Duval teacher faces termination for repeated profanity directed at students

A math teacher within Ribault High School is facing termination after the District finds she used profanity directed at her students- and it’s not the first time.

WOKV obtained the investigation in to Joyce Quiller, who teaches with The Bridge to Success program at Ribault. The Duval County School District first began this investigation in January, after receiving complaints from students and parents about Quiller’s conduct.

The investigation shows eight students in 10^th and 11^th grade met with the District, seven of whom accuse Quiller of using a range of profanities and having a general disregard for their work. One student said Quiller asked a student who came to school without a pencil "What is the point in coming to the mother f****** class if you do not bring materials". Another heard Quiller tell a student to "Shut the f*** up". When a separate student asked for make-up work, Quiller allegedly told her "I am not going to help you with s*** else". Still another said Quiller "criticizes him and calls him a N*****.

Those students also say Quiller refuses to let them turn in work, doesn’t answer questions, and tells the class who is getting an “F” in front of all the other students.  An academic audit was performed on Quiller’s class as a result of these allegations. The investigation says that found she had assigned 108 of her 140 students “F’s”, or 77.1%.  The investigation says 90.7% of Quiller’s students received a “D” or “F”.

One of the students questioned did not have the same problems with Quiller. She told investigators Quiller is strict and does not put up with students who do not want to try, but she did not remember hearing Quiller use profanity. Another teacher placed in Quiller’s room to help for a period of time said Quiller does get angry and students had reported profanity to her, but she had also never heard it directly. The teacher further said she sits in the back of the room, and the students said most of the profanity were said softly, where only those immediately around Quiller could hear.

Quiller herself submitted a written statement to investigators saying she was “appalled and disturbed” by the allegations.  She denies using any profanity and says she helps her student pull their grades up as much as possible. Further, Quiller says the Assistant Principal has a vendetta against her.

This is not Quiller’s first run-in with DCPS investigators. In December 2001, she received a written reprimand for saying she was “pissed” in the presence of students. In April 2013 she received a verbal reprimand for making an inappropriate comment to a student including “your mammy”.  As recently as October 2013, she received yet another written reprimand for using profanity and derogatory language on several occasions in the presence of students. Investigators believe she said phrases like “Sit your a** down”, “get out my f****** class”, and “pull your damn pants up”. Quiller was still receiving counseling as a result of the most recent reprimand when this most recent investigation happened.

Quiller has been given a period of time to determine whether she wants to appeal. The School Board voted last week to suspend her immediately pending termination. The documents detailing the investigation weren’t considered public record until today. Quiller has 15 business days following the School Board vote to appeal, and as of call of business March 11th she had not filed one.