DUE PROCESS

Teacher Fired After DWIs, Touching Allegations to Get $900K in Back Pay

A Washington State appeals court found the teacher fired for “a pattern of misconduct” deserved a reinstatement hearing.

In 2012, Michael Cronin, a teacher at University High School in Washington state, was fired for an alleged “pattern of misconduct” that included accusations of being drunk at school and inappropriate touching of a student and a staff member, restraining orders from women who dated him—and multiple DWI and resisting arrest charges. At one point, he was classified as being absent without leave because he was serving time in jail. But now, The Spokesman-Review reports, Cronin is set to receive a windfall of almost $900,000 in back pay, benefits, and attorney’s fees after an appeals court found he did not get the reinstatement hearing to which he was entitled and which his union representative requested. In what will come as a shock to no one, the school district plans to appeal to the state’s highest court.