Fired : Visual arts teacher Traci Gauthier was let go by St Vrain Valley school district last week after posting a picture of freshman Phoenix Bowen on Instagram . A Colorado visual arts high school teacher has been fired after posting a picture of a student on her Instagram account . Traci Gauthier was substituting for a different class in Skyline High School in Longmont , Colorado , when she posted a photo of freshman Phoenix Bowen as he walked out of the room . The caption of the photo read : 'STEM kids are trying too hard . I do n't know him , but I hate him . # pothead # STEM # wannabecool # dorkywhiteboy ' . Phoenix became aware of the picture after his friend showed it to him after class . 'You ca n't hate me , you do n't know me , ' he commented on the post . Gauthier was quick to respond , saying , ' I know I do n't know you-but I can hate anyone I 'd like . # Nobig # Dontbesad # MeanArtTeacher . ' Phoenix thought the most offensive part was the hashtag accusing him of being a pothead because 'It 's false , ' he told FOX31 . He said Gauthier was probably making a reference to his backpack , which has a logo of the energy drink CannaEnergy on it . The company 's logo includes a hemp leaf , though there 's no THC in the drink . 'People automatically see the hemp leaf and assume it is a pot leaf and pot is `` stoner '' , and that 's not what it 's about , ' Phoenix told FOX . Words hurt : The caption of Gauthier 's photo read , 'STEM kids are trying too hard . I do n't know him , but I hate him . # pothead # STEM # wannabecool # dorkywhiteboy ' Phoenix 's father Erich Bowen said that he 's worried about his son , who is usually outgoing . ' I can see a difference in Phoenix 's attitude and the way he 's handling himself , ' he told FOX31 . 'This is bullying . This is a lot of lines crossed . ' St. Vrain Valley School District told FOX31 that it did not have a social media policy for teachers and said on Thursday that Gauthier was no longer employed . The district 's school board president Bob Smith said the photo could be seen as a threat to student welfare , according to Denver Post . Crossed the line : Phoenix 's father , Erich Bowen ( left ) says Gouthier 's Instagram post should be considered bullying that targeted Phoenix ( right ) Not a stoner : Phoenix said he was offended by Gauthier 's ' # pothead ' hashtag , because he says 'it 's false ' . His backpack has an energy drink logo on it that includes a hemp leaf . 'We would take bullying from anyone absolutely seriously , and particularly from a teacher , ' he said . 'Student wellbeing is our number one priority . Without a strong sense of wellbeing , students ca n't learn . ' In April of 2014 , Gauthier appeared to share that stance on bullying when sent a letter to board members addressing the district 's policy . 'Something as simple as having announcements and fliers around the building can dramatically improve the climate of anti-bullying in a building and make kids feel safer , ' wrote Gauthier , who was one of the school 's gay-straight alliance advisers . 'That is the beauty and power of advertising . Presidents , senators , school board members , etc . win campaigns because of visibility . Students and staff can only feel safe if the group is VISIBLE . '
Traci Gauthier posted a photo of freshman Phoenix Bowen in classroom . Caption read 'STEM kids are trying too hard . I do n't know him , but I hate him # pothead # STEM # wannabecool # dorkywhiteboy . Phoenix said the most offensive part of the Colorado , Longmont , teacher 's post was the # pothead hashtag because he says 'it 's false ' St Vrain Valley School District said Gauthier is no longer employed .