Deborah York resigns teaching post after fighting off first-grader

Via Fox 9

Deborah York moves on.

​It was the "Blackboard Jungle" out in suburban Edina in November 2009, but instead of Glenn Ford facing down high school thugs, it was teacher Deborah York struggling to deal with an obstreperous first-grader.

That's right. A first-grader.

By the time the confrontation was over at Countryside Elementary, York had sprained her back and neck.

When she told parents via e-mail what had happened while she was on sick leave--a no-no--she was moved to administrative leave.

Now she's resigned.

Parents were furious with the school district when it pulled the popular teacher from the classroom. There were petition drives and protests. But the district stuck by its decision, leaving York feeling, unjustly, like a victim.

"I don't feel the truth has come out," she said. "The whole thing was about safety. I think I stood up for safety and I was concerned about a safety situation."

Eventually, she was transferred to another school in an effort not to waste her talent, but she never returned to the classroom.

She resigned after reaching a settlement with the school district for $100,000, as well as a severance package. In return, she agreed to drop her claims against the district with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.