It’s giving major power trip, and honestly, the vibes are off. Stephanie Mullaley, a full-time, long-term substitute teacher in the Clinton Community School District, found herself out of a job back in May after pulling a stunt that was lowkey manipulative. Real talk: she was caught promising her students extra credit points if they donated to a personal GoFundMe she set up to help pay for a trip to Ecuador.
Mullaley and her husband, Nick, were planning to head to South America for what she described as a “medical mission” this past July. According to Administrative Law Judge Duane Golden, students actually felt pressured to cough up their own money just to boost their grades. Mullaley had framed the trip as a “unique opportunity” to use her skills to interpret for the medical team and bridge language barriers, but the funding was intended to cover her own food, travel, and lodging.
The fundraiser, which has since been taken down, had a goal of $1,800 but only ended up pulling in a total of $140 from six donors. After the district caught wind of the ethics violation, she was fired. Things got even worse for the educator when she tried to apply for unemployment benefits. Judge Golden shut that down, saying her actions showed a “willful or wanton disregard” for her employer’s interests. She definitely caught an L with this one. Say less, just don't bribe your students for vacation money, it’s not that hard.
Why it matters
Ethics policies in schools are there for a reason, and mixing professional grading with personal financial gain is a major red line. This case highlights how power imbalances in a classroom can make students feel coerced, ultimately leading to serious professional consequences for teachers who cross that boundary.
