Teacher fined Rs 10.6 lakh for using cell phone in classroom

$22,000 for one phone call? That is looking to be the case for one New Jersey teacher that made a four-minute personal call in a class where she was a substitute teacher.

Desley Getty, a High School performing arts teacher, was covering for a colleague in 2008, when she called the school superintendent during class.

At the same time, a student in the class happened to be recording two other students dancing and inadvertently captured Getty talking on the phone. The student posted the video on YouTube.

Seems innocuous enough, but Getty's school district prohibits teachers from making calls while performing assigned duties. The Asbury Park School Board hit Getty with a shocking $22,000 (Rs 10.6 lakh) fine four-months' salary.

After being reprimanded by the school's principal, the county's school board tried to remove Getty from her job.

The salary forfeiture will be based on calendar days and will be deducted from a base salary of about $70,000.

The teacher's lawyer says she will not appeal the fine and says Getty acknowledges she made a mistake.