HOLLAND TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) - The West Ottawa Board of Education voted Monday to hold a hearing on whether to fire a teacher who claims the district is trying to oust her because she once worked as a stripper.

While the Board has a long list of accusations against Susan Brennan, she said the district's real reason for wanting to get rid of her is because she was once employed as an exotic dancer.

Regarding the district's list of allegations against Brennan's classroom conduct, she claims most of them are false and others have explanations behind them.

In a document sent to the school board, Brennan - a teacher with more than 20 years experience - responds to the issues.

On working as a stripper:

"It was the single most disastrous, most humiliating, and most damaging mistake of my life, one that I will regret for the rest of my life. It has followed me for the last four years, and I have no choice but to deal with this issue head-on. I do want the board to understand that this was a time of great financial and emotional stress for me, and that my ex-husband and I were facing bankruptcy. In a stupid, misguided attempt to avert disaster, I allowed him to pressure me into gaining employment in an adult nightclub."

The stripping incidents happened in Grand Rapids and Lansing four years ago while Brennan was on a medical leave of absence from the school.

Here's the complete list of misconduct charges:

• Failing to use prescribed common assessments for her courses
• Failing to meet administrative requests for student assessment information
• Failing to teach her students the prescribed curriculum
• Failing to use approved or acceptable grading practices in assessing student performance which resulted in inaccurate grades being put in Infinite Campus
• Using materials which were not part of the approved curriculum and are unsuitable for some students in her classroom
• Paying a student to help her with her teaching duties and transporting the student home from school
• Excessive absenteeism
• Failure to leave lesson plans for substitute teachers
• Conversing on her cell phone during class time
• Failing to turn in lesson plans as directed

In the letter sent to the board of education, Brennan called most of those accusations false or misunderstandings. She did admit to talking on her cell phone, but only during her lunch hour. She also said she was forced to take several sick days in 2009 and 2010 because she had to attend custody hearings related to her divorce.

The board now will schedule a hearing to decide Brennan's future with the district, but that likely won't happen for another five to six months.

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