PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — WPTV confirms a Palm Beach County teacher who was accused of making a death threat and threatening to rip someone's eyes out announced his retirement just one day before he faced termination at a school board meeting.
Records from the School District of Palm Beach County show Raymond Berger submitted his retirement effective Dec. 10, 2019.
The school board was scheduled to vote on Berger's termination on Wednesday night. Instead, the school board accepted Berger's retirement and canceled Wednesday's vote.
Berger was a physical education teacher at Eagles Landing Middle School, located at 19400 Coral Ridge Drive in suburban Boca Raton.
According to the School District of Palm Beach County, on April 23, a teacher said Berger made inappropriate comments to him in front of students.
Berger said, "I'm going to [EXPLETIVE] kill someone right now," according to an investigative report, and also said, "I would rip out [someone's] eyes."
An investigation into Berger found the allegations were substantiated, the school district said.
The investigation found Berger violated school district policies related to unprofessional conduct, ethical misconduct, and insubordination.
In a letter to Berger on Nov. 19, Superintendent Dr. Donald Fennoy said there was "just cause" to warrant Berger's termination.