The Scholars Academy Principal Steve McClenning and assistant Billie Madewell have both lost their jobs after the two were caught passionately making out on video, KTVK-TV reports.
According to the station, the video was taken on the cellphone of 16-year-old Myranda Garber at the Quartzsite, Ariz. school. A school board member also confirmed to KTVK that the principal resigned from his position, while the secretary was fired.
Local residents say that McClenning and Madewell are married to other people, but parents are mostly upset because the make-out and groping session took place on school grounds, during school hours, KNXV-TV reports.
The incident comes at a bad time for the school, which is not getting its charter status renewed. While the academy is appealing the decision to the Arizona State Board for Charter Schools, many fear the town will not have a school next year, and many of the students feel betrayed.
“It’s just a smack in the face as far as I’m concerned,” student Joseph Hager told KNXV-TV.
This isn't the first time hidden cellphone video has gotten an educator in trouble. In February, New York City math teacher David Pecoraro was "reassigned to an administrative office" after cellphone video revealed him swatting at and spitting on a student.
According to Beach Channel High School junior Otina Rosario, the incident depicted in the video wasn't the first time Pecoraro acted inappropriately towards students.
"He’s always getting in kids’ faces and spitting all over them," Rosario told the New York Daily News. “It’s disgusting.”
Other educators who have been fired:
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