DPS says teacher tried to pawn school laptop

**begingri** · December-30-10, 09:27 PM

By NAOMI R. PATTON
Free Press Staff Writer

Detroit Public Schools officials say they have suspended a Durfee Elementary School teacher who allegedly tried to pawn her district-owned laptop computer at one of the biggest, most popular pawnshops in Detroit.

The DPS Office of the Inspector General investigation said Karen Drysdale-Oriucci, a DPS teacher since 1994, went to American Jewelry and Loan on Greenfield Road on Wednesday to pawn the netbook computer she received from the district on Dec. 17.

Store staff refused to pay the teacher for the netbook –- which is engraved with the DPS “I’m In” logo on its cover -– instead confiscating it and contacting DPS officials.

Drysdale-Oriucci was suspended Thursday with pay, pending a disciplinary hearing.

DPS Emergency Financial Manager Robert Bobb commended the owners of American Jewelry and Loan for refusing the sale and reporting the teacher to authorities.

http://www.freep.com/article/2010123...-school-laptop

**begingri** · December-30-10, 09:28 PM

Suspended? If this is found to be true, she needs to gets fired.

**eno** · December-30-10, 09:52 PM

It's amazing to think, considering how long Robert Bobb has been exposing and eliminating corruption in the Detroit Public School system, that a teacher would do something as stupid as what this teacher has allegedly done. Has she not read a newspaper in the last two years?

**softailrider** · December-30-10, 10:49 PM

Wow...she must have needed the 15 or 20 bucks really bad.

**sumas** · December-30-10, 11:47 PM

Suspention is appropriate pendig investigation But with pay?

They pick up the computer, investigation complete! Fire her

**jerrytimes** · December-31-10, 12:16 AM

It should be easy to prove with all the cameras that pawn shops tend to have.

**jeffb** · December-31-10, 07:44 AM

maybe she just wanted to be on their tv show...

**BagAJellyDonuts** · December-31-10, 10:41 AM

Originally Posted by sumas

Suspension is appropriate pending investigation But with pay?

They pick up the computer, investigation complete! Fire her

Common sense isn't common.

I could understand the "with pay" "pending investigation" but only if pay is returned if fired.

**DetroitTeacher** · December-31-10, 10:46 AM

I haven't even taken my new [[used) Netbook out of the box. I'm afraid to take it to work for fear it might get stolen! They really need to fire this teacher. I'm pissed they are paying her while on suspension! I'll take a picture of my netbook [[they are all the same) and you can SEE the I'm In logo on it, plain as day!! She needs to be fired for sheer stupidity!

**Junkin4Life** · December-31-10, 10:58 AM

I remembered her. She used to be one of the substitute teachers @ Redford High School.

**DetroitTeacher** · December-31-10, 11:02 AM

Here are some pictures of my Netbook. No one can change the password and when it boots up it clearly says Property of Detroit Public Schools [[this can't be changed, either). Notice the I'm In logo with a door on the front cover.

**eastsidechris** · December-31-10, 11:03 AM

DetroitTeacher, I've done the same thing with my computer! I immediately took it home and it's been sitting near my fireplace for 2+ weeks now, still in the box. Frankly, I'm hesitant to use it at school unless there is some way to attach it to my desk.

And I hear the plan is to give them to all of our students, too. When I asked about it, I was told that we would get a class set and have to be responsible for them ourselves. Great. Just what I want: to be held accountable for 30 miniature laptops that can each easily fit into a jacket. Just another example of DPS taking a good idea and then implementing it in perhaps the most illogical way possible.

**eastsidechris** · December-31-10, 11:05 AM

And by the way, she obviously deserves to be fired if this is true--which I don't doubt. If she's stupid enough to have done this, I'd just say it was a case of educational Darwinism playing out before our very eyes.

**DetroitTeacher** · December-31-10, 11:08 AM

Yeah...I have a room with a steel door in my room where I can lock them up. Just one more thing I have to count before each class leaves [[I'm dealing with 5 classes of kids). While I LOVE the idea of my kids having limited access to the Internet while in my class [[I do a lot of powerpoint and my projecter is crashing but I post everything to Blackboard) I'm not sure I want to be held accountable for these tiny things. If they gave EACH kid a Netbook and made their PARENTS accountable, then it wouldn't be so bad [[but then again, my kids can't even hang on to a handout or book without losing it).

**Patrick** · December-31-10, 11:09 AM

If this happened in the private sector there is no doubt that this person would be canned. This sets a bad example for students and if the union protects here...well then it just makes them look like assholes too.

