Greenfield, INDIANA

Mar 24, 2007 - Greenfield-Central school officials fired a Greenfield Middle School teacher over concerns about her relationship with a student.

"No one has suggested the relationship between Trina Moore and the student was sexual or illegal, school officials said." The teacher spent hours per day outside school hours in the girl's company, talking to her on the phone or e-mailing with her, according to school officials.

When she refused to terminate her contact with the girl outside school even when instructed to do so by Greenfield Middle School Principal Jim Bever and despite complaints from the girl's mother. The teacher was fired for insubordination. Moore's attorney says she is considering a legal appeal.

"Phone records obtained through the school's investigation indicate Moore spent a cumulative total of more than 11 hours on the phone with the student one day in June 2006, and similar amounts of phone time with the girl on several other days. " While Moore's attorney says the calls were initiated by the girl, school officials said the teacher already had been warned about getting too personally involved with students.

School officials thought the conduct exceeded the bounds of a healthy teacher-student relationship.

The girl was 13-years-old.

TT- there's a lively debate at the news site that brings up some good issues. The ones who argue that she was just a caring teacher can be safely ignored. As an adult, if a parent asked you to quit talking to her child 10 hours a day, wouldn't you consider it wise to do so? The teacher wasn't fired for having poor judgement. She was fired because she was specifically ordered not to continue.

STATE CORRECTION.