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Marion County teacher accused of calling Future Farmers of America students ‘murderers'

MARION COUNTY, Fla. — A Marion County teacher is on unpaid leave after he was accused of bullying and harassing students.

Thomas Allison Jr., 53, a science teacher at Horizon Academy at Marion Oaks near Ocala, is accused of calling students in the Future Farmers of America program “murderers.”

The program teaches students how to run a farm. The students he was allegedly bullying were raising livestock to be sold for slaughter.

Students involved in the program said Allison made them feel like they were involved in animal cruelty.

They said the comments were made during class, and that Allison would use lecture them about slaughtering or killing animals, animal cruelty and called them “murderers.”

“What he is accused of saying goes beyond the scope of what a teacher should do to a student within the classroom environment,” said superintendent Dr. Heidi Maier.

The situation has made some parents feel upset and confused.

“My daughter loves him. She just thought he was the greatest and she just doesn’t understand why this is happening at all,” said parent Sam Stolicker.

According to documents, Allison was kicked out of a livestock event for protesting.

One of his blog posts has a picture of him with a lamb he bought to save its life.

"I respect his beliefs, and if he would like to protest and do that kind of thing on his time, that's his decision,” said Maier. “But not in a classroom, where figuratively (students are) held hostage to what this man has to say."

Allison was a finalist for Teacher of the Year last year.

He will remain on unpaid leaving pending a hearing with the school board.

Maier has recommended that Allison be fired.

He has appealed the recommendation, but a hearing has not been set.