The 33-year-old Clayton County teacher who allegedly tried to hire a student to kill another he believed to be gay is on the verge of losing his job at Mundy’s Mill High School.
That’s after a three-member panel on Friday recommended that Randolph Frye be fired for allegedly “putting out a hit” on a student he confronted after seeing him dance with another male student. Frye allegedly asked the 16-year-old student if he was gay and then days later, offered to pay another student $50 to “put a hit” on him.
The panel’s recommendation now goes to the Clayton County Board of Education, which could move as soon as Monday to fire Forde. The educator’s attorney says they will appeal any termination.
Forde, who hasn’t spoken publicly since his arrest in October, broke his silence Friday after the panel made its recommendation .
“One of the things that I hope for is that when this is done, people take the time to listen to the truth and repair my image,” Forde tells Fox 5. “It has caused a lot of damage as far as losing my job, paying for an attorney. It is also embarrassing for my wife.”
Members of the Georgia Safe Schools Coalition, a group of concerned educators and community organizers working on LGBT issues in schools, has called the incident an act of bullying and urged the school system to beef up its training for educators.