Several dozen Fountain Hills and Phoenix residents lined the sidewalk and median alongside the Fountain Hills Unified School District administration building on Saturday, Oct. 11, to voice their support for Pam Aister.

Aister was dismissed from the District in late September following a hearing pertaining to disciplinary measures she had taken during the 2013-14 school year involving Four Peaks Elementary School students. A hearing attorney determined that Aister’s actions during the incident were an abuse of authority and provided grounds for termination. The board agreed with a four to one vote.

Chants stating “Stand with Pam, yes I am,” and “Pam Aister, America’s real teacher,” rang out while those gathered held up signs encouraging motorists to honk their horns as a show of support.

Fountain Hills residents Drew Schmitt and Jamie West were two sign-holders at the event, which organizers said was held on a Saturday so as not to interrupt the education process at the nearby high school.

“We wanted to support someone who was standing up against bullying, period,” Schmitt said.

Aister herself took part in the event and was quickly set upon by supporters after exiting her car; giving hugs, sharing stories and even sharing a rap about the local educator.

“I was so pleasantly amazed,” Aister said, referring to the turnout at the event.

“I’ve been amazed for days by the support. The ‘humbling’ word comes back. It’s so good to see everybody and see that support. There aren’t words.”

Other comments

Community comment concerning the firing of Pam Aister also continued during the Oct. 8 school board meeting, with residents speaking during the open call to the public on both sides of the matter.

Before speakers took the podium, Board President Helen Howard announced that nine submissions for the open call had been submitted simply stating support for the board’s decision to uphold the recommendation to dismiss Aister.

Fountain Hills resident Ann Langer agreed.

“You had to make a difficult decision, based on facts,” Langer said.

“You followed the recommendation of an unbiased, neutral party. You did your job.”

Langer went on to say that, having not been on the playground that day, few can be certain of what actually happened.

“What I do know is that accusations of racial bullying based on a gut feeling by this teacher has devastated this town,” she added.

“I’m sorry that your decision has made you and the families of these children targets.”

Speaking in support of Aister was Phoenix resident Ray Bradford, who said he heard about the incident on the local news and felt the need to comment.

“I don’t know all of the details of what occurred here,” Bradford said.

“But it appears to me that [Student 11] was abused by his peers and that a teacher stood up for him and said ‘I won’t tolerate this.’”

Bradford went on to say that, based on his understanding of the situation, the Board may have overstepped in its decision to dismiss Aister.

Fountain Hills resident Tara Lamar, however, disagreed.

“I’d like to personally commend you on the professional and thorough way in which you handled the recent hearing,” Lamar said after taking the podium.

Lamar stated that, having attended both special sessions and the hearing leading up to Aister’s dismissal, she found a “high caliber of diligence demonstrated by both attorneys” and thought the process was “handled with the utmost care and respect for all individuals.”

“Through my personal witnessing of all three forums, I have full faith in the process in which you derived your individual determinations,” Lamar added.