A suspended New Jersey teacher says her third-grade class asked about writing "get well" letters to a sick inmate convicted of killing a Philadelphia police officer.
Marylin Zuniga told the Orange school board on Tuesday night she made a mistake and had learned from it. She said she was prepared to resign if the panel decides to fire her.
The letters were delivered to Mumia Abu-Jamal in prison following his hospitalization last month for what his family said was treatment for complications from diabetes. The former Black Panther is serving a life sentence for the 1981 murder.
His hospitalization led supporters of the convicted cop killer to demand better health care for Abu-Jamal -- some even rallied outside the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office in early April.
Zuniga apologized for publicizing the letters on social media. The Orange School Superintendent announced his decision to suspend the third-grade teacher earlier this month and said school administrators had no knowledge of the letter writing prior to Zuniga's posts online.
She said she had asked her class in February to consider the idea behind an Abu-Jamal quotation.
School board attorney Melvin Randall tells NJ.com no decision has been made on Zuniga's employment.
