Ruling: Blind teacher fired by DCPS must be reinstated

A blind teacher fired by D.C. Public Schools in 2008 must be reinstated and offered more than $200,000 in back pay for her “sad and troubling” termination, an arbitrator ruled. Denise Hamilton told reporters on Wednesday she will accept the teaching position with DCPS after struggling to find work since her dismissal. “I look forward to going back to work with the children and picking up where I left off,” she said.

Hamilton was hired in 2002 to teach visually impaired and blind children before she was terminated from Sharpe Health Learning Center in 2008. DCPS said in a July 11 letter that Hamilton had not submitted proof of a valid teaching certificate and would be dismissed on Aug. 1.