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NEED TO KNOW
- Jeanine Rupert, a sixth-grade teacher who taught at Phoebe Hearst Elementary in Sacramento, Calif., was reassigned after she reportedly pulled up a carpet in her classroom that covered tiles containing asbestos
- An investigation from the school district found the carpet removal did not disturb the tiles that would lead to potential asbestos exposure for the students
- Students and parents have protested Rupert’s reassignment
A beloved sixth-grade teacher’s reassignment from her California school over removal of a carpet in her classroom has prompted protests and a walkout from students and parents.
The controversy began at the end of last school year at Sacramento’s Phoebe Hearst Elementary when the school experienced a flea infestation, NBC affiliate KCRA and ABC affiliate KXTV reported. It was then, according to parents, that Rupert pulled up part of the carpet.
But according to the Sacramento City Unified School District, the carpet covered tiles containing asbestos which, if exposed, can cause health issues such as lung cancer and mesothelioma. It is not certain whether Rupert knew about the asbestos before removing the carpet.
Brian Heap, Sacramento City Unified School District spokesperson, told KXTV that he spoke with the district’s facilities team, who told him that “having asbestos tiles underneath carpet is a pretty standard way that this has been handled over time, in terms of being able to kind of cover up those asbestos tiles and keep them from being exposed.”
He added, “As long as they are not broken or damaged, they aren’t posing any kind of a safety threat to people.”
Parents maintained that Rupert had repeatedly asked the district to remove the carpeting, but her requests allegedly went unanswered, so she and some students pulled it up, KCRA reported.
“It actually made a lot of sense to me that she would rip up her carpet,” Caitlin Beckett, a parent whose two children are enrolled at Phoebe Hearst, told KXTV.
“I don’t think she was thinking of it as destroying property; I think she was thinking of it like, ‘I’m just going to replace this with the tile underneath,’ ” Beckett added.
In a statement shared with KCRA on Thursday, Sept. 4, the district said that an investigation determined that “none of asbestos tiles underneath the classroom carpet had been damaged when students were present. The removal of the carpet did not cause a disturbance that would cause exposure to asbestos.
“Nonetheless, now that the investigation is complete, District staff will begin the process of reaching out to individual families to reassure them of their student’s safety and provide any necessary support,” the district added.
However, Rupert — who had taught at Phoebe Hearst for 20 years — was reportedly transferred to another school, much to the displeasure of students and parents.
“Our school is heartbroken, and I think it will break the Phoebe spirit,” Beckett told KXTV.
On Thursday, Sept. 11, students protested Rupert’s reassignment outside of the district’s offices with chants of “Bring back Rupert!” and signs reading “We want Mrs. Rupert back!” and “Phoebe needs Rupert,” KXTV reported.
PEOPLE has not immediately been able to contact Rupert for comment, but while at the protest, her mom said her daughter “misses her classroom” and that “she loves those kids,” according to the outlet.
“Jeanine couldn’t be here today because of the restrictions that have been put on her,” added her father. “But she would like to thank all the people for the support.”
In a statement shared with KCRA about last week’s protest, the district said: “The Board remains confident in our personnel process and in our staff’s commitment to serving the best interests of our organization and community.”
On Wednesday, Sept. 17, the same outlet reported that Phoebe Hearst’s sixth-grade students walked out of class to further protest Rupert’s removal, then proceeded to demonstrate with their parents.
In a statement shared with PEOPLE, Heap said that the Sacramento City Unified School District does not comment on personnel matters, but he added, “After a District investigation, the decision was made to reassign the teacher to a different school.”
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Heap shared, “In general, there are times that after a lapse in judgment has occurred, what is best for both the teacher and the impacted school community is a separation and fresh start. Throughout this process, we have heard families and given thoughtful consideration to their concerns.”
He added, “While we are not changing any of our decisions, we continue to value the passion and enthusiastic support that families provide to Phoebe Hearst Elementary.”
District superintendent Lisa Allen shared a similar message to families amid the controversy.
“I want to assure you that throughout this process, we have heard your voices and given thoughtful consideration to your concerns,” she said, KCRA reported. “While we are not changing any of our decisions, we also value the passion and enthusiastic support that families provide that help make Phoebe Hearst special.”
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