Getting Paid to Not Teach

Accused of misconduct, 160 L.A. teachers are ordered to stay at home, but they continue to receive full salaries. (LAT)

Thom Shelden is one of about 160 Los Angeles Unified School District employees who sit idly waiting for allegations of misconduct to be resolved.

A fellow teacher accused Shelden of sexual harassment and he was ordered not to contact her. A school district investigation found no evidence of harassment but he was removed from school because he continued to contact the woman.

Now, rather than report to school each day, Shelden is assigned to stay in his home during all of the district’s scheduled work hours. The district requires Shelden to call in at the beginning and end of his shift each day and he is not supposed to leave his home without first checking in with his supervisor.

A Los Angeles Times reporter and photographer spent a school day at Shelden’s residence to produce this audio slideshow. Shelden is still paid his $73,500 salary to stay at home.

CHANNEL: Los Angeles Times

Length: 2:42

Photography and Audio by Liz O. Baylen

VIEW: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-teachers-side6-2009may06-ss,0,3147052.htmlstory

SEE ALSO:

“L.A. Unified pays teachers not to teach”
http://www.latimes.com/news/la-me-teachers6-2009may06,0,2106453,iphone.story

“Workday filled by TV, exercise, reading”
http://articles.latimes.com/2009/may/06/local/me-teachers-side6