Should This Mullica Hill Teacher Lose her Job? [POLL]

A Mullica Kindergarten teacher could be fired after two  students said they were "having sex" in the classroom bathroom, according to a report from the Press of Atlantic City.

Kelly Mascio, who has been a teacher for more than 15 years, immediately reported the incident after finding two 5-year-old kindergarten students — a boy and a girl — naked in her in-classroom bathroom, the report said. The press says that students told Mascio they were "having sex."

Mascio immediately reported the incident to her principal, who then notified police and the state Department of Youth and Family Services, the report said. The police closed the case and did not pursue any charges.

Barbara Rheault, President of the Mullica Township Education Association, said that Superintendent Brenda Harring-Marro has filed tenure charges against Mascio. The teacher, who is from Mullica Township, has been suspended with pay since the Sept. 30 incident in her classroom.

"Our main concern is that the administration has completely forgone all traditional disciplinary avenues available in handling the incident," Rheault told the newspaper. "The administration has selected a disciplinary route that has resulted in enormous emotional and professional turmoil, and has strained the confidence and trust of school staff, parents and community members."

The Board of Education met Wednesday night in executive session to decide whether to certify the tenure charges, the report said. About 200 people came out to support Mascio, but the board did not announce publicly whether it had certified the complaint, Rheault told the newspaper.

She added that Sept. 30 was a highly unusual day, and children were moving in and out of Mascio’s classroom for MAPS benchmark testing.

Mascio declined comment, as did Board of Education Solicitor Will Donio.

Carol Kienzle, of Egg Harbor City, said her nephew’s children had Mascio as a second-grade teacher, and this was Mascio’s first year teaching kindergarten. Kienzle said Mascio is a much beloved teacher and has the support of many parents in the community.

Do you think Mascio should be fired?