Longtime teacher ridiculed, abused students, DeKalb school district alleges
Staff writer Ty Tagami contributed to this article.
Two DeKalb County students and a teacher testified Wednesday that William Burks, a longtime physical education teacher, cursed at students, touched them inappropriately and made them cry during angry outbursts.
Burks is challenging the district’s decision against renewing his contract as a P.E. teacher at Cross Keys High School. A tribunal will deliberate and make its final decision at a later date.
Lawyers for both sides presented their closing arguments Wednesday.
DeKalb Public School lawyers argued that administrators repeatedly admonished Burks and placed him on several professional development plans for physically abusing and inappropriately ridiculing students throughout his 20 years of teaching in DeKalb public schools. But the former Cross Keys teacher’s conduct never improved, forcing the district to end his contract last school year, the lawyers said.
In several of those incidents, Burks refused to accept the recommended discipline and the district didn’t pursue the cases, administrators said.
Burks’ lawyer, Quinton Washington, argued that students conspired against Burks to get him to change their grades. He also argued that administrators unfairly evaluated Burks, focusing on specific events rather than all his teaching qualities.
“The evaluative process that got us here is inherently flawed,” Washington said.
Burks said all of the charges against him were false allegations and the school district should have faith in him to teach again.
“Once (during my tenure), I got a ‘needs improvement’ and I was flabbergasted,” he said. “I’ve never done anything but be proficient my whole career.”
Several former students and staff members who worked with Burks testified that he was an easygoing teacher who had control of his class, high standards and was well-respected among students.
“He always came from a place of passion and caring and never a place of negativity or trying to hurt any students,” said Janee Blake, Burk’s former student who is currently a teacher and coach in DeKalb.
Burks worked as a P.E. teacher for Brockett and Midway elementary schools and Cross Keys High. Dating back to 1996, the district alleges that Burks was disciplined for numerous incidents.
Among those incidents, he allegedly called one boy a sissy, told a group of girls they looked like Barbies after asking them if they shaved their legs, and referred to a third-grade teacher as a “miserable, nasty-mouthed, cantankerous old woman.”
One student testified Wednesday that Burks cursed at the student’s classmate when the boy couldn’t perform a layup. Another testified that Burks grabbed her by her arm and threw her into a chair after she hit him with a ball during a game of dodge ball.
Last year, before Burks was terminated, he was charged with incompetency, willful neglect of duties and insubordination, eventually leading to his termination.
“This is a case of Burks taking responsibility for his actions,” said Janet Scott, the lawyer for DeKalb Schools.
The tribunal’s decision will be sent to the DeKalb school board, which will determine Burks’ fate.
“Is a school better off with Burks as a teacher, described as teacher, friend and mentor?” Washington asked the tribunal. “Or do you put that entire career he has had up against allegations which are incredibly doubtful about him being a hothead, exploding, cursing at students?”
