POCATELLO — Deputy Attorney General Andrew J. Snook notified Laraine Cook on Tuesday that the Professional Standards Commission had reviewed her case and found insufficient basis to pursue disciplinary action against her teaching certificate.
Cook, a popular girls’ basketball coach, was dismissed by Pocatello Chubbuck School District 25 in October after a photograph was posted on her Facebook page that showed Cook’s fiancé, Pocatello football coach Tom Harrison, with his hand on her covered breast.
The photo was online just 48 hours before being removed. It was brought to the district’s attention on Oct. 21, and Cook was fired two days later.
Superintendent Mary Vagner wrote to the commission following Cook’s dismissal and asked that they take action in the matter.
Vagner did not return calls Tuesday regarding the commission’s decision.
In December, a grievance panel comprised of former legislator James Ruchti, Rupert attorney Robyn Brody and former legislator Diane Bilyeu recommended that Cook be reinstated as a substitute teacher in District 25 and that she be reinstated as the basketball coach for the 2014/2015 season.
The panel also recommended that a social media policy be adopted by the district and that a copy of the panel’s decision be forwarded to the Professional Standards Commission.
The Pocatello Chubbuck School Board accepted the recommendations in January, but changed the language of the panel’s decision.
Pocatello Attorney Gary Cooper has represented Cook since she started grievance proceedings against the District following her dismissal.
Cooper said Cook has been called back as a substitute teacher in District 25, but no contract has been offered regarding her reinstatement as the girls’ basketball coach.
In a letter from District 25, the wording states that the administration will communicate with Cook at a later date regarding her rehire as the head basketball coach.
“The letter from the Professional Standards Commission was good news,” Cooper said. “We’re still concerned about language changes in the resolution by the Trustees in January.”
Cooper said that Cook has until March 3 to appeal her case and he has not ruled out that possibility.
“I’m trying to clarify exactly what the rewording means,” Cooper said. “I’ve had communication with the district’s attorney, but I still don’t have clarification.”
Following Cook’s dismissal, she and Cooper met with her immediate supervisor, Vice Principal and Athletic Director Robert Parker, and with Vagner, in an attempt to resolve the situation.
But when those meetings failed to bring results, the grievance panel was appointed.
Cooper said his client has maintained a positive attitude throughout the ordeal, but is anxious to put it behind her.
“I think Laraine would like to have this behind her and to move on with her life,” Cooper said.
(6) comments
These comments all state "how nice "Ms. Cook is. Thats she is a kind loving person. Hey that might be true, but my kids dont need another friend. A teacher is a role model, one of the pillars of the community. They are the people kids go to when they are in trouble if they dont have that support system at home. I dont think Mr. Harrison or Ms. Cook meet this criteria as teaching professionals.If they held jobs in another field this would not be an issue. As parents, it is a difficult job to warn kids of the dangers of social media. One quick pic posted online can destroy their young futures. Many top ranking schools have started using fb as part of the admissions process. Many school have suggested students delete their accounts junior year to prevent that photo of the party or the inappropriate male or female shot. Teachers should be warning kids against this behavior and not be an example of it.
NOT surprised. Consider the board and the administration.
Onviously I'm not the only one that sees the flaw in their character or this would have never been brought to the districts attention in the first place.
In response to your statement "Obviously I'm not the only one that sees the flaw in their character or this would have never been brought to the districts attention in the first place."
Maybe someone saw an opportunity to judge, to hurt, and persecute her for a photo, one she herself removed as soon as its content was brought to her attention. I doubt any of us would wish someone to judge our entire character on a single photo.
It's sad that so many are quick to fall into that same category of judgment. This is a human being here with feelings, hopes, and dreams. She is more than a single photo just as much as any of us are more than a single action. This entire process has been handled unjustly and with so much undue criticism. The issue has been resolved and she has suffered enough these past months. The only purpose your comments serve is to do more damage, as you know she will read this article about herself and your comments. I just question why people feel the need to inflict more pain and judgement without actually truly knowing the person involved.
I've stated my sadness over your comments and have no more need to carry on discussion. I'm not attacking you, please understand that. I just wish people considered the power of their words and judgement before they freely shared them. Sticks and stones is a lie - words always hurt!
Dear No Thanks,
It's interesting that you open your comment by admitting your ignorance in knowing the people involved but then are so quick to judge their character by a "single photo." As far as what has been reported to the public it appears that both individuals involved have handled themselves as people of character in interviews. They have not resorted to name calling or slandering the district for its rash action. So I'm just curious how you are equipped to judge their character? Do you have an insight that the rest of the public does not or is your judgement of them simply based on a photo? If that is the case I wonder if someone followed you around all day with a recording device if there would ever be a moment that you would conduct yourself improperly. Would that moment all of a sudden disqualify you to be a parent. Everyone has times in their lives they would do differently but it is important that we look at their hearts and their track record before we judge them by a single action.
If your concern is a moral concern based on a presupposition that they are engaging in conduct traditionally reserved for marriage, I would caution you again that you are presuming. However play your scenario out and even assume you are true. All have sinned and fallen short of God's standard. If a single sin, one I am not excusing by the way, disqualified every teacher from ever teaching then we would have very empty classrooms. All humans sin, hopefully less because of Jesus, but we have to be careful to separate a judgement of someones actions from a judgement of that persons heart. In this case several of Ms. Cook's students have rushed to defend her heart openly, which means while their is an action in her life you would rather see change you might be miss judging the whole of the person. It is a parents responsibility to teach their children to be able to see the difference and give more weight to the advice of those whose actions are congruent with their hearts, with room for forgiveness mixed in. What we cannot teach our children is to rush to judgement, to presume instead of know, and to condemn instead of seek to restore. Remember that the measure which we hold to others will be held to ourselves. If you do not like an action in Ms. Cook's life then I recommend getting to know her, showing love to her, and helping her see why that action is so damaging to the woman she was created to be. You love her though it rather than attack her.
I would simply repeat the words a professor once told me:
"Seek first to understand and then to be understood"
Ms. Cook if you read this post I hope you do not let the attack of "No Thanks" sink into your heart. It appear you have a good heart and love teaching students. I'm sorry for the pain this public spectacle has caused you and your family. I hope it has not closed your heart off to people, especially people of faith, as those who really know Jesus feel the hurt of what you have gone through and would love to help guide and heal your heart in the coming months.
Like it or not, teachers are role models to their student. Ms. Cook , I dont know her current marital status, or her boyfriend/husband have not shown the character to be good role models to their own children let alone anyone else's. I would not allow her to teach my child, yes allow I have the right as a parent to refuse and if my son would choose to play football it would not be under a head coach that shows such disrespect towards women and the well being of his own daughters.
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