PRAIRIE VILLAGE, Kan. -- An eighth-grade teacher said he is upset about being fired, but encouraged by the outpouring of support from students he taught.

"I want to be back in the classroom again," Ryan Haraughty said. "I'd love to be back with those kids I built those relationships with."

Haraughty, who taught at Mission Valley Middle School in Prairie Village, said it's tough to talk about the situation but he said students and parents have a right to know what happened. .

"To have people say I create a hostile environment where students are afraid is just so wrong," Haraughty said.

Haraughty said he was fired for a quick remark he made while while he was teaching. He said he was drawing a map of the U.S. in front of the class and had not drawn Florida correctly. Haraughty said he said "Sorry, kids, Florida got a little excited."

"Just out of the mouth and you're like, wait a second -- and I thought, I'm not going to dwell on it, I'm just moving on," Haraughty said.

One parent of a student in the class made a complaint, which led to the dismissal. Hundreds showed up at a Shawnee Mission School Board meeting Monday to protest, but the firing was upheld.

On Tuesday, students stood outside Mission Valley Middle School and urged drivers to honk in support of the popular teacher.

It's that kind of support that Haraughty said keeps him going. He said he's had well over 1,000 students over the past 11 years and only three complaints.

Haraughty said he is trying to concentrate on the good memories of the students he loves.

"Their successes are my successes," Haraughty said. "If I played a tiny part, then that's more important than anything else."

Haraughty said he plans to appeal the board's decision.