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Suspended teacher deserves back pay

By ANDREW SKERRITT
Published January 15, 2008

ADVERTISEMENT Hernando High teacher Shawn Bingham, 37, was suspended for 60 days without pay.

They called him a thief, a teacher who stole money from a student.

How such skimpy evidence could be used to sully the good name of Shawn Bingham is worth serious discussion by the Hernando County School Board.

In the meantime, its members today ought to at least give him back his own money.

It all started innocently enough in September, when Bingham, a 37-year-old Hernando High teacher and assistant football coach, was tidying up the gym after class.

A video camera captured him picking up a wallet, walking out of view, then returning the wallet. After viewing the tape with the school resource officer, a student claimed Bingham stole $75 from his wallet.

Although Bingham said the wallet was empty, superintendent Wayne Alexander took a hard line. He suspended Bingham without pay as a prelude to firing him.

For Bingham, son of a former South Florida law enforcement officer, being accused of stealing was like a kick in the gut. A promising career hung inthe balance.

He twisted for months until last week when his attorney greeted him with news that the district wanted to settle. Bingham just had to admit to violating School Board procedures by not taking the wallet tolost and found.

His 60-day suspension without pay would stand.

Although he felt the deal was unfair, Bingham signed it. He hadn't been paid since mid October and bills were mounting. Since his suspension, he and his wife, Connie, and their two children have struggled to get by on her paycheck and his wages from his job at a local YMCA.

When he called Connie to tell her the news, she couldn't contain herhappiness.

He knows there will be some who view him as dishonest. Once you get labeled, it's hard to unring that bell. He's hoping others will believe him.

The irony is that he was labeled a thief based on what the camera could not see.

He was a coach for the Hernando High football team, but he was banned from school property with seven games left. He kept in touch with players who missed him on the sidelines, but he's eager to coach them again.

That could come as early as Wednesday. Repair to his reputation will take a bit longer.

Andrew Skerritt can be reached at askerritt@sptimes.com or 813 909-4602 or toll-free at 1-800-333-7505, ext. 4602.

[Last modified January 14, 2008, 20:23:37]