Enloe Students: 'Wear Black! Bring Esco Back!'

Raleigh, N.C. — Students at Enloe High School planned to wear black Wednesday to mark the one-year anniversary of a controversial teacher’s transfer from the school.

In support of Robert Escamilla, the students said they would gather in front of the school to say, “Wear Black! Bring Esco Back!”

“Esco,” as students called him, was suspended with pay after he invited Kamil Solomon, head of Kamil International Ministries, to his class last February. Solomon handed out pamphlets entitled, "Why Women Should Not Marry Muslims."

The school board said Escamilla knew Solomon's guest-speaking engagement would denigrate Islam and was not acceptable. Escamilla was later reassigned to Mary E. Phillips High School, an alternative school.

He filed a lawsuit in November, claiming the school board violated his rights when they disciplined him. He asked that his transfer to the alternative school be rescinded.

On Oct. 17, school board members released part of Escamilla's personnel record, saying they felt they needed to protect their integrity. The records both praised and criticized his teaching ability.

Escamilla, who taught at Enloe for 18 years, also fought to get a 12-page reprimand removed from his employment file, but the school board denied the request.