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Flomaton Band Director Terminated For Gun On Campus
July 24, 2012
The Flomaton High School band director was terminated Monday for having a gun on the school campus last school year.
John Lambert was fired by the Escambia County (Ala.) School Board on a 5-1 vote, with board member Cindy Jackson voting against the termination recommendation by Superintendent Randall Little.
Last May, custodian Rita Folmar reported to school officials that she had found a handgun inside a closed bag in Lambert’s locked band room office. Lambert and the band were on a school sponsored trip to Atlanta at the time of the discovery.
Shortly after the gun was found, Lambert first submitted his resignation, but then rescinded it.
Lambert and Folmar were both placed on suspension with pay pending the outcome of the school district’s investigation. A hearing for Folmar was scheduled for Monday but was continued to a later date.
Past and present band members rallied behind Lambert, writing letters and organizing a Facebook movement in support of Lambert retaining his position.
Pictured: Former Flomaton High School Band Director John Lambert marches with the Hurricane Band in the 2011 Flomaton Christmas Parade. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Comments
40 Responses to “Flomaton Band Director Terminated For Gun On Campus”
Nicole—> With a CWP (concealed weapons permit) in florida you can carry a gun into a movie theater.
The bottom line is he was out of line. He secretly had the gun. I’m not saying we shouldn’t have armed security at school. I would be the first in line to vote yes for that!
The bottom line is he broke a rule. And you never know what is going to happen. I feel sorry for him, but the school board has to make what they believe is absolutely the safest decision for everyone.
I personally miss the days when the guys all had their guns on their gun racks in their trucks and always had a pocket knife on them. I personally have a weapon, and although I would love to, I am of sound mind enough not to carry on a school campus, court house, movie theater, or any other place where I would be breaking a rule or law, but if I did I would expect punishment- not necessarily the punishment I would want, but the punishment that is decided by those in the place to give it.
I hate they had to fire this man, but I’m sure they were trying to do what they felt was in the best interest of everyone. Not everyone knows this man and not everyone likes him. That part is a matter of opinion. The fact and the bottom line is he broke the rule. A very controversial and important one.
Now you know who has been stealing items at the school. The snooping custodian must go. We agree with AC, schools that have responsible armed adults or police officers stationed within schools will unlikely have a Columbine type event.
@ Rocky—> I couldn’t agree more!
And can someone tell me the last time a gunman attacked the public using a gun he found at the scene????
We should slap him on the wrist and send him back on his way like our govt does with the other 99.9% of the worlds criminals. (30 day suspension w/o pay)
He could have deliberately locked three children in that same office and set fire to the place and would be back in action in 8.3 years according to recent stories. Instead he will probably never be able to teach again.
Well let’s see…
– Aurora the gunman elected a place that banned guns on the premises.
– Columbine the gunman elected a place that banned guns on the premises.
– Fort Hood the gunman elected a place that banned guns on the premises.
– Gabby Gifford shooting, gunman elected a place that would ban guns on the premisis.
I could go on and on with this folks. Gunmen as a rule elect to hold their shootings on premises that prohibit law abiding citizens from carrying a gun. Why? Because they don’t want any resistence. They want to carry out their objective without being shot at themselves.
If Mr. Lambert felt he needed a gun on campus, maybe there is a reason why, and maybe he could save the lives of a few of the children under his tutelage. In fact, it might be your child’s life he saves.
Joe: Exactly! Couldn’t have said that any better!
joe wrote:
“Well the laws and rules of the school board are what they are, if you do not like them, work to change them.
Guns have no place in schools with the exception of them as side arms for law enforcement assigned to the school.
the question of this man and him being a good guy are not the issue, the issue is
HE HAD A GUN ON SCHOOL GROUNDS!
I try not to judge anyone, this is what it is, the consequences of breaking the rules!”
Agree with FHS Parent.
And obviously he didn’t go above and beyond… he brought a gun to school! That’s a big deal and lapse in judgement and a rule is rule. Teachers especially should live by this. He definitely should be held to a higher standard than a 17 yr old student… no if, ands, or buts! By the way, I am pro-gun for our country… but in the right hands at the right place and time. If we want security for our campus which I am all for, that’s a whole other agenda.
