A Hawkins County teacher is out of a job, three months after repeatedly stabbing a student in the arm with a pen. Hawkins County School Board members voted to fire Pathways Alternative School teacher Lucia Carico Thursday night.
According to allegations presented to the board, on December 16, 2009, Carico stabbed a seventh grade student multiple times after he continued to pass gas and sing in class.
“Ms. Carico will now receive notice that this board has voted that if these charges are true, then dismissal is warranted,” Hawkins County Director of Schools Charlotte Britton said.
The Hawkins County School System first hired Carico in 1973. Up until recently, there was not a single blemish in the tenured teacher's file.
According to the allegations of fact, when Carico stabbed a student seven times in the left arm with a pen, a camera caught it all on tape. Hawkins County would not turn over that tape to us. The evidence showed Carico lied about what really occurred inside the classroom, Britton said.
In the charge for dismissal, Britton gave five reasons that warranted Carico's termination: unprofessional conduct, incompetence, inefficiency, insubordination, and neglect of duty.
Still, the teacher could have returned to work. Although the school system initially suspended her without pay, after the investigation was complete, Britton offered Carico her job back.
“A meeting was established with Ms. Carico offering a corrective plan of action,” Britton said. “Ms. Carico did not agree to the corrective plan of action. Therefore, the board’s only option was to place charges for dismissal.”
Carico and her attorney did not return our phone calls. She now has 30 days to appeal the school board's decision.
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