That's What Happens when Cunning Linguists Drink

A New York high school fired two female teachers who were found one recent evening allegedly drunk and at least partially naked in a classroom, officials said.

New York High School Superintendent Linda Waite's report of the Nov. 20 incident said James Madison High School French teacher Cindy Mauro, 34, and Spanish teacher Alini Brito, 30, were found in a classroom at 8:50 p.m. by maintenance workers, the New York Daily News reported Friday.

Waite said the workers reported seeing “a woman lying on the floor naked from the waist up” and a school safety officer summoned to the classroom said the women were “naked,” with one “on her knees” and one “lying on the floor.”

Waite said there were students in the building at the time of the incident, as the annual SING! competition was underway.

Mark Nussbaum, an attorney for Mauro and Brito, said the teachers have requested a formal hearing to contest the allegations. “Although my clients don't have qualms with most of the facts,” said Nussbaum, “neither is welling to admit to being over 30 at this time.”


To be fair, you would have to promise me nudity, alcohol, and possibly some on-knees action — if you know what I mean, and I think that you do — to get me within a mile of a high school SING! competition. I'm not saying these ladies didn't do something wrong, I'm just saying, I understand.

And what kind of maintenance workers reports naked, drunken teachers up to no-good?! I assumed when they saw something like that, they just said, “Beats the hell out of changing lightbulbs,” and then posted the video on YouTube. That my assumption was false saddens me a little.

I've been reluctant to add my voice to the cause before, but if this is standard behavior for high school support staff, I would like to add my craggy voice to the call for reform in post-secondary education. This cannot stand.