Dear A Ridiculous Mess: As far as a student finding a gun… when trying to be be safe and not sorry, which is what everyone with common sense should do, we must not simply assume or take this person’s word that the story he is telling about why the gun was on campus on this day. Who really knows for certain that this wasn’t common practice for him… he just got caught on this day when the students were not there. Furthermore, students do go into the band room before loading the bus and when getting off the bus when they get back from a trip. When dealing with other people’s children, in the case a school campus- you must always be safe rather than sorry! That to me is common sense! If not, then later when someone is shot or dead then it would be too late to say this guy shouldn’t have had a gun on campus and the school should have had some way of preventing it. I bet – if a student HAD found the gun or if someone HAD gotten shot- then over half of the supporters of the person who had the gun on campus would not be his supporters and would be still be spouting shame, shame, shame… but for a different, more tragic reason.
It is a sad state of affairs when one cannot leave a closed case in a closed bag inside a LOCKED office and go on a trip without it being pilfered with. Shame shame shame on the group that fired this gentleman who had sense enough to take the gun out of his truck and put it into his LOCKED office so that it would not be a threat to anyone in his absence. Heaven help us all—-the world has gone insane and taken those in authority with it—-is there no common sense anymore?——- as far as a student finding the gun——- School is out and surely the administration of the school knows how many keys there are to private offices so that students would not have access to the offices.
I dont live in Flomaton and don’t have a dog in this fight…..but to those who voted to fire this obviously ,loved band director….boooooooo!!!OK ,you’ve ‘technically” done the” right thing “in a” zero tolerance”cenerio.Give it a week and ask Mr.Lambert to reapply and give him back to Flomaton H.S. as their band director.You crossed your T’s and dotted your I’s.Obviously there was a logical explanation as to why the gun was there.Its wierd how we allow the killing of babies in this country….but will not give grace where an obvious, unintentional,no harm intended mistake was made.It really seems to me the people who elected you, want this man leading the FHS band this fall at the games.
to me : No not everything is black and white, but NO TOLERANCE says it all. I didn’t say I agreeed with no tolerance, but I agree with following the rules. Ever since last year when the boy got expelled everyone has known the rule was no tolerance. I am not aware of any movement to try to get this rule changed. An adult should be held to higher standard than a seventeen year old.
It is funny, when I went to school a teacher gave me a gun to take home and clean for him. I picked it up at school and took it back to school. In our machine shop class we made parts for guns and refurbished/refinished old guns. Students brought real guns to history class as part of a class assignment. People who went through other people’s property were at least chastised if not punished in some other way. In the same vein, every male student had a knife and the lady teachers would ask the nearest male student for their knife, when needed, and EXPECT HIM TO HAVE ONE! How sad that things have changed so much.
to FHS PARENT: You’re correct in that people break the law/rules and I think they should be held accountable for their actions….Not everything is black & white and just like the case with the student, there were certain circumstances behind that situation. Now in the case of Mr. Lambert, the “punishment” for breaking rules was not termination it was termination or another suitable punishment, depending what was recommened by the superintendent. The superintendent recommended termination. So he didn’t have to be terminated. I am totally for our children’s safety and that we should “All” be accountable for what we do.
and KAY… I totally agree!
Another wonderful decision by Escambia County “leadership”. Mr. Lambert went above and beyond for Flomaton Highschool. Also, its amazing to think that the main focus is on the gun, and there is no mention of the cleaning personel digging through school and personal property…
RULES are RULES. This is why our world is in such back shape now. Read the paper or watch the news. No one adhears to RULES or LAWS. This is a teacher breaking the RULES! Do you think it’s okay to teach our kids that broken RULES go unpunished? I am embarrassed to say my children go to a school where all the parents, students and teachers think it is okay for a teacher to break the RULES! Just ask yourselfs what you would be saying now if a student had found that gun and shot someone!
