In The City School Dist. v. Lorber , the New York City School system sought to vacate an arbitrator's decision made in Rochelle Lorber's favor.
Lorber served as a teacher for over 23 years. After her drug use was uncovered, an arbitrator imposed a sanction equal to two months' salary but found her "fit to teach" because she had successfully completed a treatment program.
When the New York County Supreme Court denied a request to vacate the determination, the City appealed to the Appellate Division, First Department, which also could discern no basis to modify the outcome. (The arbitrator's decision was found to be neither "irrational" nor violative of public policy.)
According to the AD1, Lorber was correctly given some slack because she hadn't been charged with "possession with intent to sell." The drugs found in her possession were solely for her use.
Whether the use was recreational or not, aren't teachers supposed to serve as role models to our young ones?
Suggesting the use of illegal drugs "is OK, as long as it's personal," doesn't strike us as the kind of message we should be sending our kids.
For a copy of the Appellate Division's decision, please use this link: The City School Dist. v. Lorber