Request for Emergency Hearing Made to Ohio Education Officials

Teacher Who Forced Child To Remove Underwear Still Holds Teaching License

COLUMBUS, Ohio, May 27 /PRNewswire/ -- A teacher who forced a child to remove
her underwear so that the teacher could inspect the underwear to see if the
girl was having her menstrual period still holds a license to teach in Ohio.
This week, the attorney for the child asked Ohio's Superintendent of Public
Instruction to convene an emergency hearing to review the incident and
consider barring the teacher from ever teaching again.

Jennifer Doe (a pseudonym to protect the identity of the child victim as
required by Ohio law) is a 15-year-old student who attends Morgan Local High
School in Morgan County. According to Doe, on April 23, 2009, she walked into
her classroom, sat down, and realized that she had just begun her menstrual
period. She told the teacher about it and asked the teacher if she could go
to the restroom to attend to the matter. The teacher, Lynda Dille, refused to
allow the child to do so.

Later in the class, the teacher confronted the child about whether or not she
had bled through her clothes. Jennifer replied that she thought she might
have bled into her underwear. The teacher then ordered the child to follow
her to a restroom. Once in the restroom - where other students were present -
Ms. Dille ordered Jennifer to remove her underwear and show them. Jennifer
pleaded to be allowed to call her mother first. Ms. Dille denied the request
and repeated the order. The child eventually complied, removing her underwear
and showing it to the teacher.

In a written statement to authorities, the teacher admitted the allegation and
specifically admitted to saying, "I want to see the blood on your underwear,
go into the RR [rest room] & let me see them." Afterward, the child was taken
to the school office and scolded by the principal. The teacher eventually
resigned but still is permitted to teach in other Ohio school districts.

"No public teacher should ever force a child to remove her underwear and then
force her to display it for the teacher to see," said Jennifer's attorney,
Mark Weaver of the Columbus law firm Isaac, Brant, Ledman & Teetor. "Ohio law
says that when a teacher commits an immoral, incompetent or unprofessional
act, a hearing must be held to consider whether the teacher should be allowed
to continue to teach anywhere in Ohio. In this case, that hearing should be
held immediately."

This week, Weaver delivered a letter to the Superintendent of Public
Instruction, asked for the emergency hearing, and agreed to cooperate in the
investigation. In a hand-written letter to be provided to investigators,
Jennifer said, "I felt I had no choice but to do what the teacher ordered. I
was embarrassed and humiliated, as there were other students in the restroom."
The child ended her letter by writing, "I'm glad I reported this to someone,
I stood for something that I thought was right. I will continue to do that
even if I have to stand alone."

The child's mother also provided a hand-written letter. In it, she said, "I'm
saddened and disappointed, for I'm sure this has been an unfortunate event for
all involved." The mother went on to say, "I think it's a child's right to be
treated with dignity, not humiliation, as I assume you would want your child
to be treated."

SOURCE Mark Weaver

Attorney Mark Weaver of Isaac, Brant, Ledman & Teetor, LLP, +1-614-221-2121