Vermont teacher Tom Treece talks about why a local police officer snuck into his classroom at 1:30 a.m. to take photographs.

The time was 1:30 in the morning. It was in a small town in Vermont. A local police officer was snapping photographs. Collecting evidence. This hardly makes for an interesting story.

Except the uniformed officer was in room 211 of Spaulding High School in Barre, Vermont. The officer, who was on duty, wasn’t investigating a crime. He was trying to document what was going on in the classroom of a pacifist history teacher.

Well today we are joined by the teacher, Tom Treece, whose classroom was targeted by Officer John Mott. We tried to reach Officer Mott, but he did not return our calls. He recently explained his actions to the Barre Montpelier Times Argus: “I wanted everybody to see what was in that room.” He added, “Having spent 30 years in uniform, I was insulted… I’m just taking a stand on what happens in that classroom as a resident and a voter and taxpayer of this community.”

• Tom Treece, high school teacher in Vermont.

Related link:

• Rush Limbaugh site photos

View all stories from May 9, 2003=