
Mesa Public Schools said it is looking into the incident.
On Tuesday, the teacher told 12News they dressed up that way for Halloween spirit week. The teacher explained that the theme was “dynamic duos” and that a teacher next door dressed as an angel.
“Participating in spirit weeks is a way for me to connect with my students and make class fun,” the teacher said. “It’s honestly nothing more than that.”
However, Hamlet said he felt insulted by the costume due to his religious beliefs.
“I said, ‘Don’t do that to me,’ and I pushed [the pitchfork] away maybe three or four times, but he kept doing it,” Hamlet said.
Nathaniel then told his father, Chris Hamlet, a former Mesa school board candidate, about what happened. Chris said he reported it to the school’s principal.
“I was really upset because I’m a Christian too,” Chris Hamlet said. “The main issue for me is, the teacher kept doing it even when my son asked him to stop.”
The next day, Nathaniel said the teacher was not in class and hasn’t returned since. Mesa Public Schools said the teacher is now on paid administrative leave.
A spokesperson for Mesa Public Schools gave 12News a statement on the incident:
“Mesa Public Schools administration was notified of the alleged incident late Wednesday afternoon. Our Human Resources department started investigating Thursday morning and put the teacher on paid leave. The investigation is still ongoing.”
Some parents picking up their kids from school on Monday told 12News that while they don’t agree with what the teacher did, they feel that firing him might be too extreme.
I Received a Letter from a Stranger Pleading for Help, but I Never Imagined How It Would Turn Out – Story of the Day

After my fiancé betrayed me and kicked me out, I was lost. While sitting on the steps with my belongings, I found a letter from a stranger asking for help. With nothing left to lose, I decided to find out more.
Stan, my fiancé, had been out of work for months, but when I came home after a long shift, I found him in bed with someone else. Furious, I confronted him, and within minutes, I was outside with my things.
Feeling lost, I found a mysterious letter asking for help. I followed it to an address and met Lorelai, an elderly woman in the hospital. She needed help with her home and offered me a place to stay in return. Over time, she became like family, and I learned to value myself through her kindness and wisdom.
When Lorelai passed away, I found out she had left me her house and garden, turning one of my darkest days into a new beginning.
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