Monterey County teacher on leave for alleged profanity, slurs in class
By Felix Cortez
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SAN ARDO, Calif. (KSBW) — A teacher at San Ardo School in South Monterey County is under investigation for allegedly using profanity and inappropriate gestures in the classroom, including using the N word, the B word, and regularly dropping F-bombs during classroom instruction.
“The teacher was doing bad things and saying bad things to the students,” said parent Beatriz Godinez.
The teacher in question is Gaige Bailey, a second-year teacher at San Ardo Elementary School. Parents say Ms. Bailey teaches 7th and 8th grades.
The investigation was initiated after a photo of Bailey allegedly giving the finger to students went viral on social media.
The school principal and superintendent, Catherine Reimer, confirmed the investigation, stating, “We are currently investigating the allegations involving the teacher in question. The employee has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.”
“I mean, it’s a little disheartening because a lot of the community members actually care about our students, and it’s hard when our kids are kind of susceptible to adults that have this kind of behavior,” said parent and school trustee Alexis Martinez.
The principal confirmed that the photo obtained by Action News 8 is part of the investigation and said she initiated the investigation when the picture went viral on social media. But parents say they brought up concerns about Ms. Bailey weeks before and felt they weren’t being heard.
“It’s a good start, but honestly, that’s the only thing she did because it took her so many times for us to come. I even went to the education over there in Salinas (the Monterey County Office of Education) to make them come over here and do something about the school,” said Godinez.
“It is important that our students feel heard, that our parents and community members feel seen because when things are swept under the rug, only bad things happen from there,” added Martinez.
But Ms. Bailey’s problems extend beyond the classroom; she’s also under investigation for allegedly bringing drugs into the prison at her former job at the Correctional Training Facility in Soledad.
Bailey has been charged with several felonies, including possessing a controlled substance for sale, transportation, bringing a controlled substance into prison and conspiracy.
Trustee Martinez remarked, “I don’t think that there’s any place near a school with people that have those kind of allegations against them.”
The timeline for the investigation’s conclusion is currently unknown, and Bailey remains on paid administrative leave.
Attempts to reach Bailey through her criminal defense attorney have been unsuccessful.
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