Brevard County teacher says she was wrongfully terminated for medical marijuana use

COCOA, Fl. — A Brevard County teacher is fighting to save her career and reputation after she said she was fired for using medical marijuana.

Marta MacCullagh taught second grade at Endeavour Elementary School until she was fired Tuesday for violating the district's drug-free workplace policy.

"I'm very, very upset," said MacCullagh. "I don't have a lot of tears left to cry right now."

The distrct initally received an email alleging MacCullagh used marijuana in November. The email included a video of the teacher with a pipe.

A drug test later found marijuana to be in the system of MacCullagh.  The teacher does not believe she did anything wrong since she's been on Florida's medical marijuana use registry for over a year.

"I wasn't doing anything wrong in my mind. It wasn't something that was going to be a problem," said MacCullagh. "I had a prescription for it just like every other prescription from a doctor."

MacCullagh and her attorney believe the district was contacted by an individual who was under a court order to not have any third-party contact with the teacher.

After exhsuting all appeals to the district to save her job, MacCullagh fears her certification could be at risk.

Brevard Public Schools gave a statement to Channel 9 on the matter:

Any employee who tests positive to a controlled substance, as defined in our drug-free workplace policy, is subject to disciplinary action - up to and including termination.

The district also said that Florida Statute "does not limit the ability of an employer to establish, continue, or enforce a drug-free workplace program or policy."

A special hearing is scheduled for the matter.

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