Hi. I am new to the forum area, but have been a member of LegalMatch for quite some time. I would like some input on my situation before going to an attorney and spending money, if I don't have a sound case.

First off, I'm a single, 39 year old female with a 17 year old son that will be a Senior and graduating in 2010. I have been a Paraeducator at the same school for the last 5 years. I've always had good job evaluations and have never been written up for anything. I was written up in April for not following IEP provisions by being present in the regular education classrooms for the entire class period and Failure to adequately manage student conduct and behavior by maintaining a teacher-student relationship. In this meeting, the principal of the school and the Director of the Paras for our District were present. The principal proceeds to tell me that I'm supposed to be in the classroom for the entire class period, even if the regular education teacher tells me that I'm not needed and that I was too friendly with the students. I had no idea what he actually meant by that but what it implies is not good. On the last day, all the Paras had to have a check-in with the Para Director. I went in and told her that since my son was going to be a Senior the next school term, that I'd like to be left where I've been for the last 5 years. She proceeds to tell me that it would be up to the principal because he had told her that he had heard that there were students coming over to my house and staying late at night. Then I told her that my son is a very popular student at the school and has lots of friends that come over to hang out with him and play with him on his X-Box or has him fix their X-Boxes, computers, or cell phones. He's very electronically savvy and plans to pursue a Video Gaming/Computer Technology Degree when he graduates. I also informed her that any students that did come over left before Curfew, which is 10:30. She said that she didn't know about that, but that's what the principal had told her. I recently found out that I will be transferred to another school, so I will not be able to see my son at any of his Senior activities. Most, if not all of the people that have been transferred to other schools are closer to where they live. I, on the other hand, live in the same town as where I worked for the last 5 years and actually moved late last year so I wouldn't be driving 2 hours a day to and from work.

I have spoken with the Director of the Co-op (my actual boss) about this situation and he's unsure if I will be able to stay where I've been or not. I even suggested that another para that lives in the same town as where they want to transfer me to, and has to share one vehicle with his parents, switch, because he sometimes could not come to work because he didn't have transportation to get there. It would make sense for him to work in the town he lives in, so the transportation would not be an issue and I work in the town where I live. I am also planning to discuss this matter with the Superintendant of the school.

Here lies the second issue. I have been taking classes to get my Teaching Degree since 2005. I have about a year or so left until I will be able to teach. I have contacted KNEA(of which I'm a member), since I am a student pursueing a teaching degree and they told me that since I'm just a Para and not a certified teacher, their hands are tied. All of this stuff about me being too friendly with the students and not maintaining a teacher-student relationship is in my personnel file. When I do receive my degree and go to find a teaching position, I fear that will hinder my prospects of getting a teaching job anywhere. What the principal put down in my write-up and what he told the Para Director implies some very serious things, none of which I would ever do. I feel that if I were married and not a single parent, there would be no issues whatsoever. But, since I am single and my son's friends come over to hang out with him, I am being singled out and discriminated against for being single and female, also while having the serious implications of the write-up and word of mouth of these implications told to my boss.

I'm sorry about being so winded, but I feel the need to explain the circumstances around what's going on here in totality, because of the severity of these issues. I am also very upset about this because these accusations are completely false and I fear that all of these years and money that I've spent toward my teaching career will be for nothing. I also want to add that none of students I worked with received below average grades the entire school year.

Please let me know what you think and whether or not I may have a discrimination/defamation (slander or Libel) case? Thanks so very much for taking the time to read this lengthy post.