GRANITE CITY, IL (KTVI-FOX2now.com) -
New allegations of sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior surface in the embattled, Granite City School District. A truancy officer is fired and a tenured teacher suspended without pay Tuesday night. Superintendent Harry Briggs calls the ongoing problems with staff at the district unprecedented. The school board met behind closed doors tonight for two and a half hours as part of a special meeting. When it was all said and done, the latest discipline was doled out.
The district fired a truancy officer who Superintendent Briggs says committed an inappropriate action to a fellow worker that could be construed as sexual harassment. Also, the board started dismissal procedures against a tenured teacher from Granite City High School. Briggs says the teacher, who also coaches the varsity girls volleyball team, was drunk while coaching during a tournament in Quincy, Illinois. The teacher was the only one supervising the students at the time.
These revelations come after a special ed. High school teacher resigned amidst allegations that she had inappropriate contact with a student. A teachers aide is also suspended after an allegation that she was at a party with students where there was alcohol.
Briggs says the problems just keep on coming.
"It's difficult. I mean it's unprecedented in this school district. We've never had these kinds of issue to my knowledge and I've been around for a long, long time. But you have to deal with them and I give credit to my board. My board has decided to take a stand," explained Briggs.
He added, "I want the staff to understand that we appreciate what they do but we also are held to a higher standard. When you become an educator, you assume that responsibility and you have to conduct yourself accordingly."
The board also was considering further action with the teacher's aide but none was taken.
An assistant principal at the high school is also on paid leave while the district investigates an allegation that he had sexual contact with a student.
The next school board meeting is set for December 8th.
The district fired a truancy officer who Superintendent Briggs says committed an inappropriate action to a fellow worker that could be construed as sexual harassment. Also, the board started dismissal procedures against a tenured teacher from Granite City High School. Briggs says the teacher, who also coaches the varsity girls volleyball team, was drunk while coaching during a tournament in Quincy, Illinois. The teacher was the only one supervising the students at the time.
These revelations come after a special ed. High school teacher resigned amidst allegations that she had inappropriate contact with a student. A teachers aide is also suspended after an allegation that she was at a party with students where there was alcohol.
Briggs says the problems just keep on coming.
"It's difficult. I mean it's unprecedented in this school district. We've never had these kinds of issue to my knowledge and I've been around for a long, long time. But you have to deal with them and I give credit to my board. My board has decided to take a stand," explained Briggs.
He added, "I want the staff to understand that we appreciate what they do but we also are held to a higher standard. When you become an educator, you assume that responsibility and you have to conduct yourself accordingly."
The board also was considering further action with the teacher's aide but none was taken.
An assistant principal at the high school is also on paid leave while the district investigates an allegation that he had sexual contact with a student.
The next school board meeting is set for December 8th.
