Suspended Enloe Teacher Reassigned to Alternative School

Raleigh, N.C. — A Wake County high school teacher, suspended for inviting a Christian speaker who passed out religious tract to students, will be reassigned to another school.

Robert Escamilla, who has been on paid leave from his job at Enloe High School for the past three months, will remain a tenured teacher with the same pay grade, but he will be transferred to Mary E. Phillips High School in Raleigh, his attorney, Billy Strickland, said Friday.

According to its Web site, Mary Phillips High is for "any Wake County high school student who has not reached his or her potential within a traditional school setting."

School officials, however would not comment on the matter Friday.

Escamilla invited evangelist Kamil Solomon, head of Kamil International Ministries Organization, to speak to his social studies class on Feb. 16, school system. Solomon asked students to embrace Christianity and distributed pamphlets calling the Prophet Muhammad a "criminal" and a "demon possessed." He also said Muhammad was "inspired by Satan."

Parents' complaints led to Escamilla's suspension and also to the Wake County Public School System changing its policy to require future guest speakers to agree not to make denigrating remarks about any culture, race, gender, national origin or religion, school officials announced this week.

Strickland said his client was thankful that he will keep his tenure and salary but that they are still considering their opinion on the transfer.

99 Comments

WRAL.com welcomes your comments on this story. All comments are moderated prior to publication based on our posting guidelines. Please review them prior to posting and if your message is not approved.

VIEW ALL 99 COMMENTS

This story is closed for comments. Comments on WRAL.com news stories are accepted and moderated between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Latest Comments

"First, my point about it being more accepted if the guy was Muslim, Hindu or Wiccan has to do with the fact that this would NOT even be a news story because the teacher wouldn't be in any trouble." Do you truly believe that? I doubt a teacher would risk her career even attempting that, but less wondering about the firestorm that would result. In general, I find the people who are most shrill about religion in the US are the athiests and the fundamentalist/evangelical Christians. In the Middle East, it is the Muslims. Maybe it is that being a majority religion does that to people. It guess it is fortunate that my branch of Christianity is in the minority nearly everywhere.

mvnull
May 27, 2007 1:22 a.m.

CONTINUED "Because the rest of us aren't really listening to your dream world of ideals after dying and becoming nothing more than worm fodder." That sure sounds like a slam against other peoples ideas, JBUNNY. We have a word for that HYPPOCRITE. You can dish it out, but you can't take it. You are allowed to attack others based on your beliefs, but dare anyone say anything to you from their perspective then you start whining. I read every one of your posts. They all say the same thing. Grow up.

ProudConservative2
May 27, 2007 12:56 a.m.

First, my point about it being more accepted if the guy was Muslim, Hindu or Wiccan has to do with the fact that this would NOT even be a news story because the teacher wouldn't be in any trouble. If they want to put all religions in the class, then I have no problem. JBUNNY, I need no convincing about my beliefs. You on the other hand seem to get worried when somebody brings religion into your life. You are the type that likes to set your own rules and so you lash out against religion. Are there people in the Christian church that go overboard? Yep. You need to stop looking at the buildings that we attend on Sunday mornings as the basis of the religion. The basis is a PERSONAL relationship with Christ. All have sinned and fall short. ALL.....Preachers, followers, leaders.....ALL!!!!!! I'm not putting your beliefs down, I'm just not agreeing with you.

ProudConservative2
May 27, 2007 12:52 a.m.

HELLO???? Have you noticed how we American citizens are now fighting with each other over beliefs held by other countries, but have been brought here to our country? We need to stop bickering amongst ourselves and stand together for our country. Our troops are standing, and sadly falling, for our country. Can't we at least agree to disagree? But -- let's be completely fair to ourselves, too -- not just other cultures who have decided to live here instead of in their own countries.

angel2747
May 26, 2007 9:52 p.m.

I think sending this loud mouth to Mary E Phillipsi is a great move. Maybe now he can focus his attention on youth he really need leadership and get pipe down his knucklehead ideas. Or he'lbe no use to them and be the ignored scared teacher in the corner...maybe he'sll go into plumbing ..we need good plumbers!

CHAMP
May 26, 2007 7:13 p.m.