In their own words: The teachers
The Tampa Bay Times interviewed three teachers on camera for Part 3 of our series on Pinellas County resegregation, talking about what it was like to teach in some of the St. Petersburg elementary schools that became nearly all black after the school board voted to end integration.
By CARA FITZPATRICK and DIRK SHADD, Times Staff
Oct. 20, 2015
Things begin to change
They took their children out. It was not just white parents but black parents. They just said they did not feel it was safe anymore.
Mary Anna Matthews taught in Campbell Park Elementary School for 23 years.
Bad behavior
I had a couple of students that would sometimes throw a table.
Myrna Starling taught at Maximo Elementary School for more than 25 years.
Kristen Yeckley taught at Maximo Elementary School for 5 years. She served briefly as a behavior specialist at Maximo.
Stress and Burn Out
You can only be in a situation so long like that before burning out as a teacher.
Who’s to blame
We are basically destroying futures here.
Designed by Martin Frobisher. Contact Cara Fitzpatrick at [email protected] and Dirk Shadd at [email protected].
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