**Gannon** · December-31-10, 11:10 AM

I would much rather learn WHY she acted in such desperation before judging her and condemning her to losing her job. These holiday times are ALWAYS a huge source of financial woes for everyone who plays the Christmas consumption game.

I do not excuse her actions, but I will not be so quick to chop off her head. Or worse. I do NOT endorse what she did, nor think it prudent in any way.

Desperate people do desperate things. We ALL know teachers are underpaid for their efforts, and pawning does NOT mean she was selling it for gain.

Pawning is merely using some asset as collateral for a legal usury-rate temporary cash loan. She now understands that the asset MUST be hers before pledging it.

I think those who are so quick to judge must put themselves in her shoes first. Then look around some and learn a little empathy...because your sympathy muscles are atrophied.

Sincerely,
John

**DetroitTeacher** · December-31-10, 11:12 AM

I AM in her shoes [[being a teacher in DPS) and anything DPS related would not be on the top of my list of things to pawn...I'd pawn my TV before anything related to my JOB!

**jiminnm** · December-31-10, 11:21 AM

Originally Posted by Gannon

Desperate people do desperate things. We ALL know teachers are underpaid for their efforts, and pawning does NOT mean she was selling it for gain.

Pawning is merely using some asset as collateral for a legal usury-rate temporary cash loan. She now understands that the asset MUST be hers before pledging it.

You've got to be kidding Gannon.

She stole the laptop and attempted to sell it. There's no more to it than that.

She should be fired, immediately. Her personal circumstance is irrelevant - there is no excuse for theft, none.

**Gannon** · December-31-10, 11:47 AM

No, I'm not. I am as serious as I can be here.

Are you SURE about what you say?!

I never said it was an excuse, it sure is tough to get through you inflexible law-n-order types. Is it a thick skull, or that armor around your atrophied heart?!

What part of "we need to learn WHY she did this before passing judgement" and "pawning is NOT necessarily selling" do you not understand?!

What portion of desperation have YOU ever felt in your apparently spit-clean law-abiding life...and why do you all feel such a need to pass such hard judgment over this woman without knowing the full story?!

Why the rush to nail everyone who makes a basic mistake to the cross you so quickly want to build?!

Fact is, none of us know the rest of her story. I already said it doesn't excuse her actions, but IF she acted out of desperation and made a simple mistake thinking she could get just a week's worth of cash until that next paycheck...during vacation when she obviously wouldn't need it in class...then her penalty should be way less than IF she actually DID intend on stealing and merely selling it outright.

There is NO firm evidence she did ANYTHING of that sort, in my casual observation. I'm not sure a one of us has any observation deeper than that...

**eastsidechris** · December-31-10, 11:50 AM

jiminnm, she can't be fired immediately. It is her right as a member of the DFT to be given due process. But as a building rep who had one co-worker terminated this year, I think it is safe to say that given the facts of this case, the union will do little to protect her. Trust me on that.

And I have to agree with DetroitTeacher, Gannon: as a teacher in DPS, I am in her shoes. I'm sorry that she felt she was in a position to even consider pawning the computer, but $100 is hardly worth the risk of losing your position over.

**Gannon** · December-31-10, 11:58 AM

Eastsidechris,

I understand. I think this woman does now, too.

I think she would be THE spokesperson for the entire school system against anyone else doing anything as stupid IF she is allowed some grace.

You would not find another more motivated person than her to prove to others that this sort of thing should never be within their consideration...no matter their desperation.

Because she could speak from HER empathy of the situation.

Again, I am saying all of this IF she did it out of shear stupidity and desperation.

If there was malice and aforethought, then I AGREE with the harshest of rushed judgments already posed by others.

I am merely crying out for some delay before rendering judgment...that is all. Because if done wisely, this could become the greatest teaching tool this woman has ever been given...the experience to help keep people from even approaching the same trouble.

Unfortunately, too many in this town seem like they feel they've nothing to lose...

**Johnnny5** · December-31-10, 12:01 PM

Gannon does have a point about there being a difference between outright selling the laptop and pawning and that should be taken into account when deciding her future with DPS. That being said, after the publicity of all the stolen DPS computers why would anyone in their right mind try a stunt like this?

If she had a serious emergency I can actually sympathize, but being short on cash for the holidays is a pathetic excuse to risk your career and City property.

**Ray1936** · December-31-10, 12:09 PM

Whether she should be fired, crucified, or forgiven is besides the point. What baffles me is how can an educated person be so friggin' stupid????

**pffft** · December-31-10, 12:20 PM

What would you get, $10 for that thing? It's criminal and it's stupid. This isn't one of the many Detroiters out of work, the woman has a well-paying, union-repped job. Please...