March 30, 2009


High school students from Cape Hatteras Secondary School of Coastal Studies swarmed the yard of the United Methodist Church across the street from the school in Buxton this morning, March 30, to protest the resignation of Ted Eskildsen, a social studies teacher, as well as football and basketball coach, who resigned last week following an altercation with a student.

The details surrounding the event have not been made public, and school officials could not be reached to comment, despite phone messages left with the Dare County Board of Education, three phone messages for CHSS principal Dr. Louis Tonelson, and other messages left for an assistant principal and guidance counselor.

But many students believe Eskildsen was treated unfairly, so they decided to do whatever they could to help get their teacher back in the classroom. 

Sophomore Michelle Rollinson used Facebook, a popular social networking site, to start a group titled “We Want Mr. Ted Eskildsen Back.”  More than 100 people have now joined the group, including current and former students, as well as parents and other community members.

In addition, sophomore Brandon Moncrief drafted a petition to reinstate Eskildsen.

“Please sign petition to keep Mr. Ted, teacher, coach, friend, inspiration and example to the staff and students of Cape Hatteras Secondary School,” the petition reads. “We should not allow another great teacher to be pushed out of our school system because they embrace change and demand respect.”

Students used the Facebook page to organize their protest, and they planned to convene on the lawn of the school at about 7:40 Monday morning.

A very large number of students showed up for the event, some wearing homemade T-shirts with slogans such as “W.W.T.D—What Would Ted Do,” and others carrying signs that read “We Want Ted Back” and “Team Ted.”

According to one student, it took at least four faculty members to talk the students into going inside the school building, and when they did, several of the students went to Eskildsen’s old room instead of their assigned classes.

For about 20 to 25 of those students, the morning stand wasn’t enough. 

They left school and went back to the lawn during their daily break, at about 9:35, most without permission, and stayed there all afternoon, waving their signs, soliciting support for their cause and signatures for their petition. 

“We’re just doing what we think is right,” said Max Mulder, one of Eskildsen’s students and one of only two people to witness the incident between Eskildsen and the student.  “He really cared about his students. He’s a good teacher, and he doesn’t deserve this.”

By the end of the day, the students had collected more than 250 signatures for their petition, which they plan to submit to CHSS principal Tonelson, Dare County Schools personnel director Trip Hobbs, and Hatteras Island school board representative Anthony Fletcher.

“It’s incredibly humbling,” Eskildsen said of his students’ support.  “They’ve taken a risk in a lot of ways. That’s what I try to teach, and for that, I’m proud of them.”

Though Eskildsen believes the students’ ability to come together, organize the protest, draft the petition, and stand up for what they believe in is “amazing,” he is not at odds with the administration’s stance on the issue.

“They did what they had to do,” he said. “They gave me options, and I took the one that was best for me.”

The option he chose was to resign.

He went on to express deep concern for his friends and colleagues at the school, who not only had to make a very difficult decision regarding the incident, but are now having to handle the students’ reaction to the loss of one of their favorite teachers.
 
And, of course, like any good teacher, he’s worried about his students, too. 

In fact, when some of them visited his home during their second period class Monday morning, Eskildsen thanked them for their support, assured them that he would always be around if they needed him, then told them to get back to class.

While Eskildsen may be at peace with the school’s decision, the students aren’t giving up.

They plan to protest and get signatures for their petition again Tuesday morning and say they will continue to do so until Mr. Ted is back.

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