Richard Mullens Update

A few months ago I was contacted by Richard Mullens a school teacher at Brookeland High school in Brookeland Tx. Mr Mullens was unjustly suspended from his position for being an "Atheist" and a "Liberal". Of course being in Memphis, Brookeland Tx, was a bit out of my normal area of work, so I emailed and called literally hundreds of organizations, media outlets, and elected officials in order to ensure that Mr. Mullens rights were being protected. What surprised me was the outpouring of support from his students, fellow teachers, and from the community of Brookeland. In addition many of his former students also responded and worked very hard to spread the word about this issue, and the Freethought community rallied to his cause. As a result Mr Mullens was able to find legal counsel to help him in this case, as well as get some media attention. Here is some Background information

The following is a letter of support sent to Mr. Mullens's lawyer from Lana Comeaux, former superintendant of the Brookeland Independant School District.

April 8, 2009
To Whom It May Concern:
It is with great privilege to write to you on behalf of Richard Mullens. I have had the pleasure of
knowing and working with Richard for over six years at Brookeland ISO, originally as a co-
worker, next as his principal, and most recently as his superintendent. Undoubtedly, Richard
Mullens possesses more genuine pedagogical talent than any other person I have ever worked
with and/or supervised in my years in education.
Over the six years that I have known Richard, I have seen him teach a myriad of subjects as well
as a wide range of age groups, from fourth grade English/Language Arts to senior government.
Without fail, Richard's TAKS scores each year, regardless of the subject or grade level, were
nothing short of exemplary. He is remarkably intelligent and has the uncanny ability to teach
while conversing with his students in a manner that creates thought-provoking and life-
sustaining learning experiences. Furthermore, Richard has the ability to incorporate the
realities of life while teaching and can make authentic connections with kids of all ages and
backgrounds. He does all of this while making them feel valued and understood.
From an administrator's standpoint, Richard is the ideal educator. He is a leader among his
peers; needs little, if any direction; has an impeccable attendance record; seeks to further his
own knowledge and horizons; and is the epitome of a team player. To elaborate further, he
served as the social studies curriculum leader for two years; had perfect, or near perfect,
attendance several years; he once independently applied for and received a scholarship for a
two-week professional development course in which he used his personal time during the
summer to attend; and, to my knowledge, every single time Richard was asked to take on an
extra duty such as coaching basketball, driving a bus, or asked to take on responsibilities
outside of regular teaching tasks, he never hesitated to help.
Any school district would be better to have Richard Mullens work with them. He is passionate
and is dedicated to teaching students how to think independently and being open-minded to
the views of others, thus creating learning experiences, that without him, they otherwise may
not have had. It truly is an honor to recommend Richard for a position in your district, for he is
a true educator and will serve as an asset to your district as well as your community. He is the
teacher I wish I had had as a student, and the teacher I aspired to be in the classroom.
Should you have any questions or need additional information, please do not hesitate to call
me at ***-***-****.

Sincerely,
Lana L Comeaux