One of my favorite teachers back in high school was Mr. Dorchester. He was a little quirky and absentminded, but he made studying history fun. He was a new-agey kind of guy who often drifted off subject with incredible tales of his own travels and experiences, but he always managed to impart the lessons we needed to learn. In short, he was a good teacher because he kept us alert and interested.

It sounds like the same could probably be said for Jim Piculas, a substitute teacher at Rushe Middle School in Land O'Lakes, Florida. Except he will not be allowed to continue teaching. Officials at Pasco County School District say Mr. Piculas was fired for failing to follow lesson plans, allowing his students to use unapproved computers and leaving a student in charge of his class. Piculas says he was fired for being a wizard.

The wizard accusation came after Piculas did a magic trick for his class in which he made a toothpick disappear and reappear. He says he later got a call Pat Sinclair, who is in charge of substitute teachers. According to Piculas, Sinclair told him he was being let go because he had been accused of wizardry.

Even though district officials say the magic trick was far down on the list of reasons why Piculas was let go, I can't help but wonder why it was on the list at all. What is wrong with a little magic in the classroom?