Odor of Cigarette Smoke Causes School Employee to Lose Job

FoxNews4, Portland, ME ^ | n/a

[metesky]

Odor of Cigarette Smoke Causes School Employee to Lose Job

Last Edited: Friday, 14 Sep 2007, 9:53 AM CDT

Created: Friday, 14 Sep 2007, 9:36 AM CDT

The Denton Independent School District has removed an employee from her position because she smells like cigarette smoke.

Suzanne Lidster was thrilled when she was recently hired to assist a student with disabilities at L.A. Nelson Elementary.

"It's something that God sent me here to do with this child," Lidster told FOX 4.  "It's like OK, this fell in my lap."

But after less than two weeks on the job, Lidster said she received a voicemail informing her that she had lost her position. 

The school's principal left a message on her cell phone Tuesday morning saying that a doctor said the odor of smoke on Lidster had aggravated the student's allergies. The principal also said that Lidster was not a good fit for the job.

"Like getting a voicemail from the school saying hey, don't come back to the school because you stink from smoke."

Lidster said she smokes eight cigarettes a day but never on campus.

"I don't stink," she said. But she admits that she may be used to the smell after smoking for 32 years.

Lidster tearfully told FOX 4 reporter Rebecca Aguilar that she would never do anything that might hurt a child.

"No, I would never harm a child, never knowingly harm a child smoking a cigarette, having the odors on my body, no I would never ever harm a child."

A district spokeswoman told FOX 4 that she couldn't talk about the case but did say Lidster had not been fired.

The spokeswoman said because Lidster is an at-will employee, she could be terminated at any time for no reason.

Denton ISD's human resources officer is looking into the case.

Lidster said she will quit smoking but will do it on her own terms.

[Publius6961]

Not scientifically defensible.
Clearly in the realm of "arbitrary and capricious" abuse of power. Half a pack a day can't make you "reek" of tobacco, even if in fact it could be demonstrated that it is harmful in any way other than neurotically.

[trumandogz]

She has no case since smokers are not protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act and that Texas is a employment at will state.

[mysterio]

If the student has a severe enough allergy, it could be a real issue.

BS. The allergies would be aggravated at all times by real world conditions.

This same kid will be kicking it in bars when he's 21 and will handle it just fine. This teacher was fired because of out of control anti-tobacco zealotry. Anti-tobacco zealotry should be classified as a legitimate psychiatric disorder and those suffering from it should be involuntarily committed.

[Ditter]

I think you are probably right, she might not have used the proper hygiene in general and the smell of cig smoke was just the icing on the (rancid) cake.

[Ditter]

A smell can trigger a “reaction”, all reactions are not necessarily allergic.

The woman probably just wasn’t clean and she stank. I can't imagine that 8 cigarettes a day would be enough to get her fired because of the smell.

[Shots]

Sure she has she is being discriminated against it is as simple s that Americans disabilities act has nothing to do with this.

[Madame Dufarge]

This same kid will be kicking it in bars when he's 21 and will handle it just fine.

I once worked for a neurotic boss who spent at least 3 nights a week in smoke-filled barrooms looking for someone, anyone, who'd tolerate him for more than an hour.

He managed to survive this horrific experience, but wouldn't let anyone smoke with 30 yards of him at the office.

Same guy spent almost a year in a mental institution because he'd proclaimed he was Jesus.

[Dr. Sivana]

BS. The allergies would be aggravated at all times by real world conditions.

My sister-in-law has such a sensitivity, and she does have to avoid heavily perfumed people and church incense as well as heavy smokers. She doesn't sue, she doesn't make a fuss. She knows that she has the sensitivity and simply does her best to stay away from situations that make her sick. If she had a major disability that required a personal aide, she would request a different aide.

The kid in this situation may not have that degree of allergy. I don't know and neither do you. I will agree that the one thing that "smells" in this scenario is the unwillingness of the administration to find a different student for her to care for.

[Dr. Sivana]

Same guy spent almost a year in a mental institution because he'd proclaimed he was Jesus.

So YOU'RE the lady with the bumper sticker that reads "My boss is a Jewish Carpenter."

(Hmmm... Madame Dufarge vs. Dr. Sivana, that would be quite the match-up)

[mysterio]

Agreed.

[Madame Dufarge]

I challenge you to a knitting contest....

[Mears]

Oddly enough,the smell of lilacs and freshly mown grass really irritates me. I have never asked anyone to get rid of their lilac bushes or stop mowing their lawns———I just tough it out the way my generation usually does.

What a strange,strange world this has become. !

[Othniel]

Heck, walking around in FOG can make my coat smell like I've been in a smoke-filled room all day. Various particulates, particularly from farmers burning everything wooden, make for smoky aromas that can cling to clothing. So can going camping around a campfire.

Give the woman a different kid to work with. Or spray her with Ozium before she enters the classroom....

[Dr. Sivana]

Can I use my army of robot-knitting machines? We’ll let Mary Marvel and Mr. Pecksniff be judges.

[Madame Dufarge]

Ok, even though I have Knit and Purl on my side, I must object to Mr. Pecksniff on general principle.

I'm sure you understand.