Every Teacher's Nightmare, Part V: The False Allegation

One bad decision by a girl will likely haunt this guy for the rest of his life. From the Everett Herald:

ARLINGTON - A teenage girl on Thursday admitted she lied when she reported that a substitute teacher inappropriately touched her this week during class at Post Middle School.

The teacher, 59, was removed from school on Tuesday and was under investigation for assault.

On Thursday, after interviewing the girl and two other students, investigators determined the teacher didn't commit a crime, Arlington Police Chief John Gray said.

"We found a 30-year professional without a blemish on his record," Gray said. "He's completely devastated."

The students recanted their allegations, admitting to police that they'd exaggerated "and it snowballed," Gray said.

My sympathy actually goes both ways here, though way more towards the teacher than the student. The student made a mistake that I hope she regrets, but the fact that she even went there sends pity running, and when you consider where this could have gone if she'd stuck with the lie it's pretty horrifying.

It'd be awful hard for either the substitute or the student to return to that school.

Read more here, if any.