Dear Editor,

Recently the news of the destaffing of Mr. (Thomas) Prassa has reached the unwanting ears of all students of WS. Mr. Prassa, our resident Peer Helping teacher and Ultimate Frisbee Club sponsor, has always been a student favorite and an integral part of the WS community.

Although revered as the ideal “cool” teacher, Mr.  Prassa, or Prassa to most, has been deemed expendable by WS and will be without his job of four years in a simple month. While the administration or those who control the budget may see Prassa as replaceable or unnecessary, many if not all students who have met this man will protest this vehemently.

WS sets out with the goals of transforming students’ lives in order to shape them for the future and Prassa has left only a trail of goodwill and moral education in his wake.  A petition of more than 100 students and the silent majority of many more, falls on the deaf ears of the administration, yet I speak out as one of the group in the effort to keep Prassa here.

Although I am a senior and the direct impact of Prassa staying or going would not affect me, I believe much of his legacy is unwritten at WS and the adverse positive effects on all students he left behind is a fraction of the potential he offers if he were to continue as a teacher here.

Prassa never hesitated to connect with the students as “one of us” while other teachers would play the “adult” card and stress their obvious maturity, which we “children” lacked. Prassa, as a leader and as a friend, deserves better than this and I do and will never hesitate in my support of Thomas Prassa.

May of his unique talents and positive personality help many other students wherever he may go, the same way he helped me and so many others.

Thanks,

Jason Tate