City Council Supports Teacher Facing Discipline Over Chair-Throwing Incident

The City Council unanimously voted Thursday night to go on record opposing any disciplinary action that may come against New Bedford High School teacher Joanne Maura. Maura is the teacher who had a chair thrown at her by an 18-year-old student after she took his cell phone. School officials are investigating whether she followed proper procedures in reporting the incident. Ward 5 Councilor Kerry Winterson said Maura is the victim and should not be investigated.

The council's motion also asked Mayor Jon Mitchell to halt any discipline Maura may face. The Mayor's Office released a statement Thursday saying that no teacher should go through what Maura did, but that questions about how the incident was handled remain.