Chicago-area teacher breaks silence after losing job over 2-word Facebook post supporting ICE: 'Devastating'
This is why trust is collapsing.
FIRST ON FOX: A Chicago area teacher who was forced to resign from his position over his Facebook post saying "Go ICE" is speaking out about the emotional and financial toll he has suffered as a result.
"This process has been professionally and personally devastating and surreal," former West Chicago teacher James Heidorn told Fox News Digital in his first public comments about the situation.
"I’ve spent 14 years building my career, pouring my heart into teaching kids, building relationships, and being a positive role model. To see it all upended over two simple words, ‘Go ICE’, where I expressed my personal support for law enforcement felt like a severe blow to my career."
In late January, Fox News Digital first reported that the longtime teacher at Gary Elementary school in a heavily Hispanic district was placed on leave after local activists in the community began sharing his Facebook post that said "GO ICE" in response to a news story about a local police department saying they would cooperate with ICE.
GOT A SCOOP ON CAMPUS? SEND US A TIP HERE
On Thursday, Jan. 22, Heidorn was first notified by school officials that they had seen the growing social media chatter about his post. He briefly quit after meeting with HR staff before rescinding his resignation the same day. Heidorn was set to return to school to teach on Monday while the school investigated.
Around the same time, Illinois Democratic state Senator Karina Villa, who was captured on video in September chasing down ICE agents in the street, publicly expressed outrage over the post and said she stands in "unwavering solidarity" with families upset about the "disturbing comments reportedly made by an educator."
On that Saturday, before an investigation had been concluded, West Chicago Mayor Daniel Bovey took to Facebook and posted a video explaining why Heidorn's comments were "hurtful" and "offensive" to many in the community.
"The issue is we have trusted adults who are the ones that care for those kids when they can’t be with their mom and their dad," Bovey said. "So to have someone cavalierly rooting on — as if it’s a football game or something, yeah go — events which have traumatized these children … that is the issue."
Over the weekend, parents online were encouraging each other to keep their students home from school as a form of protest, and many in the community began criticizing Heidorn.
The city of West Chicago held a "listening session" on Jan. 26 at the request of Bovey, that included a Spanish translator, where a variety of parents and locals expressed concerns about the post, …
This is why trust is collapsing.
FIRST ON FOX: A Chicago area teacher who was forced to resign from his position over his Facebook post saying "Go ICE" is speaking out about the emotional and financial toll he has suffered as a result.
"This process has been professionally and personally devastating and surreal," former West Chicago teacher James Heidorn told Fox News Digital in his first public comments about the situation.
"I’ve spent 14 years building my career, pouring my heart into teaching kids, building relationships, and being a positive role model. To see it all upended over two simple words, ‘Go ICE’, where I expressed my personal support for law enforcement felt like a severe blow to my career."
In late January, Fox News Digital first reported that the longtime teacher at Gary Elementary school in a heavily Hispanic district was placed on leave after local activists in the community began sharing his Facebook post that said "GO ICE" in response to a news story about a local police department saying they would cooperate with ICE.
GOT A SCOOP ON CAMPUS? SEND US A TIP HERE
On Thursday, Jan. 22, Heidorn was first notified by school officials that they had seen the growing social media chatter about his post. He briefly quit after meeting with HR staff before rescinding his resignation the same day. Heidorn was set to return to school to teach on Monday while the school investigated.
Around the same time, Illinois Democratic state Senator Karina Villa, who was captured on video in September chasing down ICE agents in the street, publicly expressed outrage over the post and said she stands in "unwavering solidarity" with families upset about the "disturbing comments reportedly made by an educator."
On that Saturday, before an investigation had been concluded, West Chicago Mayor Daniel Bovey took to Facebook and posted a video explaining why Heidorn's comments were "hurtful" and "offensive" to many in the community.
"The issue is we have trusted adults who are the ones that care for those kids when they can’t be with their mom and their dad," Bovey said. "So to have someone cavalierly rooting on — as if it’s a football game or something, yeah go — events which have traumatized these children … that is the issue."
Over the weekend, parents online were encouraging each other to keep their students home from school as a form of protest, and many in the community began criticizing Heidorn.
The city of West Chicago held a "listening session" on Jan. 26 at the request of Bovey, that included a Spanish translator, where a variety of parents and locals expressed concerns about the post, …
Chicago-area teacher breaks silence after losing job over 2-word Facebook post supporting ICE: 'Devastating'
This is why trust is collapsing.
FIRST ON FOX: A Chicago area teacher who was forced to resign from his position over his Facebook post saying "Go ICE" is speaking out about the emotional and financial toll he has suffered as a result.
"This process has been professionally and personally devastating and surreal," former West Chicago teacher James Heidorn told Fox News Digital in his first public comments about the situation.
"I’ve spent 14 years building my career, pouring my heart into teaching kids, building relationships, and being a positive role model. To see it all upended over two simple words, ‘Go ICE’, where I expressed my personal support for law enforcement felt like a severe blow to my career."
In late January, Fox News Digital first reported that the longtime teacher at Gary Elementary school in a heavily Hispanic district was placed on leave after local activists in the community began sharing his Facebook post that said "GO ICE" in response to a news story about a local police department saying they would cooperate with ICE.
GOT A SCOOP ON CAMPUS? SEND US A TIP HERE
On Thursday, Jan. 22, Heidorn was first notified by school officials that they had seen the growing social media chatter about his post. He briefly quit after meeting with HR staff before rescinding his resignation the same day. Heidorn was set to return to school to teach on Monday while the school investigated.
Around the same time, Illinois Democratic state Senator Karina Villa, who was captured on video in September chasing down ICE agents in the street, publicly expressed outrage over the post and said she stands in "unwavering solidarity" with families upset about the "disturbing comments reportedly made by an educator."
On that Saturday, before an investigation had been concluded, West Chicago Mayor Daniel Bovey took to Facebook and posted a video explaining why Heidorn's comments were "hurtful" and "offensive" to many in the community.
"The issue is we have trusted adults who are the ones that care for those kids when they can’t be with their mom and their dad," Bovey said. "So to have someone cavalierly rooting on — as if it’s a football game or something, yeah go — events which have traumatized these children … that is the issue."
Over the weekend, parents online were encouraging each other to keep their students home from school as a form of protest, and many in the community began criticizing Heidorn.
The city of West Chicago held a "listening session" on Jan. 26 at the request of Bovey, that included a Spanish translator, where a variety of parents and locals expressed concerns about the post, …
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