An Atlanta middle school teacher was removed from the classroom and subsequently resigned after video of a conversation he had in class about first kisses surfaced, Channel 2 Action News reported.
The video, obtained by Channel 2, shows former Ralph Bunche Middle School Spanish teacher Berkerley Davenport go into detail about kissing.
“When you’re in love the first time, that first kiss is — oh, there’s nothing like it,” Davenport is heard saying in the video. “And when you touch her hair and the back of her neck, and you pull her close, and then you start to go for other parts.”
Some parents said the discussion was inappropriate.
Atlanta Public Schools told the news station that Davenport was removed from the classroom after officials found out about the comments. The issue was reported to the office of employee relations. He resigned shortly after being removed.
Davenport told Channel 2 his comments were taken out of context. He said he was teaching a poem and was explaining the metaphors.
“When you take stuff out of context like that, it’s a bad name for teachers who would want to work with a system that is not going to support you,” Davenport said. “I don’t have any hard feelings, but I think I’m a great teacher.”
The district also said it plans to report the issue to the Georgia Professional Standards Commission. District spokesman Ian Smith told AJC.com the report was filed Tuesday.
About the Author
