Teacher Facing Termination After Allegedly Calling in Sick for Concert
A teacher in Ohio is facing termination after allegedly calling in sick to attend a concert.
According to People, Lakota West High School teacher Eileen Washburn has been placed on unpaid leave by the local school board after she allegedly "falsified sick leave" to travel to a Nashville concert in February.
Apparently the English teacher "refused to answer questions" about her what she was doing on her days off and wouldn't go into "specifics on her alleged need for sick time."
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"From the evidence gathered, the conclusion was that Ms. Washburn’s actions violated O.R.C. §3319.141, Collective Bargaining Agreement Section 14.01(H), a number of Board Policies, including 3432 (Sick Leave) and 3210 (Staff Ethics). Her actions also violated the Licensure Code of Professional Conduct for Ohio Educators, specifically Principles 1 and 3. 4. Other good and just cause," the school board's official ruling said.
Reportedly, the superintendent said that Washburn's suspension will last until a vote on April 22 which will determine whether or not the teacher will be terminated from her position.
Washburn has taught at the high school since 2015 and previously taught at another school from 2004-2015.
"This is different from private employers who give access to a broader use of 'paid time off.' Lakota's educators are aware that they may only take sick leave for very specific reasons, and that under statute, taking sick leave for a reason not permitted under statute is considered falsification which can result in termination," the superintendent told People.
"Lakota takes allegations of falsification of sick leave seriously and will pursue this personnel matter through its statutory process," the superintendent added.
Per the New York Post, Washburn's trip was exposed after she allegedly told several colleagues about her concert plans.
The outlet speculated that the teacher could have been attending Drake and J. Cole's concert in Nashville on Feb. 8, though there were several big names in Music City at the time.
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Gallery Credit: Jacob Osborn