ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, February 12, 1997 TAG: 9702120097
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: S.D. HARRINGTON STAFF WRITER
The state school superintendent soon will get a request to cancel the teaching certificate of former Salem schoolteacher Penny Stallins, who was convicted of drug charges last year in Salem and Botetourt County circuit courts.
The Salem school division is required by the state to ask the Virginia Board of Education to revoke a teaching certificate when that person has been convicted of a felony. Stallins, 45, had not been teaching in Salem schools since she was granted a disability retirement in 1995. However, her teaching certificate is still valid.
She taught physical and health education at Salem High School from 1983-90, then transferred to Andrew Lewis Middle School.
The Salem School Board had planned Tuesday night to consider asking the state to revoke the certificate. But Tripp received a letter from Stallins on Monday in which she asked for cancellation of the certificate, and the board instead will forward her own request to the state.
Stallins was sentenced last month by Botetourt County Circuit Judge George Honts III to six months in jail for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. She pleaded no contest to the charge in October.
In Salem, Stallins was sentenced to 10 days in jail by Salem Circuit Court Judge G.O. Clemens for possession of amphetamine and cocaine and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. But he diverted the jail sentence to giving 10 anti-drug speeches.
Stallins was ordered by Honts to report to jail Monday.
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