West Zone teacher reprimanded following Facebook posts
A West Zone teacher has received a written reprimand “due to conduct unbecoming a District employee” after posting to social media a pair of comments criticizing not only a city official but her special needs second grader.
Jody Chilton, a fourth grade gifted teacher at Tropic Isles Elementary School, will also complete Code of Ethics training, the notification of just cause for disciplinary action letter to Ms. Chilton dated April 30 states.
Chilton, who was reassigned pending an administrative investigation after Cape Coral City Councilmember Jessica Cosden sent a complaint to the school district in March, returned to duties at the school on Monday, district officials said.
Cosden sent the complaint via email on March 28 shortly after viewing posts reportedly made by Chilton on a political thread on former mayor Marni Sawicki’s Facebook page.
Cosden’s daughter, diagnosed as both gifted and on the autism spectrum, attended kindergarten and two months of first grade at Tropic Isles before changing schools last year.
Sawicki deleted the comments as soon as the posts were brought to her attention.
Cosden declined comment Thursday.
Chilton could not be reached for comment by press time.