June 5, 2008 - Shannon Vianello, 38, a remedial elementary reading teacher, was found guilty of driving under the influence. She was sentenced to one year of probation, ordered her to perform 80 hours of community service, serve 30 days on the Sheriff's Office work gang and ordered that she must not possess or consume alcohol or drugs. Her driver's license was suspended for a year.
She was arrested March 11 while driving from one assigned school to another. Three officers went to the school because several people called 911 saying someone was driving erratically, and the tires on the right side were flat. She told police she was a diabetic. A parametic checked her blood sugar and told the officer that her blood sugar was fine.
At the jail, she blew a 0.277 and a 0.266. The legal limit is 0.08.
FIRING RECOMMENDED June 6 - Marion County Public Schools has recommended that Vianello be fired.
"At this point we are planning to terminate her now that the conviction has been handed down," he said Thursday afternoon. "The district came to that decision based on the fact that she drank on the clock."Following the arrest almost three months ago, Vianello was never suspended from her position.
RESIGNED June 9 - Vianello resigned, citing personal reasons. The resignation came on Friday, the day after school officials announced they would recommend dismissal.
Such a conviction does not mean she will automatically lose her teaching certificate. It depends on the circumstances, according to the state Department of Education. State officials also could put her on a probation plan, DOE said.
