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ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Ann Arbor Public Schools wants to fire a high school orchestra teacher for an allegedly inappropriate relationship with a student, AnnArbor.com reported. The board voted recently to levy tenure charges against the teacher as well as a former elementary school teacher, though little about the second case was discussed, according to AnnArbor.com.
The orchestra teacher, Chris Mark, 45, will remain on paid leave until the Michigan Teacher Tenure Commission hears the case, according to AnnArbor.com. The student involved in the case graduated in 2005 and is now his girlfriend, AnnArbor.com reported.
In an earlier report, AnnArbor.com cited an e-mail from Mark to the student which the district characterized as a “love letter,” but which Mark’s attorney said was an effort to reach out to a troubled student. The attorney asked the board to find middle ground between firing Mark and doing nothing, AnnArbor.com reported.
The district also voted to file tenure charges against an elementary teacher who has been on leave since last year; a district spokeswoman declined further comment, AnnArbor.com reported.
SOURCES:
AnnArbor.com, “Huron High School orchestra teacher's
relationship with former student basis for possible tenure charges, document
shows,” Dec. 15, 2010
AnnArbor.com, “Ann Arbor school board pursues tenure charges to fire popular Huron High School orchestra teacher,” Dec. 16, 2010
FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, “Don’t Tenure Current
Teacher Tenure Law,” Dec. 7, 2010
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