Former teacher Dryden running for Batavia School Board

BATAVIA After making headlines last year when he instructed his students that they had the Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate themselves before answering an in-class survey about emotional and at-risk behavior, former Batavia High School social studies teacher John Dryden is among eight candidates running for three seats on the Batavia School Board in April.

Dryden in October retired from Batavia School District 101. Dryden has said that in the days leading up to his retirement, he was facing a disciplinary action from a parent who complained about a lesson he gave on the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Dryden said he was facing a three-day, unpaid suspension for teaching an unauthorized lesson.

The district told him he would have to use only school board-approved sources in the future, Dryden said. But, he said, the school boards only approved sources are textbooks.

In running for school board, Dryden has said that he wants to create an environment that is collaborative. He taught for Batavia School District 101 for 21 years.

There are three seats open on the Batavia School Board in Aprils election. The terms of board President Cathy Dremel, along with the terms of board members Gregg Hodge and Melanie Impastato, will expire next year.

Dremel filed to run for re-election, along with Impastato, who was appointed to the board in June 2013 after the resignation of school board member Kathleen Roberts.

Other Batavia School Board candidates include William Bill Gabriel, Ellen Knautz, Christopher Lowe, Michelle Olache and Ron Rechenmacher.

Eric Schelkopf

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Former teacher Dryden running for Batavia School Board