An Edmonton teacher who was fired for defying his school鈥檚 鈥渘o zero鈥� policy says he鈥檚 landed a new job.
Lynden Dorval says he鈥檚 accepted a teaching position at Tempo, a provincially accredited private school in Edmonton鈥檚 Riverbend area. The school caters to students in kindergarten through to Grade 12.
Dorval was fired from his job as a physics teacher at Ross Sheppard High School after he defied the school鈥檚 policy to not give students zero grades for incomplete assignments.
He told 麻豆影视 that there鈥檚 no 鈥渘o zero鈥� policy at his new school.
鈥淭hey give zeroes. They made that very clear,鈥� Dorval said with a chuckle.
Dorval said he鈥檒l be teaching advanced-placement physics, a slight curriculum change from his previous job teaching international baccalaureate (IB) physics.
鈥淚t鈥檚 fairly high level physics and with very good students,鈥� he said. 鈥淔or a physics teacher, that鈥檚 kind of a dream job.鈥�
Dorval begins his new job on Oct. 16, a day after his termination from the Edmonton Public School Board takes effect. Meanwhile, Dorval said he still plans to appeal the board鈥檚 decision to fire him.
The veteran teacher of 35 years was first suspended from Ross Sheppard last May.
Policy at the high school requires teachers to give students 鈥渂ehavioural codes鈥� -- such as an 鈥淣HI鈥� for 鈥渘ot handed in鈥� -- instead of zeroes for incomplete work.
But Dorval, now nicknamed the 鈥淗ero of Zero,鈥� insisted on giving out zero grades. He argued that his approach teaches students to be resilient and better prepares them for life outside of school.
Principal Ron Bradley requested Dorval鈥檚 termination in a letter to the Edmonton Public School Board which cited Dorval鈥檚 鈥渙bvious neglect of duty as a professional teacher, his repeated insubordination and his continued refusal to obey lawful orders.鈥�
He was formally terminated last Friday.
Dorval has received an outpouring of support from parents, teachers and other supporters who maintain the 鈥渘o zero鈥� policy only coddles students and promotes feelings of entitlement.
Superintendent Edgar Schmidt has called arguments against the policy 鈥渙versimplified,鈥� and maintains that the rule doesn鈥檛 prevent students from failing classes if they refuse to do work.
With files from CTV Edmonton
