Round Rock Teacher Quits Over Yearbook Story Controversy

Round Rock TX

05 December, 2019

12:36 PM

Description

ROUND ROCK, TX — A Round Rock high school teacher who based a journalism project on a student's battle with an eating disorder — a move leading to a lawsuit from the parents of the student — has resigned, a spokesperson told Patch. Parents of the 16-year-old McNeil High School student filed a lawsuit claiming the girl's privacy was violated after a teacher cited her as reference point in a piece about mental illness. While the yearbook article was never published, the parents claim in the suit the project led to social media gossip centered on their daughter that had the effect of exacerbating her eating disorder. Given her minor status, the girl "...was legally incapable of giving consent to the interviews and photographs," the lawsuit reads. "Neither of her parents were contacted by any school official or faculty member to gain consent. Not surprisingly, the photographs and gossipy rumors of Clarissa's condition soon began appearing on internet social media such as Facebook and Instagram." Related story: Round Rock Parents Sue Over Yearbook Article About Daughter In response to questions from Patch, Round Rock ISD spokesperson Jenny Caputo said the teacher who launched the project has since resigned. "When this came to light to administration, the journalism teacher was placed on leave during the investigation and she resigned before the investigation was complete," Caputo wrote in a phone text. Caputo stressed the article was never written, let alone got to the publication stage, although discussion on its preparation took place: "No one wrote an article. The journalism teacher had the idea for the article, talked to the student about it and then assigned it to another student. The article was never completed or published." The lawsuit claims the 16-year-old McNeil High School student's privacy was violated under a so-called 504 Plan designed to protect students with disabilities. According to the lawsuit, the girl was diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa in 2016, the same year she enrolled at the high school.