Documents released by the Barrow County School district contradict several claims made by former Apalachee High School teacher Ashley Payne in her lawsuit against the school system. The lawsuit, which is garnering international media attention, has generated both hate mail and death threats directed towards school officials.
Payne resigned August 27, 2009 after Apalachee High School principal David McGee confronted her regarding questionable online activity on the social networking site Facebook.
According to documents provided by the school system, Payne’s online activity was brought to their attention by a concerned parent.
In an email to Superintendent Ron Saunders, the parent complained that her daughter used profane language and, when reprimanded, defended herself by saying her teacher, Ashley Payne, used the same language on her Facebook page. According to the email, the daughter and Ms. Payne were Facebook friends. The parent further complained that Payne had “unacceptable pictures of herself smiling with alcohol for all her online friends to view.”
The parent provided Saunders with a copy of the photograph and requested the matter be investigated saying, “I am repulsed by Ms. Payne’ profane use of language and how she conducts herself as an example to my teenage daughter. Her behavior is intolerable.”
While the school system has yet to publicly identify the parent, Barrow County Schools public relations coordinator Lisa Leighton said, “To the best of my knowledge, the administrators are aware of who this parent is and who this student is.”
Payne denies that any student or parent of a student had access to her Facebook page.
[Full Story »]
Recent Comments