Amber Parker is a Texas teacher who is being terminated for a discussion about pedophiles in the classroom.
She was a teacher at Franklin High School in El Paso, Texas. She teaches English there, according to NBC News.
A video of her discussing pedophiles went viral.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Parker Is Accused of Telling Students to Call Pedophiles ‘Minor-Attracted Persons’
According to the El Paso Times, Parker “was recorded by a student during a lesson in which she allegedly told students to call pedophiles ‘minor-attracted persons,’ adding, ‘So, don’t judge people because they want to have sex with 5-year-olds.'”
KFox14 reported her full comment as:
Stop calling them that. You’re not allowed to label people like that. Stop it, Diego. We are not going to call them that. We’re going to call them, MAPs. Minor-attracted persons. So don’t judge people just because they want to have sex with a 5-year-old.
A student who was in the class spoke to the television station. “[The teacher] was expressing how it was ridiculous how [society] might not be able to call people pedophiles. That [society] will probably have to start calling them MAPs because it can be offensive to them [pedophiles]. The class agreed,” Ryann Ruvalcaba, a junior at Franklin High School said to the station.
2. The School Board Has Voted to Approve Parker’s Firing
The El Paso Independent School District board of trustees voted to approve the firing of Parker, according to the El Paso Times.
The newspaper reached Parker who responded, “I’m not legally allowed to comment at this time.”
School board member Daniel Call wrote on Facebook:
I understand that at one of our High Schools today an EPISD teacher tried to normalize pedophilia by telling students that there is nothing wrong with adults wanting to have sex with children as young as five. I have seen a video of the exchange and it is revolting.
I normally try to give everyone the benefit of the doubt, but this is where I draw the line. Pedophilia is sick and is always wrong, no politically correct acronym can make it right.
Update; It’s being reported that this teachers comments were taken out of context. A spokeswoman from the district stated ‘Any allegation of potential misconduct is investigated thoroughly, and the safety of our students is a top priority. As this is a personnel matter, no further information will be shared at this time.'”
However, Call later said he voted to fire the teacher after being briefed on the results of the investigation, which came in closed session.
Another person wrote in Call’s comment thread, “I saw the video. Wowza! Yet another reason I pulled my kids out 12 yrs ago and started our homeschool journey.”
3. Parker Has Some Defenders Online Who Say She ‘In Fact Despises Offenders’
One writer defended Parker in a post on the Facebook group, “Let the School Bells Ring.”
“The post has been deleted that was shared on here about the teacher’s comments,” she wrote.
“Multiple parents have come to me and insist this was part of a debate and that she made it clear she does not condone pedophilia, and in fact despises offenders. I’m told she made her stance clear in this discussion. With that said, pedophilia is indefensible and should not be debated in our classrooms. I hope the school/district can get to the truth of it all.”
Comments were turned off under that post.
4. Parker’s Husband Called Her an ‘Innocent Woman’
Parker’s husband, Jason Parker, wrote a comment defending her on Call’s Facebook page, although it’s no longer visible.
He wrote that she is an “innocent woman,” he said, according to KFOX-TV.
He wrote:
I happen to be the husband of the teacher in question. I can tell you that we were shaken to the core about these accusations. It is both scary and disturbing that an edited 18-second clip could destroy a 30 year career when taken completely out of context. She is exemplary as a teacher and truly cares about the students. Needless to say we have spent many sleepless nights because of this cruel release to social media of the 18 seconds. We pray that you and the rest of the board will see this for what it is and not allow and edited video destroy an innocent woman, her career and her family in the process. I want to thank you personally for the updated post to begin to right this wrong
5. Parker Is a Mother of Five
According to Daily Mail, Parker is a “a married mother-of-five children” and a grandmother of two.
In another controversy in 2021, Allyn Walker, an Old Dominion University instructor, resigned after referring to pedophiles as “minor-attracted people” in a book, Newsweek reported.
READ NEXT: The Death of Prince Philip