Teacher removed from post
Mort Curtiss
Despite pleas from friends and former
students for understanding and forgiveness, Libby School Board
members voted in favor of terminating Mort Curtiss, the 54-year-old
Libby High School industrial-arts teacher who had been suspended
from his position for allegedly distributing drugs.
The board, acting upon the
recommendation of District 4 Superintendent K.W. Maki, was split on
the decision of Curtiss, a 13-year teacher with the district.
Board members voted 5-2 in favor of
terminating the former wrestling coach. Board members Lori Benson
and Bruce Sickler voted in favor of giving Curtiss a second chance.
Board members Amy Fantozzi, Les Nelson, Ellen Johnston, Lee Disney
and Board President Tracy Comeau followed Maki’s lead in favor of
termination.
“I have to look out for the children
first,” Comeau said. “I’m concerned about the safety of the
students. I have kids in school in this district. For me, it was
common sense,” she said, indicating part of the students’
curriculum includes anti-drug education.
Last month, in District Judge James B.
Wheelis’ court, Curtiss and his attorney, Scott Hilderman, agreed
to a pre-trial diversion, which essentially avoids a felony
conviction of criminal distribution of drugs for Curtiss, if he
meets criteria specified and agreed upon by Wheelis and Deputy
Prosecutor Robert Slomski.
Curtiss was suspended from his teaching
position shortly after the night of March 4 to 5 when he allegedly
offered free to an informant an oxycodone pill, part of another and
about two grams of marijuana. Curtiss has a medical prescription
for marijuana, prescribed for him to help curb the pain he still
feels as a result of breaking his back.
“I’m not a drug pusher,” an emotional
Curtiss said Tuesday evening when called at his home. “Teaching was
my life, and now I have nothing. Libby’s my home. What am I going
to do now, besides declare bankruptcy? My life is ruined. It’s
over.”
The emotional Curtiss said he holds no
bad feelings toward the school board members for their vote to
terminate him.
“No, I hold no ill feelings toward
them. I just wish they could see what they’re taking away from me.
Just what am I supposed to do now?” Curtiss said.
During an interview that preceded the
board meeting Tuesday, Maki, the superintendent, said he knows he
is perceived as being “tough and unforgiving.”
“Some say I did the right thing,” Maki
began. “Others say I have no compassion, but I feel I did what is
right for the district.
“This is not the end of the world for
Mr. Curtiss. He has a lot of things going for him,” Maki said. “He
just needs to look forward, and I’m sure things will be better for
him.”
Libby High School Principal Rik Rewerts
was Curtiss’ boss, and he said he knows the Curtiss family.
“What can I say? I agree with the
decision of Mr. Maki,” Rewerts said. “I know the Curtiss family,
they’re a good family.”
Board member Benson, along with
Sickler, voted to retain Curtiss.
“(I voted) to give him another chance,
with stipulations, if he was willing to put forth the effort,”
Benson said.
Sickler said he voted the way he did so
as not to take away Curtiss’ livelihood.
“I felt we need to understand his
situation, that he be allowed to still provide for his family. I
felt this man can be redeemed,” Sickler said.
According to the pre-trial diversion
agreement, Curtiss will avoid conviction if he does not violate
Montana laws or those of any other state; shall pay $1,000
restitution to the Lincoln County Drug Fund by Sept. 22, and he
must obtain a chemical-dependency evaluation, and shall comply with
all recommended treatment. He must obtain the evaluation by Sept.
22 and a copy of the report must be submitted to the prosecutor’s
office.
In a pre-trial diversion agreement, as
outlined in Montana statutes (46-16-130.), Curtiss need only avoid
further violation of law. This differs from probation because there
is no conviction. Simply, Curtiss must avoid further arrests for
the two years as outlined in the agreement.