Professor: 'Game Of Thrones' Picture Got Me Suspended

Say it ain't so!!
Not Game of Thrones

Evidently, it is so

PARAMUS, N.J. (AP) — A New Jersey professor claims he was suspended over an online photo containing a quote from "Game of Thrones" that he says a school official perceived as a threat.

Francis Schmidt, who teaches art and animation at Bergen Community College, says he was suspended for eight days after posting a photo in January of his 7-year-old daughter wearing a T-shirt with a quote from the graphic HBO show that read: "I will take what is mine with fire and blood."

Schmidt said school officials questioned whether the reference was meant as a threat against a dean, who was one of the people who viewed the post on Schmidt's Google Plus social media feed

Source


When asked what was threatening about the quote, Schmidt said that the school officials told him the quoted phrase triggered 'thoughts of the possibility of a school shooting'
He also said he was ordered to consult a psychiatrist as one of the conditions of being reinstated with back pay.


For those few that may not know, that is a line that is spoken by none other than Daenerys Targaryen, the Mother of Dragons



Well, I sure hope he keeps his dragons under wrap!!




Oh, and here is the threatening shirt that got him in trouble


Whew!!
He sure had me scared!! LOL


I guess we can assume that school board has never watched GOT

a reply to: snarky412
Oh, this guy has a fine law suit available to him. What I hate most in this world is aggressive stupidity, especially out of an academic setting!
But then again, the night is dark and full of terrors.

a reply to: snarky412

Hodor!

Hodor hodor!

a reply to: snarky412

Welcome to Fahrenheit 451 and the insane world of political correctness!

Let's thank the Progressives and their lack of intolerance to preach tolerance to tell the rest of us how we should think and speak!!!!!

Let me say again!!!!! "FREEDOM IS NOT A ONE WAY STREET!"!

a reply to: CagliostroTheGreat

LMAO

Can't wait for the next episode!!!!

a reply to: JohnnyCanuck

What I hate most in this world is aggressive stupidity, especially out of an academic setting!

You and me both

But then again, the night is dark and full of terrors

Hell, they would have probably considered that a threat too!! LOL

a reply to: snarky412

Honestly haven't watched much of the show. I'm one of them book nerds. How'd you like the purple wedding? Everyone is happy Joffrey died. Jack Gleeson is a great actor though. Did a great job making the world absolutely despise Joff. The casting in that show is just brilliant though. I think they nailed the characters perfectly especially Tyrion. Its weird seeing something you have loved since like '02 become so uproariously popular.

originally posted by: CagliostroTheGreat
a reply to: snarky412

Honestly haven't watched much of the show. I'm one of them book nerds. How'd you like the purple wedding? Everyone is happy Joffrey died. Jack Gleeson is a great actor though. Did a great job making the world absolutely despise Joff. The casting in that show is just brilliant though. I think they nailed the characters perfectly especially Tyrion. Its weird seeing something you have loved since like '02 become so uproariously popular.

We were stunned -- totally shocked!!
We were happy and yet I feel like we are going to miss him --miss hating him that is!!

But after the Red Wedding scene, anything is possible [the Starks]
That really blew our minds & upset us the most so far

My sister, like you, has read the books but hasn't seen the show
So she knows not to speak to far a head in case it hasn't happened on the show yet

So when Joffrey got killed, I texted her right away with a 'WTH--Joffrey wedding'

Any way, it is very addicting and the cast is brilliant!!

You know nothing Jon Snow.

Is it just me or did Joffrey's mannerisms and body language bring to mind George Bush?
Something about the self-assured smirk and bobbleheading when talking.

On topic, ridiculous that he was suspended over something so stupid. Pre-crime prediction not up to snuff in our educators?

How old is the Dean? T- Shirts with game logos phrases have been around a long time now. There must be more to this story surely for why the Dean feels threatened.

Go...Fetch Idiot Dean of College...NOW!



