Teacher fired for allowing 18-year-old students to drink wine… during trip to France

A French teacher has been fired from a $40,000-a-year Manhattan prep school for allowing her 18-year-old students to have a glass of wine during a school trip to France.

Daniele Benatouil was let go from the prestigious Calhoun School on the Upper West Side for letting six girls enjoy the traditional French beverage, despite getting their parents’ permission beforehand.

The rule breaking was discovered when the girls presented a video to their fellow students, which depicted them sipping red wine.

Breaking rules: The teacher allowed six 18-year-old girls to have a glass of wine with a meal during a school trip to France
Breaking rules: The teacher allowed six 18-year-old girls to have a glass of wine with a meal during a school trip to France (file photo)

Ms Benatouil, who had worked at Calhoun for 13 years, was fired as the glass of wine broke the school’s zero tolerance policy.

Ms Benatouil sued the school for wrongful termination but the school’s decision was upheld by Manhattan State Supreme Court as she had failed to also get permission from the school board, Judge Shlomo Hagler ruled.

The teacher, who now works at a public school nearby, defended her decision, saying a glass of wine with a meal is a vital part of exploring French culture and cuisine, the NY Daily News reported.

‘Having a glass of wine with a meal is absolutely a big part of the French cultural experience,’ she said. ‘It’s very traditional – like having a hamburger in New York.’

However, the school board did not feel the same and reacted strongly to the video being displayed in front of students upon their return from the 2010 trip.

‘It was very difficult to witness the children having alcohol, given the expectations of our school,’ one administrator at the $39,900-a-year school had told Ms Benatouil, according to court papers.

Ms Benatouil had sought $120,000 in compensation, representing one year’s salary and benefits from Calhoun, and her lawyer Preston Leschins is now considering an appeal.
Mail Online

Comments (0)

  1. This is so ridiculous! The school considers 18 year old girls to be children… But at that age in the United States you can drive a car. Children should not be allowed to drive a car then.

    Furthermore, in France you are no longer a child at age 18. And whether you are American or not, you can have a glass of wine if you desire so with your meal if you are 18 years old.

    What Ms Benatouil says is true: having a glass of wine with your meal is part of the culture. Plus, there is no scientific proof that this is harmful to your health, on the contrary…

    Now I understand that the school has rules and this for the students' best interests, but I believe that the school decision to fire Ms Benatouil is too severe.

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