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I realize this is an old article, but I couldn't live with myself if I didn't respond after reading it. I am outraged and sickened by what i just read. These issues have not improved, that school is not safe, and there should not be students in that building.

I am a former student of Vets and Gorton, and Mr. Pierce was my 8th grade history teacher at Gorton in the 03/04 school year during another battle between the administration and the teachers' union. This man changed my life, and was one of the best teachers I ever had. I find the way this city treats all of its teachers to be absolutely appalling, and have for sometime, but now it's outright bullying. The targeting of specific teachers, and in particular Mr. Pierce, is completely outrageous and it is being carried out in entirely unprofessional ways. There is a recent post in the Save Warwick Schools facebook community, showing teachers in "time out" for two entire class periods...it was posted this week. Of course, Mr. Pierce was on the bench.

As a former Warwick resident and student, and someone who works in the city at a business that sells the Warwick Beacon...I am absolutely disgusted that this "news" source would post such a biased and inflammatory article, singling out a passionate and caring teacher who is speaking out for the safety and wellbeing of his students. Mr. Pierce is trying to navigate and lead through this trainwreck of a transition with his students and their parents, and with our entire community. This is a teacher who once gave an entire lecture about every human involved in the manufacturing of a single pencil, to demonstrate the importance of a global community and working together to accomplish even the smallest tasks. I heard that lecture almost 13 years ago, and it still resonates with me to this day. Now, his own community has turned against him, to the extent of an article from the city's main local news publication, including two pictures and his name, skewing his admirable efforts  to prepare his class for the challenges they need to overcome together.

Mr. Pierce is an incredible teacher, and he is fighting to keep these students safe and to be able to give them the education they need and deserve. We should be coming together as a community to support our teachers, not attacking them for doing the absolute best they can with the neverending stream of bulls*** pouring down on them from every possible angle. We expect amd trust them to mold and educate the next generation, yet we repay them by treating them like garbage. We hold them to increasingly ridiculous standards, while refusing to compensate them accordingly or treat them with half the respect they deserve.

I think some writers and editors over at the Beacon should take a lil refresher course in unbiased journalism... perhaps even consider scanning over defamation laws or an ethics text once or twice before posting another article like this. This is unrelated, but a quick lesson on basic customer service skills with your  delivery driver would be greatly appreciated as well.

Happy holidays,

Deanne Campopiano

Tenaciousdee123@gmail.com