范美忠北京教书引激烈争论

A former high school teacher who fled his classroom during the massive May 12 earthquake in southwest China has a new job in a private training school in Beijing, Xinhua reported.

周三，海淀区开华教育学校新闻发言人张文斌对新华社表示，范美忠已与该校签订了两年的合同。

Fan Meizhong has a two-year contract with Keyfind Education School in the Haidian District, school spokesman Zhang Wenbin told Xinhua on Wednesday.

这位前语文教师原来在四川省都江堰市某私立中学教书。在那场8.0级的大地震中，他不顾学生，冲出教室逃命，网友将其称为“范跑跑”。

The former Chinese language teacher at a private high school in quake-hit Dujiangyan City, Sichuan Province, was nicknamed "running Fan" by netizens after he left his students behind and escaped the classroom as the 8.0-magnitude quake struck。

这次灾难共造成8万多人死亡或者失踪。

The disaster left more than 80,000 dead or missing.

范的行为成为争论的焦点，后来，他被解雇了。

Fan's behavior became an object of controversy, and he was later fired.

但是，张文斌表示，学校聘用范美忠是因为他丰富的教学经验和才华。

Zhang said, however, that Fan had been hired for his extensive teaching experience and talent.

在开华，他将负责研究开发学生潜能，提高学生学习兴趣。

At Keyfind, he'll conduct research on developing students' potential and raising their interest in learning.

张文斌表示，范美忠还会做一些讲座。

He'll also give some lectures, according to Zhang.

张文斌说，本来，周日有一场讲座。但是，范美忠新工作的消息传出后，媒体都指责该校是为了宣传炒作，结果讲座被取消。

A lecture was planned for Sunday, but after word of Fan's new job got out, with the media accusing the school of using the teacher for publicity, the lecture was cancelled, Zhang said.

张文斌说，“作为一个人，范美忠也有生存需要”。

"Fan, as a person, also needs to live," Zhang said.

“我们希望媒体能对范美忠宽容一些，给他一些生存的空间。”

"We hope the media will be tolerant about Fan and give him some living space. "

张补充说到，“不论他在地震中的行为是对是错，我们所需要的只是他的才华。”

"Whether he was wrong or right in his quake behavior, we only want to make use of his talent," Zhang added.