May 25, 2007 - No charges have been filed, but Gary R. Sroka, a Chicopee High School teacher, was placed on paid administrative leave after he outside the courthouse during the arraignment of a friend accused of spray painting anti-military graffiti on the high school.
Sroka claims it is punishment for his public opposition to a school policy that allows military recruiters on campus. The next day the processor for his classroom computer was gone. He said he suspects administrators took it to see if they could determine if he was linked to the vandalism or was using school property to plan protests. He denied doing either.
Sroka said when he became frustrated at not getting any answers about his computer, he went outside and took off his shoes and socks to relax.TT - File under whack jobs in the classroom.
When ordered by principal Roland R. Joyal Jr. to return inside, Sroka said he instead went to the trunk of his car where he had a bongo drum, several protest signs, and his an old coat reminiscent of the style worn by the Beatles on the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover.
Still barefoot but wearing the coat and a sign reading "1-2-3-4 I don't want your oil war" around his neck Sroka paraded around the parking lot banging on the bongo drum.
He said Joyal threatened to charge him with insubordination if he did not return inside. Instead, he walked off school property and headed down Front Street, still pounding on the drum.
