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Iowa Substitute Teacher Dismissed After Pressuring Students to Donate to Personal GoFundMe
By Drooid · · How we work
Iowa Teacher Fired Over Student Fundraising
Stephanie Mullaley, a full-time long-term substitute at Clinton Community School District, was terminated on May 29, 2026. The district cited a violation of its ethics policy after Mullaley offered high-school students extra-credit points in exchange for contributions to her personal GoFundMe campaign, which was intended to fund a medical-mission trip to Ecuador with her husband, Nick.
Background of the Fundraising Appeal
Mullaley posted a GoFundMe page with a $1,800 target to cover transportation, food and hotel costs for the Ecuador trip. She asked students for donations, noting that those who could not give financially were still welcome in prayer.
Official Findings and Unemployment Decision
Administrative Law Judge Duane Golden determined that Mullaley’s conduct constituted a “willful or wanton disregard” of the district’s interests. The judge ruled that the extra-credit incentive improperly leveraged the teacher-student relationship, leading to the denial of Mullaley’s claim for unemployment benefits.
Data & Statistics
- GoFundMe target: $1,800
- Amount raised: $140 from six donations ranging from $5 to $50
Verbatim Quotes
- “Nick & I are embarking on a journey this summer with a medical mission group,” — Stephanie Mullaley, the judge