"I recorded this the following day in order to share my perspective - honestly & in good faith - in order to move forward and put this experience behind me. I have no desire to cause complications or bring unwanted attention to the school, so I will not divulge anything beyond that. It is important to me to be able to speak truthfully and honestly about one of the most challenging periods in the story of my life, in order to move onto a new chapter. I hope all can respect one another's privacy, freedom of speech, & treat each other with dignity - especially during such times."

His new statement:

A report at Not the Bee explained the case is "yet another example of why our educational system is in such a sorry state."

"Back in February, high school teacher Warren Smith went viral after being asked by a student: 'Do you still like [J.K. Rowling's] work, despite her bigoted opinions?' The conversation that followed was a masterclass in the Socratic method and critical thinking. In it, he asked a series of questions that forced the student to think critically about the assumptions he was making."

The report noted Smith said he wasn't given a clear reason for being fired, but "he seems to believe it was because of the public interviews he did after his video went viral. He also revealed the school took his computer, which contained several projects and books he had been working on for years."

Comments on social media lined up on one side of the dispute:

"You should not have been fired. Schools need teachers like you who prioritize critical thinking over blindly affirming pre-held beliefs," said one.

Another wrote about showing the first video to "my kids."

"It was brilliant. YOU are brilliant."

When the original exchange was posted, Smith explained he was teaching students about thinking beyond, "Well, I've heard that his is true, so many people have told me that this is true."