Teacher Fired For Completing Student’s Assignments

In a special meeting held May 11, Lincoln School Board terminated high school teacher Stefanie Howard for completing assignments for a student online, violating school district policies and violating the Arkansas Code of Ethics, according to documents from the meeting.

Superintendent Mary Ann Spears said Howard had been with Lincoln School District for six years as a special education teacher. She taught two years at Lincoln Middle School and four years at Lincoln High School.

Documents made available through a Freedom of Information Act request show that Howard received written notice in a March 14 letter that she was being placed on paid administrative leave while the district investigated an “incident of academic dishonesty,” according to a letter from Spears to Howard.

In a March 27 letter, Spears notified Howard she was suspended and that a recommendation would be made for immediate termination.

Howard was accused of logging into Odyssey, an online curriculum for students, and completing assignments for a student on March 8.

The incident came to the school’s attention, according to documents, when a staff member notified high school Principal Courtney Jones that a student was logged onto Odyssey during the time the American College Testing (ACT) test was being given at the school.

Jones wrote that she immediately began an investigation “due to the potential breach of security during a state-mandated test.”

The student denied being logged into Odyssey and it was found that Odyssey was accessed from an off-campus site.

In a meeting with Jones and Assistant Principal Deon Birkes, Howard admitted to completing the student’s assignments so that she could figure out how to help the student, according to school district records. A statement from Birkes about the meeting shows that Jones told Howard completing a student’s assignments was not good because those were the grades that went to the state.

The evidence file showed emails between staff commenting on how the student was showing tremendous progress. Jones wrote that further review showed multiple instances where Howard’s computer was used for Odyssey and that the student’s work prior to January versus work in February and March made it appear the student was receiving extra assistance.

Howard, through her attorney, Joshua Bailey with Hogue Law Firm in Fayetteville, requested a hearing on the superintendent’s recommendation to fire her. Howard “adamantly contests the grounds set forth” for her termination by the superintendent, Bailey wrote in an April 14 letter to the School Board and Spears.

A closed hearing was held May 11. Afterward, the School Board met in executive session.

The Board reconvened in open session and unanimously voted to accept Spears’ recommendation to terminate Howard. Board members present at the meeting were Lisa Reed, Connie Meyer, Nick Brewer and Dax Moreton. Board member Kendra Moore was absent.

Two documents were presented in open session, Spears said.

The first was a “Finding of Fact.” This document states that Howard admitted to logging into Odyssey and completing assignments for a student.

The second finding of fact is that Howard violated two district policies: 3.28 Computer Use Policy and 3.28F License Personnel Internet Use Agreement.

The Finding of Fact also states that Howard violated the Arkansas Code of Ethics for Standard 2 and Standard 3. Standard 2 states “An educator maintains competence regarding his or her professional practice inclusive of skills, knowledge, dispositions and responsibilities relating to his or her organizational position.” Standard 3 states “An educator honestly fulfills reporting obligations associated with professional practices.”

Friday, Dax Moreton, board vice president, said, “It was just a very unfortunate situation.”

He declined further comment.

Board President Connie Moore declined to comment Friday, other than to say, “We accepted her (the superintendent’s) recommendation. That was it.”