An Illinois elementary school art teacher is out of a job today after a series of disturbing social media posts were revealed by the popular Libs of TikTok account. He wrote of satanism along with having bipolar disorder and being psychotic.
One post in all caps declared, “I HAVE BIPOLAR 1 DISORDER WITH MANIA AND PSYCHOSIS.”
The now-former William J. Butler Elementary teacher further described “irrational thought processes” and a mental struggle to survive. “I have done things in conditions of psychosis and mania that have been violent and hurtful. But I am NOT my disease.”
He added “I am ME! And I know ME. And I LOVE ME!”
He posted apparent support for satanism and charged that White supremacists were part of the police.
After the posts were exposed and went viral, many parents in Lockport voiced their outrage that he was hired to teach their children. Julie McDaniel told WFLD-TV that he is free to have his own lifestyle, “but that is not going to be put onto our children.”
Another parent noted postings dealing with child sacrifice, anti-religious beliefs and Satan worship.
@libsoftiktok Apparently, the art teacher was fired from one Chicago school district for inappropriate assignments, and then Homer 33C hires him. These are the adults overseeing children in Illinois public schools. Disgusting#AntiochIllinois #AntiochIL #HomerGlen #Homer33C #K12 pic.twitter.com/X84jMRNcic
— ILSW Watcher (@ILSWWatcher) August 21, 2023
The swirling controversy led to the Homer Community Consolidated District 33C school board holding an emergency Sunday meeting during which the art teacher was released.
In a statement, Superintendent Dr. Craig Schoppe explained, “The Board of Education held a special meeting this evening to consider action on an employee issue. The Board of Education approved the dismissal of a certified employee.”
That did not stop upset parents from voicing their concerns over the apparent lack of vetting done before hiring the man.
Some warned board members that they would face strong opposition in the next election.
An anonymous parent said the materials posted by the now-former teacher were “not something that I would want to expose my children to at a young age. I wouldn’t say they were all depicting violence, but they were referencing violence.”
In 2023, it is unconscionable that a school system would not do their due diligence before hiring a professional to work with small children. If satanism and violent tendencies are not enough to filter out a prospective employee, something is terribly wrong with the process.
