A Tennessee teacher says she was “forced” to resign after she had taken her 20-year-old student to the doctor and paid her medical bills. The school is claiming that she resigned without their influence. Jennifer Mitts, who has been a teacher at Red Banks High School for 14 years says that is just not the case.

According to WDEF news 12, Mitts was told last January not to take students off school property in her car, and she received several warnings, the school superintendent, Stacy Stewart, said. They then dictated to her what she should write in the resignation letter, including forcing her to waive her right to a hearing.

“It's a liability issue. It's an issue of insubordination after doing something you were officially warned not to do and doing it again,” Stewart said. “It's an issue of neglect of duty because the classroom was left unattended. There's several issues.”

“Bring Mitts Back” is the petition students, parents and other community members are signing. They already have over 400 signatures, and the petitioners describe her as a caring teacher and “an example of compassion in action.”

“Helping sick students get the care they need and even paying the bill since one of them had no insurance is a stellar example of a teacher caring for her students beyond the classroom walls,” said one petition signer, Olivia Lim. “Ms. Mitts is not a liability. She is an asset to her student, RBHS and the community. Bring Mitts Back!”

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