Suspended W-B Area teacher will continue to be paid (paid vacation for getting arrested)

A Wilkes-Barre Area art teacher will continue to receive a paycheck while she is suspended and the school district investigates a weekend assault, Superintendent Jeffrey T. Namey said Tuesday.

Larissa Goldstein, 28, of 6 Warner St., Plains Township, allegedly attacked her neighbor, Sherry Rizzo, on Saturday and is charged with simple assault, burglary, criminal trespass, public drunkenness and harassment.

Goldstein, an art teacher at Solomon/Plains Junior High School, had no comment Tuesday when visited at her home.

The school board met in executive session Monday to discuss whether Goldstein should be indefinitely suspended with or without pay. When the district's investigation is complete, the information will be presented to the school board, which will make a final decision on any further repercussions for Goldstein, Namey said.

Goldstein is accused of yelling racial slurs and threats at Rizzo and Rizzo's boyfriend, and asked where her boyfriend was smoking crack, according to police. She allegedly followed the couple into their apartment, hit Rizzo in the face, was asked to leave and continued fighting. Police said Goldstein appeared intoxicated when they arrived.

Teacher Charged with Assault

By Renie Workman

5:03 PM EST, March 7, 2010
A teacher in the Wilkes-Barre Area School District is in trouble with the law. She is accused of yelling racial slurs and assaulting a neighbor.

Larissa Goldstein, a teacher at Solomon-Plains Junior High School, was arrested Saturday after police said a fight with her neighbor turned physical.

The superintendent of the Wilkes-Barre Area School District said the charges against Goldstein are serious and she will not be in the classroom Monday.

The superintendent said Goldstein is an art teacher at the junior high school.

The 28-year-old from Plains Township was arrested early Saturday morning after a fight at an apartment building on Hollenback Street.

Police said the victims, a man and woman, claim Goldstein screamed at them and yelled racial slurs at the man. When police arrived, officers said Goldstein appeared drunk.

According to court papers, the victims told police they walked away from Goldstein, but she came into their apartment uninvited and when asked to leave, she scratched and punched a woman in the face.

Goldstein is charged with assault, trespassing, burglary and was also cited for harrassment and public drunkenness.

“We are very, very concerned. These are very serious charges,” said Dr. Jeff Namey, superintendent of the Wilkes-Barre Area School District.

Goldstein’s boyfriend, who did not want to be identified, said there are two sides to every story.

“She doesn’t deserve this and I hope after everything comes out, that the police, everybody understands what really happened. It’s important that her name doesn’t get thrown under the bus for what happened. She’s a good person,” he said.

The superintendent said Goldstein is suspended from her job at the school.

“This is her livelihood. She has a 10-month-old baby. She loves her job, she loves her students and she made a mistake by drinking, and I think she realizes that, but she didn’t deserve what happened to her,” added her boyfriend.

Goldstein was released Saturday on bail.

The Wilkes-Barre Area superintendent said he will meet with the district’s solicitor to determine if Goldstein will be suspended with or without pay.

http://www.wnep.com/wnep-luz-teacher-charged-assault,0,3775969.story

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.