Still Getting Paid Even if Fired and Behind Bars
Friday, June 5th, 2009 at 11:15 pm
Charlene Schmitz is already behind bars in a Tallahassee, Florida detention center. She’s serving 10 years for sending instant messages and texts to seduce a student (14 years old).
Although she has recently been fired as a reading high school teacher in Leroy, Alabama, she’s still collecting a paycheck. Schmitz is also appealing her firing and federal conviction. Moreover, pending state charges are filed in connection with her case. And under Alabama law, she’s entitled to her usual $51,000 a year salary while in the process of appeal.
School officials are unhappy because they have to pay not only Schmitz, but her replacement as well. The school has no choice but to obey Alabama Teacher Tenure Law – this protects tenured teachers from sudden and unfair firings. In 2004, a law change requires the school board to continue paying fired teachers until their employment appeals are decided by arbitrators.
Schmitz was found guilty by a jury on Valentine’s Day of 2008. She received two federal charges due to child enticement using electronic means and a 10-year sentence. Then in late March, the school board officially terminated her.
Henry Caddell, Schmitz’s criminal attorney, filed an appeal and said “Ms. Schmitz is still entitled to receive her pay until all of this is determined.” On the other hand, all the school board wants now is for an arbitrator to hear Schmitz case so that it can move on.
Tags: Alabama, Alabama Teacher Tenure Law, attorney, Charlene Schmitz, Criminal, criminal attorney, Florida, Henry Caddell, law, Leroy, Tallahassee