Teachers arrested for drunk driving
A back to school message about drunk driving and teachers. A drunk driving charge in Pennsylvania is a serious offense. If you’re a teacher, however, it is probably more serious than you might imagine. Of course, there are consequences such as fines, loss of driver’s license, and possibly jail time or house arrest. If you’re a teacher, you will also have to deal with the social shame associated with educators who are arrested for any kind of crime. Teachers are role models; as such, errors in judgment like driving under the influence of alcohol can be so bad that many teachers and school administrators lose their careers over such an arrest.
If you’re a teacher in Pennsylvania and you have been arrested for a DUI, call Pittsburgh DUI lawyer Gary Gerson at 412-944-3620 to talk about your options. What many people fail to realize is that although a DUI is a misdemeanor offense, if you are convicted it is considered a criminal conviction. And aside from the criminal conviction on your record, you will have to face the parental and community uproar if your name is listed in the Post-Gazette or Tribune Review under the police arrest blotter. We have seen many instances where a parent will read the arrest records from the weekend, see a teacher’s name on there, then start a Facebook campaign against that teacher. In addition, if there are members of MADD in your school district, letter-writing campaigns are often strong enough to apply enough pressure on school boards that members feel forced to terminate you or ask you to resign.
Prepare for your future – Call DUI attorney Gary Gerson
As a teacher, you understand more than most about the importance of preparation. A DUI arrest is no different. If you have been arrested for driving under the influence in Pittsburgh, it is extremely important that you contact a DUI defense attorney who will explain the DUI criminal process, as well as your rights as someone charged with a DUI. If you’re a teacher, you could not only lose your job, but you may also lose your Pennsylvania state teaching license, depending on the circumstances of your arrest. Remember, once convicted of driving under the influence in Pennsylvania, the charge remains on your permanent criminal record. This means that if you lose your job, but haven’t lost your teaching license, the next school you interview is still going to be able to see your DUI arrest. Try to withhold that information and the school board finds out, you could be blacklisted from any school in your area. Deciding to spend your life as a teacher is an honorable choice. But we all make mistakes. A Friday night out for drinks with a couple of coworkers could lead to a career-ending choice if you’ve had too much to drink and decide to drive home. Hiring an experienced Pittsburgh DUI lawyer such as Gary Gerson may help you save your career. Call today for a free consultation at 412-944-3620.
