Students, parents and staff urge Radford board to restore teacher Luke Muncy amid prolonged absence

More than a dozen students, parents and Radford High School staff addressed the Radford City School Board on March 25 asking that teacher Luke Muncy be returned to his classroom after an extended leave.

The appeals came during the board's public-comment period, where Jenny Reif, a parent, said she was speaking on behalf of "Mr. Luke Muncy" and told the board that Muncy has been out of the classroom for 66 days and that more than 100 students staged a silent walkout in February in support of his return. "These students, many of whom are seniors, have been accepted into colleges based on their RHS transcripts," Reif said. "Sixty-six days without their credentialed instructor does not provide that education."

The student speakers said the substitute teacher, while appreciated for showing up, is not following the New River Community College–approved dual-enrollment syllabus and that the change has reduced the course's rigor. "We have strayed from the New River Community College approved syllabus," said Catherine Winski, a Radford High School senior. "We have had few collaborative class discussions, and we have strayed from the syllabus. For context, the class we are currently taking is called Survey of Women's Literature. While we're supposed to be reading books by female authors and analyzing them, we have been completing grammar packets."

Students described classroom environment and academic concerns. Whitney McGregor, a Radford High School senior, said Muncy's absence has "negatively affected the student body" and argued that the treatment of Muncy reflects an unfair double standard compared with how another teacher's reported conduct last year was handled. "I do not understand how Muncy, a male teacher, is being treated more harshly than a female teacher who had directly inappropriate interactions with several students," McGregor said.

Megan Thompson, a Radford High School staff member, framed the issue in terms of employment precedent for teachers: "If this board decides that, yes, teachers can be in jeopardy for noncriminal activities they engage in on their own, I would ask board members to consider how that precedent makes teachers feel," she said, urging the board to consider staff security and retention.

Several speakers asked the board to allow Muncy to return in time to witness students' graduations and to avoid jeopardizing students' dual-enrollment credit. Parents and students also said they circulated a petition signed by more than 120 parents, students, staff and community members.

Board members did not discuss personnel details in open session; the board later moved into a closed session and returned to public session to certify actions taken in closed session. The public comments did not result in an immediate, publicly announced board decision on Muncy's assignment.