At a New Hampshire rally on the anniversary of the Dobbs decision that overturned the abortion protections of Roe V. Wade, advocates condemned the controversial firing of a teacher in Amherst.
The teacher, who worked at the Regional Services and Education Center, a special needs school, was accused of taking a student for abortion services.
The school would not share details of the alleged incident with NBC10 Boston, but said all parents were notified.
"I feel for any student who's put in a situation where they have to make big decisions about their health care and don't feel like they can turn to their parents," said Sarah Sadowski of Concord.
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More on abortion
At a packed reproductive rights event in Concord Monday, many spoke out in favor of the teacher, saying she was put in a tough situation.
"I feel like the teacher was just doing what they felt, as a human, and putting their job at risk," said Maryrose Wainaina. "As a student, you go to your teachers cause you trust them.
"That's way above her pay grade, to begin with, and a student should not be in that situation," added Sriyam Rimal. "There needs to be a better support system."
A report from the New Hampshire Department of Education says the teacher admitted to faking a sick day to take the student to have a medical procedure. It also says the teacher assured she spoke to the student for more than two weeks about options and finding a safe facility.
The state's education commissioner, Frank Edelbut, sounded the alarm in an op-ed earlier this year, referring to the teacher's alleged behavior in the incident.
Counter-protesters at Monday evening's pro-choice event in Concord also sounded off.
"The teacher should not be involved with them, taking those kids to those clinics," said Margaret Svedsen. "Medical procedures? You can't give a kid an aspirin in school, and yet you can take them to have an abortion, which may have complications, and not tell a parent? No."
"I think the teacher should be fired, and I don't think she should ever get a job again," continued Svedsen, who held an anti-abortion sign.
Documents shared by the Department of Education show the teacher's license and certification are valid pending the results of the investigation. That teacher's identity has not been revealed.
