Teacher says she was fired for refusing to give credit

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) - A Florida history teacher says she was fired for refusing to give half-credit to students who didn't turn in their assignments.

Diane Tirado says her school along Florida's Treasure Coast had a "no zero" policy, requiring teachers to give students no less than a 50-percent grade on assignments.

Tirado tells television station WPTV that she was fired in mid-September when she refused to follow the policy after several students didn't turn in a homework project.

No specific cause was given in her termination letter from the principal at West Gate school, since Tirado was still on probation having been recently hired

The principal deferred comment to the school district.

A spokeswoman for St. Lucie Public Schools says there is no district policy prohibiting teachers from giving a grade of zero.