Fired, Alcoholic Teacher Accuses School Of Disability Discrimination

Jennifer Zeigler had been working as a Georgia middle school teacher for 25 years when she lost her job after driving drunk to school one day. Now Zeigler has filed a federal complaint against the school district that fired her, reports The Daily Citizen of Dalton, Ga., claiming sex and disability discrimination.

While conceding that she is an alcoholic, Ziegler claims that she'd never been drunk at work or school, and she argues that her dismissal amounts to disability discrimination because alcoholism is protected under the Americans With Disabilities Act. In her complaint, filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, she also alleges sex discrimination, claiming that two male employees had been arrested for drunken driving and were actually promoted to management afterwards. Another man, she alleges, was hired, despite a DUI on his record.