fired teacher

[mike D.]

Hi,
I was a public school teacher. I had a student who was a very shy person. She began to speak to me and I listened to her. often she spoke about her life which was filled with many sad events. She would often call me at my home. I really felt bad for the kid. Finally the kid told me about a teacher in the schoolwho had touched her. I urged the kid to come forward and she did. However, the teacher who was removed from the school said that I was guilty of an inappropriate relationship with the student. I was removed from the school. I was asked how I felt about the student and I said I cared about her and all my students. When I later viewed a report put together by the superintendent's office they said that I said I loved the girl which was a lie and that her calls to me and mine to her were inappropriate. I was fired when all i did was help a scared kid come forward. In a strange twist the kid who I helped is sticking up for me saying I did nothing but help her. Sadly however, there is a false report which may affect me for the rest of my life. What can I do? Can I sue for lible?

Please help.

 

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by mike D.:
Hi,
I was a public school teacher. I had a student who was a very shy person. She began to speak to me and I listened to her. often she spoke about her life which was filled with many sad events. She would often call me at my home. I really felt bad for the kid. Finally the kid told me about a teacher in the schoolwho had touched her. I urged the kid to come forward and she did. However, the teacher who was removed from the school said that I was guilty of an inappropriate relationship with the student. I was removed from the school. I was asked how I felt about the student and I said I cared about her and all my students. When I later viewed a report put together by the superintendent's office they said that I said I loved the girl which was a lie and that her calls to me and mine to her were inappropriate. I was fired when all i did was help a scared kid come forward. In a strange twist the kid who I helped is sticking up for me saying I did nothing but help her. Sadly however, there is a false report which may affect me for the rest of my life. What can I do? Can I sue for lible?

Please help.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

My response:

In what State did these events occur? Where's your Union steward in this matter? Have you set up an appeal? What processes have you already exhausted? Did you have tenure? While not dispositive of the issue, I think you'll agree, in hindsight, that giving your phone number to the girl was a bad move. Does the school have "on staff" counselors for the children? If you are correct, and your facts are completely honest and true, talk to the little girl's parents (not the girl) to ask if their daughter will sign an affidavit. You can sue for much more than libel (not "lible").

IAAL


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[This message has been edited by I AM ALWAYS LIABLE (edited May 04, 2000).]