Unlicensed Denver teacher removed from classroom

Fox31 Denver ^ | 6/2/2016 | Rob Low

[DenverCossack]

DENVER -- A first-year Denver elementary school teacher was placed on leave from her classroom with just a month left in the school year, but Denver Public Schools won’t say why.

Parents and former co-workers of Gabrielle Campiformio say she should have been removed at the beginning of the school year, not the end.

During a monthlong investigation, the FOX31 Denver Problem Solvers learned Campiformio never had a Colorado teaching license and was suspected of being under the influence of drugs in the classroom by former co-workers and some parents.

Cellphone footage shot by Campiformio’s last teaching assistant, who requested his identity not be revealed, shows Campiformio nodding repeatedly, her eyes barely open as she struggles to stay awake in her classroom of first-, second- and third-graders at Gilpin Montessori Elementary School.

“Two students got accustomed to making coffee for her because they were so used to her falling asleep,” the teacher's assistant said.

The man who shot the footage in early April said he did so because it was everyday behavior that he wanted to show as proof Campiformio wasn’t fit to teach.

“From seeing her one on one, it's either drug-related or related to being hung over all the time because it's just not a normal tired to slur your words,” said the teaching assistant, who also took video of students outside enjoying extra recess because he said Campiformio didn’t want to teach, adding many of the students didn’t know their ABC's.

He quit less than two months on the job, frustrated because he said principal Kimberly Riggins didn’t take his concerns seriously.

[DenverCossack]

Video of this teacher in action at the link. It is time to random drug test the teachers (not just the bus drivers). Maybe they can do this with the over half a billion dollars ($628.6 million) they are going to ask the taxpayers for in November.

[rockinqsranch]

It may not be anything as sinister as drugs, but perhaps narcolepsy, a sleeping disorder.

We had a guy on the final assembly line at Douglas Aircraft in early 1966 who could, and did stand on a wing with a drill motor going inches from the surface of the fuselage sound asleep. He’d wake up periodically, quickly perform the job he was assigned, and next thing we’d know Ivan would be sound asleep again.

His car was a mess. He didn’t drink, nor did he do drugs. He suffered of narcolepsy.

[Don Corleone]

Now she’ll go into a ‘rubber room’ in Colorado and continue to draw her salary for a few years while this gets lost in the constipated bowels of our judicial system.

[Paladin2]

Cangtress and the Rainbow Mosque need drug testing.

[Kenton]

Soooo... it looks like she was never vetted before being hired. Looks like the school board didn't even check to see if she was licensed.

Apparently that didn't matter. It looks like their attitude was that anybody can walk in off the street and do the job.

I'd buy that. I'm just surprised that the school board made that obvious to the public. Usually they try to cover that kind of incompetence up.

[Red Badger]

Yes, I had a co-worker once that had that. It was funny at times.......................

[al baby]

Looks like those around him suffered as well

[r_barton]

Go to Google News and search for “teacher arrested”. You will be amazed at how many teachers are under arrest for sexually molesting students.

[Vigilanteman]

We are aware of at least five separate such incidents in the Pittsburgh area alone in just the last year or so.

It is frighteningly sickening. Male teachers diddling female students, female teachers diddling male students, male teachers diddling male students and even female teachers diddling female students.

[Vigilanteman]

I'm just surprised that the school board made that obvious to the public. Usually they try to cover that kind of incompetence up.

Here is SW Pennsylvania, the teacher's unions essentially elect the school boards. Excepting presidential years, our primary election turnout is lucky to break 20%. Over half of that 20% is usually the teachers, their families, relatives and other government workers who stick together to screw the taxpaying public.

[SkyDancer]

But illegals can teach.

[Hulka]

“Apparently that didn’t matter. It looks like their attitude was that anybody can walk in off the street and do the job.”

Actually, anybody of the protected class (in other words, not white males) can walk in off the street and do the job.

[dfwgator]

Marijuana, Marijuana
LSD, LSD
Scientists make it
Teachers take it
Why can’t we?
Why can’t we?

[CopperTop]

I've had sleep apnea for years. Until it's treated, your symptoms look exactly like this. My co workers thought I was drugged up (IT Tech) till I got diagnosed.

I'll tell ya, waking up to see the back end of a stopped dump truck right in front of ya when yer barrelin' down the highway is an undesirable experience. d;^)

[Enterprise]

Parents who have been found to be under the influence of drugs have been charged with felony charges of child endangerment or neglect. If she had no medical problem, a criminal investigation should include her and her principal. Parents whose students were involved might have a civil case against her and the school district for fraud because their children learned virtually NOTHING! (Not that it’s anything that isn’t happening now though.)

