Community signs petition in support of teacher caught in fight

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Days after being caught in the middle of a fight, the Clay High School Teacher who tried to break it up has over two thousand people supporting his job security.

That teacher, Mr. Mood, has since been put on leave.

The fight has circled the internet. It shows Mr. Mood trying to break up a fight between two Clay High School girls, and when that doesn’t work, he appears to start swinging.

Now a petition has generated over two thousand signatures from the community in support of the teacher and his job.

“If I could sign it a thousand times I would,” said Clay High School Parent Danny Taborn.

People signing petition praise Mood for the teacher he is and supports claims that he was protecting other students and himself.

“He’s been a stellar teacher for years and years,” said Taborn.

Danny Taborn graduated from Clay High School himself, and so have four of his children.  But he also has two daughters still enrolled there.

“I know who Mr. Mood is, not just as a teacher, but as a person,” he said “Very gracious, very out spoken, and he will teach your kid if your kid wants to learn.” 

But Taborn isn’t the only one expressing support for Mr. Mood. Hundreds are praising his years of teaching and his actions during the fight.

“Mr. Mood is a good teacher; he’s one of the better teachers out there. We don’t want to lose a good teacher,” Taborn said.

SBCSC is investigating the incident. See their statement here.

Mr. Mood’s fate will be determined by the school board. There is a regular scheduled school board meeting next Monday, however it is unclear if Mr. Mood’s position will be discussed.

“Clay has so many things that they offer these students, and for this to be the spotlight to bring clay out, I think it’s a tragedy,” Taborn said.

ABC57 has reached out to a parent of one student involved in the fight to hear how they feel about the incident, but we have not yet received a response.