A Prince William County teacher named Benjamin Plummer has been placed on leave after telling his students that he witnessed the Capitol Hill riots in-person. During a virtual class, the teacher shared his experience witnessing the chaotic, violent moment in American history. However, he did not indicate whether or not he entered the Capitol or participated in any violent acts. Shortly after class, a video of Plummer's recollection of the Capitol Hill riots surfaced online.
“We listened to three months in the summer of organizations destroying cities, burning cities, looting cities. And what does the media say about these people? ‘Oh, they’re peaceful protesters,'” Plummer told a group of middle school students in Virginia.
“Now, you have Trump supporters that are incredibly peaceful, they’re all Christians, they believe in God. They’re not there to damage or hurt things.”
Making matters worse for Plummer, his boss, Lynn Middle School Principal Hamish Brewer, also learned what had taken place. The school has moved to place Plummer on leave until further notice.
“Prince William County Public Schools recognizes that employees have a right to engage in political activity on their personal time,” the school system stated.
“However, employees may not engage in political activities during work time, on school property, or using school resources, and employees who engage in criminal activity which calls into question their fitness as a role model for students may no longer qualify for employment with PWCS.”
At this time, it is unclear if local authorities will look into Plummer's actions on that day. More details will be shared as this story develops.
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