[r_barton]

All of these within the past couple of weeks. Found by searching Google News for “teacher arrested”:

Forestville High School principal placed on leave after teacher arrested for sex abuse of student
http://www.fox5dc.com/news/local-news/152053596-story

Teacher arrested, accused of having sex daily with 13-year old student
http://www.wilx.com/content/news/Teacher-arrested-accused-of-having-sex-daily-with-13-year-old-student-381636801.html

Medford Teacher Arrested For “Sexting” a Student
http://www.kdrv.com/news/Medford_Teacher_Arrested_for_Sexting_a_Student.html

Desert Pines High School teacher arrested for sex with student
http://www.ktnv.com/news/crime/desert-pines-high-school-teacher-arrested-for-sex-with-student

School teacher among those arrested in Lancaster prostitution sting
http://abc27.com/2016/06/02/several-arrested-in-lancaster-on-prostitution-related-charges/

Teacher arrested for showing teens nude photos
http://www.nj.com/burlington/index.ssf/2016/06/teacher_arrested_for_showing_teens_nude_photos_rep.html

Cooper ISD teacher arrested for improper relationship with student
http://www.kxii.com/content/news/Cooper-ISD-teacher-arrested-for-improper-relationship-with-student—381448861.html

Va. teaching assistant charged with selling marijuana to 13-year-old student
http://www.fox5dc.com/news/local-news/151262629-story

Skyline High teacher arrested, accused of inappropriate conduct with student
http://educationblog.dallasnews.com/2016/05/skyline-high-school-teacher-arrested-for-inappropriate-conduct.html/

Teacher arrested for allegedly forcing students to grope him
http://nypost.com/2016/05/28/teacher-arrested-for-allegedly-forcing-students-to-grope-him/

Hooksett teacher arrested for indecent exposure, lewdness
http://www.unionleader.com/Hooksett-teacher-arrested-for-indecent-exposure-lewdness

Polk teacher arrested for sexual battery
http://wfla.com/2016/05/20/polk-teacher-arrested-for-sexual-battery/

LAUSD Special Education Teacher’s Aide Charged on Suspicion of Sexually Abusing Two Boys
http://ktla.com/2016/05/31/special-education-assistant-arrested-on-suspicion-of-having-inappropriate-relationship-with-former-student/

Warsaw schools respond after teacher arrested for sexual conduct with 14-year-old student
http://wsbt.com/news/local/former-warsaw-teacher-arrested-for-sexual-conduct-with-14-year-old-student

Gwinnett teacher arrested after alleged sexual relationship with student
http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local/gwinnett-teacher-arrested-after-alleged-sexual-rel/nrKC6/

Neighbors concerned after teacher is arrested on sex charges
http://www.wbrz.com/news/gonzales-teacher-arrested-after-accused-of-having-sex-with-student/

Burlingame: Former Mills High School teacher arrested in sexual assault of student
http://www.mercurynews.com/crime-courts/ci_29912417/burlingame-former-mills-high-school-teacher-arrested-sexual

Cooper Teacher Arrested, Charged With Improper Relationship With Student
http://ketr.org/post/cooper-teacher-arrested-charged-improper-relationship-student#stream/0

Prairie View teacher arrested for alleged sex acts
http://www.republic-online.com/breaking_news/article_ec08212b-a6f8-5f14-a930-3d940e542d5e.html

Substitute teacher at Easton High arrested for sex with teen in cemetery, police say
http://www.mcall.com/news/breaking/mc-c-easton-teacher-arrested-for-sex-with-teen-20160517-story.html

Owasso teacher arrested for inappropriate photos of 14-year-old student
http://www.kjrh.com/news/local-news/owasso-teacher-arrested-for-inappropriate-photos-of-14-year-old-student

Marion teacher arrested, accused of criminal sexual conduct
http://www.scnow.com/news/local/article_a5af9658-1dcf-11e6-86f0-2355084fdaeb.html

Suburban teacher arrested, charged with sexually abusing student
http://wgntv.com/2016/05/13/suburban-teacher-arrested-charged-with-sexually-abusing-student/

[sparklite2]

Yep. If they didn’t think she was doing a bad job in the months before being outed, then she wasn’t. Teaching grade school requires way too much education, while the difficulty is valued more accurately by what it pays.

[OttawaFreeper]

I wonder if this will start happening more often in New York since they now apparently allow illegals to teach there.

[Rockpile]

Looks like even the union was questioning her and got BSed by the DPS brass.

Could be that she was Principal Riggins “connection” and that would explain her being hired in the first place and being untouchable.

But I’m naturally suspicious.....

[elpadre]

I can not imagine a school board hiring an unlicensed teacher anywhere, anyhow!!