The protest was also organized to defend the rights of Ian Harvey, a mass media and English teacher at Lely who is under fire for expressing his views opposing the U.S. bombing of Afghanistan. "I try to get my kids to speak up for themselves and it's important for them to see that their teacher does that," said Andriesse at the January 13 demonstration.

In early December Harvey wrote a letter to the editor of the Naples Daily News stating his opinion opposing U.S. military intervention and inviting others to join the picket line he was helping to organize with students and community activists for December 9.

The picket line, held at a main intersection in the city, was met by a counter-demonstration organized by the Vietnam Veterans of America. Although outnumbered, the protesters, made up largely of high school students, stood their ground in the face of the much older hostile crowd sporting American flags.

Jerry Sanford, one of several retired firefighters at the counterdemonstration, asserted in a statement to the local newspaper that Harvey "stands in front of the classroom teaching this garbage. If he doesn't like it here, have him go back to London. I was at Ground Zero and we all knew many of the fellow firefighters that were killed September 11." Another retired firefighter said Harvey "should be fired. If it's true that he's not an American citizen, how is something like this allowed?" School board member Linda Abbott attended the rally on the side of the counterprotesters.

Local police stood by as prowar people circled and walked through the antiwar picket. Soon after, Collier County Schools Superintendent Dan White launched an official investigation into what they call Harvey's "teaching practices."

According to the January 11 Naples Daily News, Allun Hamblett, executive director of human resources, said he is "investigating whether Harvey went beyond the curriculum by giving his own opinions, placed unwarranted pressure on students to conform to his opinions, contacted students after school via e-mail, and favored students who espoused his point of view."

The Naples Daily News also made reference to Harvey's immigration status in at least two articles. The teacher is a citizen of the United Kingdom, a legal resident, and a tenured teacher with 11 years in the school district.

Harvey learned he was under investigation when students began reporting to him that they had been questioned by the principal and Peter DeBaun, the Collier County School District investigator.

"I got called down from Algebra 2 class to talk about Mr. Harvey," explained Amanda Woodward, a junior at Lely High. "I was asked what Mr. Harvey's mass media class was about and if he talked about the war. He asked me if I knew that there were going to be counterprotesters at the demonstration, trying to make it seem like Mr. Harvey put us in danger. I said of course I knew there would be. Everyone knows if you have a protest the other side will want to say what they think," she said. "He told me not to talk to anyone, not even to Mr. Harvey because our conversation was confidential between me, him, and the principal. So, right after I went and told everything to Mr. Harvey."

In late December Harvey was questioned for five hours by school official Peter Debaun but there have yet to be any charges filed. Harvey has only been told he is under investigation and that a decision will likely be made by the end of the month.

Debaun "wanted to know some information about my class like what I had my students read and if I was presenting all sides of the issues," Harvey said. "But most of his questioning was focused on what I do outside of the classroom. He wanted to know what protests and activities I had been involved in."

Robert Malenchek, a former student at Lely High, said he thinks Harvey "has the right to freedom of speech. It's also brainwashing to always say that this war is good. Students should be able to decide for themselves what they think."

Kelly Russell, the mother of a ninth grade English student of Harvey's, came to the January 13 protest to show support for the embattled teacher. "I think Mr. Harvey was offering a healthy environment for free thought and discussion. I think that's what education is about. In reviewing what Mr. Harvey stands for, I don't necessarily agree with everything, but I think he tries to get his students to think a little bit. Isn't that what we want our youth to be doing?"

The controversy has been a lead story in the local media. A school board hearing on the matter is scheduled for January 24.  
 
 
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