SEATTLE — Garfield High School teacher Carol Burton fought the Seattle school district ever since she was fired for breaking certain rules. Now a judge has landed on her side and has reinstated her.
Related: Jason Rantz interviews Carol Burton
While her case was upheld in court Tuesday, Burton now goes back to a district that wanted to oust her. After the judge’s ruling Tuesday afternoon, Seattle Public Schools released this statement:
We are disappointed that the district's decision was not upheld. Ms. Burton was terminated because Seattle Public Schools determined she violated policy, and the district believed it was important to send a clear message that student safety is a top priority. The judge agreed with the district that Ms. Burton engaged in misconduct, but he reversed the district's decision to terminate her. We will continue to review the findings to determine next steps.
The judge basically said that while Burton broke district rules, they did not rise to a level that warranted her firing.
Burton came under fire in June 2015 when it was discovered that she consumed alcohol while chaperoning a student choir trip to New Orleans in March. Other parent chaperones were allegedly drinking as well. Also, during the trip a teenage boy allegedly groped a girl while in her room — it is also a rule that boys and girls are not allowed in the opposite sex’s hotel rooms. Burton admitted that she allowed male and female students to be in each other’s rooms before curfew.
As Burton's case was being considered by the school district, students and parents came out in support of the teacher asking that she not be fired. The district fired her anyway in August.