not sure how she's a teacher (for the purposes of retirement, nea protections, etc) if she was never certified.

and it's no accident she wasn't certified. she was a useful tool but not so useful that they made the effort to get her certified so she'd be paid/pensioned like a regular teacher.

Her leverage to get certified on their dime was back when she started. IMO the ship was sunk long ago.

Assuming this is in California.

Given the information in the OP, the woman was never a certified teacher and does not fall under the the umbrella of the teacher's union or the California State Teacher's Retirement System (CALSTRS.) Most likely, she is under the California Public Employee Retirement System (CALPERS), and as a public employee, may or may not have a union representation in that school district.

From what was described, she was treated/used by the school, specifically the principal, for a particular purpose and "adjustments were made" so the ISB program could be legally achieved. All this is not unusual (no editorial comments will be included.)

The decision to have her move to another school is a decision by the principal or, more unlikely, someone in the district office, but there is no requirement for a move prior to retirement. The theft accusation is also from the principal, and could easily be resolved without any formal confrontation.

There is much information that is missing, I believe, not from Tobra, but from the whole situation in general. Principals can be petty, vindictive and tyrannical. They have been know to take actions at the local school without the knowledge or approval from the district office. This situation strikes me as one where "something" is going on between the two individuals or, at least, the principal has an agenda that requires removal of the instructor from the school. Nothing posted indicates any need for such a removal, other than the whim of the principal. Nothing in the scenario jeopardizes her pension, if she has one. Tobra's final post, which included the principal's other actions which cost the district money, makes me think this is another example.

If the woman is a member of the public employee's union, she should have access to a lawyer and a representative, for free.

A lot of details I can't really share here. Suffice it to say it is far worse than it sounds for the school and better for my friend. I think she gets her retirement and a bonus settlement in the end, and the principal gets to go to a new school

Thanks for the update. I'm so pleased it's worked out well for your friend.

AND I hope the principle's new school is where he is teaching the other inmates!

This resolution is very typical. Again, reading between the lines, I see this as example of an incompetent principal, once again, doing a foolish thing and causing the district headaches. Unfortunately, the district's action is also very typical. Instead of taking a real stand and firing or reprimanding the principal, they simply move him/her. Path of least resistance.

The principal was representing the intent of the system. This isn't a case of one bad egg...it is a reality brought on by budget constraints.

Yeah LJ, she is a bad apple, no doubt. Not enough sense to know better than taking a crap where she eats.

It is not resolved, not even to the point where she is lawyered up yet. If the school district has any sense, they will never get to that point.


IF, I say.