Florida teacher fired after asking students to write their own obituary

A Florida high school psychology teacher was fired after asking students to write an essay describing how they’d react to a mass shooting at their school along with their own obituaries in advance of an active-shooter drill, according to published reports.

Jeffrey Keene stands by the assignment he gave his 11- and 12-grade students at Dr. Phillips High School in Orlando and plans to appeal his termination, FOX 35 reports.

"If they died 24 hours from now, what would they do differently, than they did yesterday? And that’s to show them what’s important in the world. It wasn’t to say, you’re gonna die and let's stretch you out," he told the television station.

Dr. Phillips High School Principal Jackie Ramsey in a voice message to parents said called the essay an "inappropriate assignment about school violence."

Keene said he told the class of 35 the purpose of the essay wasn’t to upset them, NBC News reports.

"It wasn't to scare them or make them feel like they were going to die, but just to help them understand what’s important in their lives and how they want to move forward with their lives and how they want to pursue things in their journey," he said.

"If you can't talk real to them, then what's happening in this environment?" Keene said. "In my mind, I've done nothing wrong."

The 63-year-old said he hopes to continue teaching.

"I don't think I did anything incorrectly," Keene said. "I know hindsight is 20/20 but I honestly didn't think a 16-, 17-, 18-year-old would be offended or upset by talking about something we're already talking about.”\

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