This little tidbit was in Monday's Palm Beach Post.
As the new school year approaches, teacher and state Rep. Shelley Vana, D-Lantana, is looking for a new job that's compatible with her Tallahassee obligations.
Vana, elected to the House in 2002, hasn't had a full-time classroom assignment since 1998. As president of the Classroom Teachers Association from 1998 to 2004, she was officially on leave while the union paid her salary. After her presidency, Vana spent the 2004-05 school year on sabbatical at half pay to allow time for her elected job.
Now the sabbatical is over and the district early last week was listing Vana as a science teacher at the Palm Beach School of the Arts for 2005-06. That would leave students teacherless during committee weeks, special sessions and the regular 60-day legislative session next spring. As of Friday, Vana said she was talking to district officials about finding a non-teaching job that would allow her to miss chunks of time while she's in Tallahassee.
Rep. Vana happens to be my State House Representative. Is she going to be a paid school teacher while at the same time serving in the legislature? The school district had her listed as a science teacher. Rep. Vana says its impossible for her to carry out the two jobs, and correctly so. But in my opinion the school board owes her nothing. What school board job will there be for someone who can't work at least 60 days out of every school year?
Maybe one designed specifically for Ms. Vana. There have been other sweetheart deals done in this county for unemeployed politicians or former judges. This story smells to me and I hope the Post follows up on it.
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