West Chicago breaks silence after losing job over pro-ICE post

FIRST ON FOX: A Chicago-area teacher who was forced to resign from her position over a “Go ICE” Facebook message is speaking out about the emotional and financial toll she suffered as a result.

“This process has been devastating and surreal, professionally and personally,” former West Chicago teacher James Heidorn told Fox News Digital in his first public comment on the situation.

“I spent 14 years building my career, dedicating my heart to teaching children, building relationships, and being a positive role model. Seeing everything turned upside down with two simple words, ‘Go ICE,’ felt like a heavy blow to my career when I expressed my personal support for law enforcement.”

In late January, Fox News Digital first reported that the longtime teacher at Gary Elementary School in a heavily Hispanic district was placed on leave after local activists in the community began sharing a Facebook post that read “GO ICE” in response to a news report saying a local law enforcement agency would cooperate with ICE.

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On Thursday, Jan. 22, Heidorn was first notified by school officials that they were seeing increasing discussion on social media about his post. He resigned briefly after consulting with HR staff before rescinding his resignation the same day. While the school is being investigated, Heidorn is scheduled to return to the school on Monday to teach.

Around the same time, Illinois Democratic State Senator Karina Villa captured on video Chasing ICE agents down the street in September, he publicly expressed his outrage over the post and said he stood in “unwavering solidarity” with families upset by “disturbing comments reportedly made by an educator.”

That Saturday, before the investigation was completed, West Chicago Mayor Daniel Bovey took to Facebook and posted a video It explains why Heidorn’s comments were “hurtful” and “offensive” to many in the community.

“The problem is that we have trusted adults who care for these kids when they can’t be with their mom and dad,” Bovey said. “So when someone solemnly promotes events that traumatize these kids – as if it were a football match or something – that’s the problem.”

Over the weekend, parents were encouraging each other online to keep their students home from school as a form of protest, and many in the community began criticizing Heidorn.

West Chicago city organized a “listening session” On January 26, at Bovey’s request, various parents and local residents, including a Spanish translator, voiced concerns about the post; These included one woman who said “kids don’t feel safe” as a result of the post, and another woman who said the post was “cruel”.

“This started with a two-word comment on my personal Facebook page supporting law enforcement; nothing more,” Heidorn said. “It was not directed at any student, family or school community. Second, I was placed on leave before a full investigation or fair process was completed and faced intense pressure, which led to my resignation.”

“Third, I lost the chance to properly complete my career, income, and time with my students; no goodbyes, no goodbyes.”

Ultimately, Heidorn resigned for a second time rather than be terminated after a hearing with school officials.

In a statement to Fox News Digital while Heidorn was on leave in January, a spokesperson for West Chicago Elementary School District 33 called the social media post “devastating” and said “we understand that this situation has raised concerns and caused disruption for students, families, and staff.”

Teachers across the United States have taken to the streets in recent weeks and caused disruptions in favor of far-left causes. Including Chicago Where teachers busted up a local target who was harassing employees to protest President Trump’s immigration policies without facing pushback or repercussions from local school districts.

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Gary Elementary School in West, Chicago (Google Maps)

“Most importantly, this is more important than me: it’s about whether personal opinions expressed outside of work can cost someone their livelihood without due process,” Heidorn said. he said. “I hope to see that free speech is important, even if it is unpopular.”

“This feels like a double standard because my perspective is different from others in the community where I teach. I believe we should all be able to coexist with our personal political viewpoints. Fairness should be applied equally regardless of those viewpoints. If personal political speech is the basis for punishment, it should be consistent, not selective based on which side you are on. I believe in free speech for all, and I hope that’s what comes out of all of this.”

Heidorn received some support from the local community; The GoFundMe page called him a “beloved physical education teacher” who “showed up for his students every day.”

“Emotionally, it has been a rollercoaster that has left me feeling great shock, loss, and deep sadness at losing daily contact with my students,” Heidorn said. “Feelings of anger and disappointment at how quickly things moved without real dialogue, and sadness that I couldn’t properly say goodbye to the children I cared about so much. I’ve had sleepless nights, but I try to focus on my family and the support I get from people who know the real me.”

Heidorn, who also lost his job as a football coach at a nearby private school, told Fox News Digital that one of the hardest parts of being forced out of his job was losing the relationships he had built with students of all backgrounds throughout his long career.

When asked what he would tell his students if they were given the opportunity to discuss the situation directly with them, Heidorn said the online outrage “isn’t the whole story” and is “just noise from people who don’t know me.”

“To my students: I want you to know that I care about you deeply and always have. The person you knew in the classroom who encouraged you, played with you, and cheered you on is still the same person,” Heidorn said. “I have always tried to provide the best learning environment and great atmosphere for all of us to grow. I always have your best interest in mind by showing passion, support, care and safety no matter what.”

Heidorn added, “I would never want any of you to feel unsafe or unloved. You are wonderful kids, and I am proud of every moment we shared. For those who are angry, upset, and have lost trust in me, I know I cannot change people’s minds, and for that I am sorry because I always had the best interests of my students and the community in mind and never intended to cause fear or harm to them or their families.”

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Federal ICE police officers walk down a suburban street. (Christopher Dilts/Getty Images)

Fox News Digital reached out to the district for an exclusive comment on what rule Heidorn violated by posting support for law enforcement on Facebook and whether teachers who are publicly “subversive” or hostile toward ICE should be treated the same. The district did not respond.

When asked for comment, Bovey dismissed the suggestion that he had inflamed the situation with the Facebook video, saying: “Personally, I wish the teacher good luck.”

“The teacher exercised his first amendment rights to make a statement,” Bovey said. “Others exercised their first amendment rights in commenting on the situation. The school board took the necessary steps to take appropriate action to investigate a situation that was negatively impacting children’s education. The public exercised their first amendment rights to comment (pro and con) regarding the school board’s actions, and the teacher subsequently made the decision to resign. At the end of the day, while there may be frustrations on both sides resulting from inaccurate social media posts, that’s how democracy works.”

Bovey added: “Despite many vitriol from people up and down the country, misinformed by social media, our local community appears remarkably united.”

Heidorns said he has always taken his role “extremely seriously” throughout his 14-year career and that his reputation is “based on showing up every day, being reliable, fair and truly investing in the development of my students.”

“The success of my students has motivated me more than you can imagine,” Heidorn said. “I have never brought politics into my teaching; my focus has always been on my students. Losing that connection would hurt more than anything, and I want people to know that I never intended to harm or divide anyone.”

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The “Greetings from Chicago” mural lights up a street in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood on March 30, 2018. (Patrick Gorski/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Going forward, Heidorn will be required to notify future school districts he applies to that he is resigning and detail why, leaving his potential to further his career in this field unclear.

“I don’t really know what’s next for me because teaching is the only thing I’ve ever wanted to do,” he explained. “That’s all I’ve ever studied, and teaching is what defines me. I even furthered my education with a master’s degree in educational leadership because I wanted to be the best teacher I could be.”

“With that said, I am exploring options in education or related fields, but I am also taking time to heal and learn from this experience. I want people to know that I am grateful for the support from those who have reached out to me, donated, or shared my story. It reminds me that most people value justice and second chances. I am committed to moving forward in a positive way and continuing to contribute to children’s lives in any way I can.”