Does Pasco have wizards? Find out tonight!

Two weeks ago, producers from Comedy Central's Colbert Report descended upon Land O'Lakes to seek the "truthiness" of a Pasco substitute teacher's claim that he was fired for wizardry.

If you want to know what they found, watch the show tonight.

The show confirms that its "wizard piece" will run this evening (11:30 p.m. EST), along with a special performance by R.E.M.

You might see the sub, Jim Piculas, and you might see School Board chairwoman Kathryn Starkey, among others. But you won't be seeing any Gradebook reporters. The producers tell me my 30-minute interview hit the cutting room floor. Probably for the best.

Comments

[Just a Girl]

Embarrassment,
In your 1st post you seem to think that "female jealousies" are coming through about Starkey. Then you say "another woman" would have complained if Starkey had no comment.

You want us to keep personal attacks to ourselves, but then you feel free to bash women in general. Sounds like an attack to me, and one that's pretty personal!

[Parker]

I think we are missing the big issue here. I am a teacher in Pinellas, and if this segment was about my county, I would laugh just as hard. Humor is the spice of life, and laughing at yourself is one of the most important tools a teacher can learn.

[Parker]

I think we are missing the big issue here. I am a teacher in Pinellas, and if this segment was about my county, I would laugh just as hard. Humor is the spice of life, and laughing at yourself is one of the most important tools a teacher can learn.

[Steve]

Angry, did you say something at the board meeting last night?

[Teacher]

I agree with Harry. They should look into it further, but they won't. Many teachers do not give subs adequate lesson plans. Who's to say that this guy wasn't doing his very best to keep the students settled down until the end of the period?

I am glad Piculas got the exposure he did. Maybe next time the PCSB will handle things with a little more decorum.

Still, it made for funny television!

[Timmy!]

Rumor is Piculas is in line for Hillsborough County's Assistant Superintendent for Smoke & Mirrors position.

[Harry Potter]

The real wizard connection to this story has not been exposed. The Substitute Supervisor from the Pasco Personnel department who originally called Piculas, Pat Sinclair is the one who first used the word wizard when she spoke with him and started the whole ball rolling. If you've ever been exposed to this hysterical woman she looks and acts just like Dolores Umbridge and the truth is her department does not like retired professionals in their teaching sphere. Why doesn't someone actually investigate this entire story. We still have never gotten the truth from the media which tells part of the tale and then forgets about the rest. The really bad wizards are the local folks in the media who scratch the surface and disappear.

[An angry SAC chairman]

It does not surprise me that Kathryn appeared in the segment. When there is free media coverage, of any type, Starkey is there to put a face on it.

[Poo Bear]

Kathryn would more likely be turned into a chipmunk with her puffy cheeks. For a frog, look at Marge...

[Tom]

I agree with "teacher" that no one from PCSB should have agreed to do interviews. They, "Comedy Central", could have done the piece with just Piculus and the magic shop.

I also agree that it was funny. I don't think it gave "Us" a black eye. I would rather see a humorous piece like this done than another story on a Tampa Bay Area teacher having "relations" with a student.

[An angry SAC chairman]

Oh no, now I spelled "meant" wrong. Time to go to bed and use a spell checker in the future!

[An angry SAC chairman]

I made a typo. I ment to say that Starkey did not "even" get her name right. Oops.

[An angry SAC chairman]

I have a great sense of humor. And, the wizard piece may have been humorous. However, I was offended by it. It made our school district look like a joke. But, I liked that they turned Starkey in to a frog. I wonder if she knew that they were going to do that. She could not ever get Piculas' name right. I wonder what the reaction will be at the School Board meeting that is coming up later today. I will be there to observe and possibly comment on it.

[Teacher]

That was one of the FUNNIEST things I have seen on television in a long time! Maybe it's because I am so close to the subject matter, but that was a great satire- everybody looked foolish, Piculas included.

"Mr. Piculas was not fired for being a wizard... blah blah blah." -K. Starkey

Should have know better!

[Houston]

If you can't laugh at yourself...

[Teacher]

I can't wait to watch it and see how the spin it. I'm sure it will be hilarious!

More to come tomorrow, I'm sure!

[An angry SAC chairman]

Teacher, I am with you that all Pasco School Board members as well as staff should have said "no comment" to interviews from Comedy Central. The fired sub is on his own.

Wow, I certainly started off quite an exchange.

I bet that we all will be writing tomorrow after seeing the piece on Colbert!!!

[Embarrassment]

Keep your personal attacks to yourself.

[Teacher]

Embarrassment, I don't see you putting your real first and last name on your post, so what's your point?

All PCSB members should have said "No comment," to interviews from Comedy Central. Anyway, most Colbert watchers know that his show is satire and won't take this segment very seriously. I highly doubt it will be a "black eye" for our county any more than our disgrace of a superintendent is!

[Transplant]

After this story hit the media, I, another sub, heard many stories of this idiots inability to control classrooms. I strongly believe his record of ineptness was supported by doing magic tricks instead of lessons. his method of fighting the decision supports my opinion.

Therefore, the parent complaint of "wizardy" instead of following the lesson plan is justifiable.

End of story...lets solve this budget crisis where teachers get thier steps and Superintendent Fiorentinio, who is doing an great job (my objective view point so don't fight me) and the union can work together and to make Pasco County Schools the best in the state.

The way I see it, the board/supt are constantly defending themselves one month at a time; instead of working toward the future.

[Tom]

Embarrassment...,

You won't have to worry about having him sub in your classroom. If you would have read the original story, you would know that we was fired as a sub in Pasco County.

I actually taught in a classroom next to a room where he was subbing a few times and his room was always noisy and I also heard from a teacher he subbed for that he didn't follow the lesson plan and the kids turned in nothing.

[LMAO]

Merlin: You are funny...maybe you should write for the comedy channel.

[Merlin]

What happened to the wizard who brushed his teeth with gunpowder?

He kept shooting his mouth off!

[Embarrassment to all Pasco teachers and subs]

The pure fact that the story is on the comedy channel, is just sickening to all Pasco teachers and subs as we do the best we can to educate all our students.

Unfortunately, it will give Pasco county educators a black eye. I promise you I will request that he never subs for me EVER, and if he does, I will file a grievance.

In regards to Kathy being in the papers, that comment is just pathetic. She is the chair and your (female) jealousies come through very clearly. If she didn’t comment someone else (another woman) would complain just as loudly. Also, please don't use this forum for personal jealous attacks, especially when you don’t dare post your real first AND last name. In my mother’s guidance, if you can’t say something nice...don’t say it at all.

[An angry SAC chairman]

Jeff, I am not surprised that your boss nixed your interview from the story.

[An angry SAC chairman]

Jeff, I am not surprised that your boss nixed your interview from the story.

[An angry SAC chairman]

I have yet to see the story but I have read about it twice now. I feel very strongly that this story should not have ever made it onto the Colbert Report on COMEDY CENTRAL. My guess is that it pokes fun at my family’s school district which my wife and I work hard to support both financially and with many volunteer hours. My wife and I have 2 elementary aged children. Dumb Kathryn Starkey wanted her moment of fame on TV, but was very stupid to participate. Her lack of professionalism continues to rear its ugly head. Shame on her for representing Pasco County's schools this way.