Des

Schmidt said school officials questioned whether the reference was meant as a threat against a dean, who was one of the people who viewed the post on Schmidt's Google Plus social media feed - See more at: www.abovetopsecret.com...

Umm, seriously? So, the dean looked at this professor's Google + page and perceived the professor's daughters teeshirt as a threat? Are you ******* kidding me? The dean must have it out for the guy and was looking for ANYTHING and everything in order to terminate/suspend him.

I would sue the pants off the school and I hope he does as this is just ludicrous!

This dean must be the biggest wuss ever!

My sister asked me if it was called the Purple Wedding because Joffery turned purple, is she the only one? :-)

originally posted by: AthlonSavage
There must be more to this story....

Yes sir, always is...

"...the hardline response came a week after he filed a grievance with the college for being passed up for a sabbatical."

www.dailymail.co.uk... ning-school-shooting.html

Ongoing labor negotiations played a part in the punishment, Schmidt said. He had filed a grievance after being denied a sabbatical late last year, and he told the Record the suspension was “payback.”

www.nydailynews.com...

The school has been embroiled in labor negotiations and Schmidt said he wondered if his suspension had to do with him filing a grievance after being denied a sabbatical about two months prior to the incident. www.huffingtonpost.com...

The faculty union is currently in conflict with the school administration over promotions and tenure, and recently registered a vote of no-confidence against the school's president. Schmidt himself had just filed a grievance after being denied a sabbatical. That may explain some of what happened next.

The professor asked why his photo had caused such a reaction, and was told that "fire" could be a metaphor for "AK-47s. Research has yet to establish a link between support for the Mother of Dragons and likelihood of shooting up a school. gawker.com...

Never mettle in the affairs of dragons.....

www.huffingtonpost.com...

PARAMUS, N.J. (AP) — A New Jersey professor claims he was suspended over an online photo containing a quote from "Game of Thrones" that he says a school official perceived as a threat.

Francis Schmidt, who teaches art and animation at Bergen Community College, says he was suspended for eight days after posting a photo in January of his 7-year-old daughter wearing a T-shirt with a quote from the graphic HBO show that read: "I will take what is mine with fire and blood."

Schmidt said school officials questioned whether the reference was meant as a threat against a dean, who was one of the people who viewed the post on Schmidt's Google Plus social media feed.

Oh an art teacher huh . . .

So I take it the dean is from the "arts" department . . . and people question why they are behaving like mentally unstable lunatics?

Folks might want to go take a look at the psychological spectrum most artists fall under, I promise that it will involve some VERY interesting stories.

-FBB

a reply to: Murgatroid

All true, he clearly states it in the same article I posted

The school has been embroiled in labor negotiations and Schmidt said he wondered if his suspension had to do with him filing a grievance after being denied a sabbatical about two months prior to the incident.

--- 2 months earlier---




HOWEVER.....

The school DID admit that they conceived that the quote on the t-shirt as a 'threat' and he did have to go consult a psychiatrist over it
[although to be honest, it's HBO's fault]

So the issue still stands

Someone from the school was searching his Google+ page looking for something to get him on and what they found was a lousy t-shirt.......pffft

Now that this has hit the MSM, maybe the school-board will see how foolish this all is, being as Game Of Thrones is one of the most popular series on TV, and realize their hasty judgement on this teacher was uncalled for

This is a clear cut case of retaliation, barring any further information.

I don't know UK law. In the US he has cause for a lawsuit for "creating a hostile work environment".

If they didn't issue his back pay, it would also be a criminal case, as retaliation that lead to financial loss is a criminal offense in the US labor law.

originally posted by: bigfatfurrytexan
This is a clear cut case of retaliation, barring any further information.

I don't know UK law. In the US he has cause for a lawsuit for "creating a hostile work environment".

If they didn't issue his back pay, it would also be a criminal case, as retaliation that lead to financial loss is a criminal offense in the US labor law.

Well he's a teacher. Aren't teacher jobs all controlled by the mafia anyway? Or is that just Pennsylvania?

If any of you PA mafioso's are reading......than I was just kidding.