Teacher accused of anti-Haiti remark retires

Gardens principal had recommended that the district dismiss teacher.

PALM BEACH GARDENS — A Palm Beach Gardens High School math teacher who was accused of making a derogatory comment to a Haitian student has chosen to retire before his recommended dismissal, according to a Palm Beach County School District spokeswoman.

Keith Tillman submitted his paperwork to retire May 24 and the retirement was effective May 25, according to the spokeswoman, Julie Houston Trieste.

Tillman was accused of violating three School Board policies, including using abusive language on a student and employing “inappropriate/disrespectful language in reference to a racial/ ethnic group,” according to an investigative report.

A cellphone video of the early May incident shows Tillman warn- ing students not to walk out of a classroom before class ends. The teacher then addresses a girl in the classroom, asking if she understood his instruction.

“It’s called a door,” said Tillman, 61. “Let me show you how it works. Now I don’t know where it works where you’re from, down some Third World island country where they don’t got . ... Let me show you what it’s like in America.”

After an investigation, school Principal Larry Clawson recommended that the district dismiss Tillman. The School Board was scheduled to consider the recommendation next week.

During a meeting May 14 with Clawson and officials from the district’s Office of Professional Standards, Tillman said that in retrospect he “wishes he would have used different language” but added that he liked the student who was targeted and that his intent wasn’t to disparage any group.

He declined a request for comment from The Post when the

district released its report.

The remarks led to a protest outside the school. Protesters said they wanted an apology from Tillman but did not call for him to resign or be dismissed.

Tillman had worked as a teacher and football coach in Palm Beach County for about 20 years and had never been disciplined before, records show. He retired from Royal Palm Beach High School, but returned last August to teach at Palm Beach Gardens High and was working under a probationary contract.