Teachers are some of the most important members of society, but every now and then, we hear horror stories about why they were rightfully fired. Luckily, this is not that kind of article. This one consists of stories where teachers were fired for absolutely ridiculous things. From personal issues to going the extra mile for students, these teachers were relieved of their duties for things that anyone might do. Here’s a list of the absurd reasons why teachers were let go.
- John Maxwell – Cleaning Up a Potentially Dangerous Spill
John Maxwell, a former science teacher at the Pound Middle School in Omaha, Nebraska was one of the best teachers at the school, according to his students. While discussing elements with his students, he brought a vial of mercury to show them that it remains in a liquid state at room temperature. Things were going well until one of the students accidentally dropped the vial and a small amount leaked out of its container. Knowing the dangers of mercury if it were to come into contact with the skin, Mr. M (as he was called by his students) quickly cleaned it up. Because he cleaned it up himself and did not report the incident, an investigation was launched after a concerned parent called in. Mr. M was subsequently fired for violating school policy.
- Michelle Hammack – Putting Out a Daycare Fire
Michelle Hammack was employed at a daycare center in Florida when a fire broke out. Instead of waiting for the fire department to arrive and watch children suffer from smoke inhalation or worse, she ran to get the fire extinguisher to put it out. Not only did she save the children, but she also prevented the fire from spreading to other parts of the building. Instead of being praised for her quick thinking, she was fired just a few hours later. The reason why? Because she left the children unattended to see how bad the fire was, alert the other teachers, and get everyone outside in addition to putting out the fire. She filed a petition, and the situation was investigated by The Department of Children and Families.
- Diane Tirado – Giving a Student 0%
Diane Tirado became an eight-grade teacher at the West Gate K-8 School in Port St. Lucie, Florida in 2018, but little did she know, she would not last the year. One of the school’s rules, which was broken by Tirado and resulted in her firing, was “no zero’s – the lowest possible grade is 50%.” When one of her students failed to turn in their assignment, she gave them 0%. When it was reported, she maintained her stance and was handed a termination letter. The story was shared on social media and when the school came under fire, they said that she was fired because not only did she hurt two of her students. Tirado denies both allegations.
- Teri James – Getting Pregnant
Religious private schools typically have clauses in their contracts with students, teachers, and other employees. Teri James, who worked at the San Diego Christian College, unfortunately, broke one of the clauses when she became pregnant for her fiancé. She was subsequently released from her contract under the grounds that she did not abstain from premarital intimacy. The worst part is that once she’d left, her job was offered to none other than the man who’d impregnated her, her fiancé, who had also engaged in the forbidden activities, according to the school. Teri sued the school, asking for lost wages and punitive damages.
- Jennifer Mitts – Helping Sick Students
Tennessee native Jennifer Mitts was a teacher at the Red Banks High School who was fired for helping her students on two different occasions. One was a 17-year-old student who sought her assistance after she was found to be pregnant, running a high fever and had a kidney and bladder infection. Mitts drove the student to the emergency room and after receiving treatment, the student credited her teacher for saving her life and her baby’s. The second time, she not only drove a 20-year-old student to the ER, but she took care of the bill because the student didn’t have medical insurance. Her actions were considered dangerous by her school district as she’d been warned for taking students off campus in her personal vehicle, and she was forced to resign.