I am also embarrassed to have a school board member who voted to get votes (for herself) instead of standing up for what she thought was right. She just lost one vote!
Mark, sir, you need to get all your facts straight before commenting! This was in ESC CO AL, not FL! Plus, this has happened before at the same school & the young man was kicked out….It was a hunting gun left over from hunting, left in his truck! Yes, rules are rules, but everything is not black & white….Rules are made to be changed or broken! I’m sure if he would have brought the gun out to protect the children from some nut job trying to kill everyone he’d be a hero & folks wouldn’t be do quick to judge! I’m glad all the folks judging him are perfect. Whew, it must be so nice!!!!!!
The custodian needs to be fired for plundering in his personal belongings.there were no students on campus at the time of the incident.i think things would have been different had students been at school. So I say fire the one plundering in someone else’s belongings.
My child goes to that school I would feel a lot better if the teachers were armed.look at the things that go on around you.
Mr. Lambert was truly a great band director. My grandson learned so much from him. I am so glad he has graduated and will not have to decide whether to stay in the band or not. A sad day that a person that devoted his retirement years to helping young people learn music had to be treated this way. The custodian had no business at all going through his personal belongings. I appreciate Mrs. Jackson for standing up for what was right. Sad that we can’t vote the other board members off!!!
With the Violoence at School’s these days it should be mandatory for the Teacher’s to carry Guns . I bet there wouldnt be anymore COLUMBINE or VIRGINIA TECH Shootings . I say Fire the Theiving Custodian and Pat him on the Back !!
Well the laws and rules of the school board are what they are, if you do not like them, work to change them.
Guns have no place in schools with the exception of them as side arms for law enforcement assigned to the school.
the question of this man and him being a good guy are not the issue, the issue is
HE HAD A GUN ON SCHOOL GROUNDS!
I try not to judge anyone, this is what it is, the consequences of breaking the rules!
Wow, so many people defending him. What if this was a STUDENT bringing a weapon onto campus? Should we be discussing the student’s impeccable academic record? His involvement in the community?
NO!!
It is NOT political correctness here, it is a well published rule which HE chose to break. Or tell me, do the rules NOT apply to some people?
We have rules and laws for a reason. YOU can choose to abide by those rules and laws, or you can take your chances.
Both should be fired and blackballed from working in a Florida school district again.
This is wrong! Mr. Lambert should not of been fired!!!
The necessity for courage among our local elected officials is a compelling case for voting out all but the one lone dissenter on the school board.
John Lambert has now become the sacrificial lamb upon the altar of political correctness where this board apparently worships.
Somehow, at some point, this became an issue greater than whether or not Mr. Lambert had an impeccable career record in at least 3 school districts. Some would say it has to do with Folmar being black and Lambert being white and some discord between the two. Others would say it’s spineless politicians seeking their own gain.
Yet at the end of the day, 30+ years of service to the students of this area, time spent in the national guard and service to his community were flushed down the drain for no good reason. Couldn’t he have been suspended without pay for a while and allowed to return to work? Wouldn’t that have been the reasonable course of action?
What needs to happen here is that the community who supported him needs to get out in full force and vote. Vote for the opposition, whomever it may be. Wallace Coleman is running against Brooks. Coleman is a Republican. Everything should also thank Cindy Jackson for being the one voice of reason on that board.
@ Former Band Member Parent:
Truly a sad day! Flomaton had the BEST band in the county. Mr. Lambert is an excellent band teacher.
You are so right! My daughter has only been in band for 3 years, but now has decided to quit the band since Mr. Lambert will not be her teacher.
I want to thank Mrs. Jackson for standing up for what is right. I WILL REMEMBER YOU NEXT ELECTION!!!!! KEEP DOING WHAT YOU ARE DOING, WHICH IS AN EXCELLENT JOB!
As for the custodian, I wonder how much other stuff has went missing from the school and students, since she obviously has a tendency to plunder and take things that she hasn’t worked for.
@ Nicole-
The door was locked. I don’t think a student would have stumbled on it because the custodian has the key to the office not the students!
