The Crystal City School District fired on Tuesday night a teacher who spoke out in class against interracial marriage to her students, some of whom were of mixed race.

School board members refused to provide the reasons behind their unanimous vote to fire Jendra Loeffelman, 52, of Bonne Terre, Mo.

But moments after the announcement, board president Linda Schilly embraced a parent of one of the children involved and said, "We were trying to put ourselves in the students' place."

The formal cause for the dismissal of the 13-year veteran of the district will be released Thursday or Friday, board members said.

The Crystal City district has about 700 students.

The vote to fire Loeffelman for the comments made on Oct. 23 indicates the board believes Loeffelman knew that she was violating the school district's policy against racial harassment.

In a public hearing this month, however, Loeffelman maintained she was simply giving an honest opinion to a student who was working on an opinion paper about interracial marriage for another class.

Her concern, she said, was that mixed-race children are subject to persecution.

Loeffelman could not be reached for comment Tuesday night, but her attorney said he would counsel her today to file an appeal to the Jefferson County Circuit Court.

There was no proof Loeffelman knew she was violating policy, said Chuck Ford, who was hired to represent her by the Missouri State Teachers Association.

The district might have had reason to discipline her, but not to cancel her contract, he said during the hearing.

"Obviously, this isn't the end of it," Ford said. "If she'd had any idea there was a policy against saying those words, and giving that opinion, I don't think she'd have done it."

Grace Bingham, 32, a parent of a mixed-race student, wants Loeffelman's teaching certificate revoked, in addition to her dismissal.

Bingham testified in the hearing that Loeffelman told her during a phone call that mixed-race students often came to class unkempt, and that interracial couples should be "fixed" to prevent reproduction.

"She doesn't deserve a second chance," Bingham said. "Throughout all this she never once said 'I'm sorry' to the people she hurt."

District residents attending a basketball game Tuesday while the board deliberated had mixed opinions about how the district should have acted.

"I think she deserves to be terminated," said Bob Schembre, 46, a pastor. "I think a teacher has more responsibility to be cautious and sensitive when speaking than the average citizen."

But Ed Sweet, 79, a Crystal City resident, said he thinks Loeffelman was simply caught off guard.

"I think the school is wrong," he said. "A kid asked her a question, and she answered the best she could."

Copyright © 2003, St. Louis Post-Dispatch