
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, February 18, 1995                   TAG: 9502210010
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-4   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: PULASKI                                 LENGTH: Short

DRAMA TEACHER APPEALS DISCIPLINE

A Pulaski County High School teacher is appealing an administrative disciplinary action against her for an incident that occurred during a Dec. 11 field trip to Colonial Heights.

Drama instructor Rhonda Welsh and a hotel cafeteria employee had a verbal disagreement which apparently involved whether her students would be limited to one doughnut each from continental breakfast fare offered at the hotel where they were staying.

Welsh was ordered to be suspended without pay for 10 days and placed under strict supervision for a year. Her appeal will be heard at 5 p.m. Monday at the School Board office. The hearing will be open to the public.

Neither Welsh nor representatives of District 3 of the Virginia Education Association, which is supporting her appeal and providing legal representation for her, would comment on specifics of the case. But the matter has become public knowledge among other teachers and was discussed at a recent Pulaski County Education Association meeting.

Welsh has taught for 17 years. Her drama students at Pulaski County High School have consistently won top drama awards in the past six years.

by CNB