Virginia 1st-grade teacher who was shot by student was fired, attorney says

[Jilly_in_VA]

First-grade teacher Abby Zwerner who was shot by her 6-year-old student in January no longer works for Newport News Public Schools.

WAVY obtained a copy of an email sent to Zwerner on May 22 that states, “NNPS has processed a separation of employment for you effective the close of business 06/12/2023.”

The one-page email from the Human Resources Department explains exiting information, per standard NNPS policy.

Zwerner’s attorney Jeffrey Breit on Tuesday called this a firing.

“I don’t think you can read this any other way than you’ve been fired. And that’s what she thinks. She doesn’t understand it; there’s no other communication,” Breit said told WAVY.

https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/virginia-1st-grade-teacher-who-was-shot-by-student-was-fired-attorney-says/

This is outrageous!

[brush]

1. So what's up? There was a thread yesterday that said she informed...

the school/district that she was resigning and would not be back in the fall.

What's the real deal?

[stopdiggin]

2. does kind of seem like one precludes the other ... -(nt)-

[stopdiggin]

3. maybe not quite so outrageous?

According to NNPS spokesperson Michelle Price, Zwerner notified the school system in March that she would not be returning. Price provided this statement to WAVY:

The email that Ms. Zwerner received from the Human Resources Department is a confirmation of her separation of service from Newport News Public Schools. Every employee who is separating from the school division receives a similar communication. Ms. Zwerner notified the Human Resources Department that she was resigning from her position as a teacher for NNPS on March 13, 2023.

Ms. Zwerner was an employee of Newport News Public Schools until June 12, 2023, the last day of her contract.

contract expires - not renewed, per employees stated preference/intention ...

Seems highly likely that this young woman will prevail in her lawsuit against the district and school officials - this 'termination' letter (and the 'outrage' generated) doesn't seem, at first glace at least, to rise at all to that level.