Ohio teacher should be fired for lying about sick days to attend Nashville concert, board says

An Ohio teacher's alleged decision to call out sick so she could attend a concert in Nashville may cost her paychecks and her job, according to school officials.

The teacher, who has taught at Lakota West High School in Beckett Ridge, Ohio, since 2005, is accused of falsifying sick leave on Feb. 8-9 to travel to Tennessee for the concert, the Lakota Local School District Board of Education said in a copy of the resolution to consider the educator's termination.

"She informed several colleagues that she was attending a concert in Nashville, while taking sick leave from the District," according to the school board's resolution obtained by WXIX-TV in Cincinnati.

Teacher declined to tell the Lakota school board her whereabouts on sick days

Until termination proceedings begin on April 22, the board decided on Thursday to suspend the teacher without pay, the school board said in the resolution.

"From the evidence gathered, the conclusion was that (the teacher'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)," the resolution reads. "Her actions also violated the Licensure Code of Professional Conduct for Ohio Educators, specifically Principles 1 and 3. 4. Other good and just cause.”

During a disciplinary hearing, the teacher declined to tell the board her whereabouts on the days in question or details regarding her sick leave, according to the resolution.

In addition to teaching in Lakota, the educator is a school board member for the Loveland City School District in Loveland, Ohio, WXIX-TV reported. Her board member term expires in 2025, the TV station added.