STUDENTS PROTEST, STAND UP FOR FAVORITE TEACHER

Twelve students quietly demonstrated outside the Cape Girardeau Public Schools offices Tuesday afternoon to protest the district's decision not to rehire one of their favorite teachers.

The students, led by junior Jamie Filer, held signs reading "Academics Take Priority" and "We Need Quality Teachers." Most are students in classes taught by Mike Josue, an untenured teacher whose one-year contract will not be renewed for the next academic year.

The action has perplexed the students, who highly regard Josue's teaching abilities.

"I've never had a teacher that wonderful before," Filer said. "He is very concerned about his students."

She said a number of students are nominating Josue in the school's upcoming Teacher of the Year election.

James Englehart, director of Secondary Education for the district, said he is limited in what he can say about personnel matters. But he said Josue was one of four teachers who will not be rehired next year due to enrollment fluctuations.

The students have suggested that Josue lost his job because the school hired a new head football coach. "That only relates to Mr. Josue in that we always have to look at assignments (when someone new is hired)," Englehart said.

Josue, who teaches psychology, sociology and American history, received a notice from the district in March requesting that he submit his resignation.

He did so. To refuse would have made him subject to being fired by the Board of Education, which would have become part of his employment record.

"I am in the dark about the reason," Josue said Tuesday. He said he also was not aware that the students intended to organize a demonstration on his behalf.

"I'm flabbergasted," he said.

Filer and a small group of students had met previously with Englehart to discuss Josue's employment. She said they were not satisfied with the explanations they were given.

Filer said a petition supporting Josue and signed by about 80 students was confiscated by an unnamed teacher. Principal Dan Milligan said he had no knowledge of such an incident.

But, he added, "I think it's great the kids have that kind of respect for a teacher no matter who it might be."

At the protest, junior Christy Wetzel said she was there to support her teacher. "I learned more from him than any other teacher I had."

Filer said the administration pays lip service to giving students a say in how they are educated but never asked how they feel about Josue.

"I think students need to be able to have a voice," she said. "We're told we have that but it's not really true."