,” she concludes.

But Petters says, “It’s not in my hands,” regarding whether or not action will be taken against the teacher. The school is following district policy and state law, she says. “There’s an investigation pending and the outcome will be based on what has to happen.”