I agree with AC Teachers who wish to have a gun on location should go thru certification just like LE’s do. I also think the custodian needs to be punished for invading the privacy and personal property of a fellow faculity member. What was the custodian doing digging around in the other persons stuff in the first place? Sounds like the custodian was up to nothing good. Just saying.
@sniper,HUH? thats a really silly thing to say. Anyway he shouldn’t have had the gun,but this custodian was obviously snooping somewhere they didn’t have the right to. If police gather evidence in a way they shouldn’t, it’s thrown out.Sooooo?
Mr. Lambert made a mistake putting the bag in his office,whether knowing the gun was still in the bag or not, but the custodian had no business looking in his possesions either! How dumb can you be to enter into someone elses belongings then tell on them??duh??!! The band hadn’t even been there that day, it’s not like there was something to clean. But she definitely needs to be fired. She can’t be trusted.
The custodian should be fired too. She was wrong to be looking through other people’s belongings and taking money from Mr. Lambert. I don’t think most people know that he was missing money after he got back. He is not the one in the wrong. She is.
Truly a sad day! Flomaton had the BEST band in the county. Mr. Lambert is an excellent band teacher. He taught my daughter many years ago and she learned more from him than any other band teacher.
ALL teachers should be aloud to carry a gun.
Parents should encourage them to do so. I
f a man wanted to come on school property to kill kids because he is crazy, he wouldn’t have a chance to do so.
He broke the law once he entered the building with the weapon.
This is another example of elected officials doing what they want to do instead of listening to the people who put them there. I realize that the superintendent is not elected but all the little “yes” people who voted with him are.
I guess this is just their way of saving money.
I do agree that the gun should not be on campus but if the band was away on a trip, he probably had the gun in his bag and when he realized it, it was probably safer to lock the gun in a closed bag in his office than in the vehicles with the kids. That was until Ms. Folmar decided to see what good things she could find in the closed bag in a locked office.
Anyone could have broke into that office and got the gun. Zero tolerance or not, the gun was unattended and on a school campus. How can anyone defend him?
and for that matter…why do we put armed deputies on school campuses??? Like Phil Valentine said yesterday. “Put a sign in my front yard that says “This house is ARMED” and put a sign in my neighbors yard that says “We do not believe in owning guns”. Which house do you think is gonna get hit first?”
Guns don’t kill people. People kill people. Does that mean toasters don’t toast? Toast toasts toast?
In my opinion, there should be armed faculty on school campuses. They should have to complete a firearms certifcation course, similar to law enforcement, and it should be done on a voluntary basis; but, unfortunately, in this day and age we need armed professionals in our schools and colleges, as well as armed pilots on airplanes. Zero tolerance is not the way to go. Well-trained armed professionals that have gone through a screening process would be a much better alternative. That way, the next nutjob who decides to shoot up a school cannot attack with as much confidence that he will meet little or no resistance. Notice that these people always attack people they know are unarmed: schools, universities, movie theaters; never police stations, gun shows, or shooting ranges.
The custodian should be fired as well…..why is it ok for her to go through a closed bag in a locked office. She was plainly looking for something to steal or she would not of been going thru the staff’s personal property. There are rules on zero tolerance of firearms on school campuses , but there are also rules on county employees stealing. If we are going to follow procedure for guns , we need to follow procedure for stealing. And it’s hard to stumble up on something in a locked office!
Hope he gets a lawyer and sues. From what i read he had it in a case, locked in in his office. The janitor was snooping.
He shouldn’t have a gun on campus- bottom line. If they expel a student for it, they must fire the teacher for it. In my opinion the custodian should be fired too. Why was she snooping through his belongings??? I don’t want her stealing my child’s belongings… it’s enough to hope students don’t steal, and certainly shouldn’t have to worry about the staff stealing. I realize it hasn’t been proven that she did steal his money, but I don’t believe she had any right to plunder through his bag. You never know these days though when a seemingly normal person is going to snap and a student could have stumbled on it instead of the custodian. Good thing it was found, but I say they both should be fired.