Teacher falesly accused of molestation because his student was angry gets his life ruined

It all started in January 2010 when Sean Lanigan, a physical education teacher, got arrested and interrogated by two Fairfax County police detective.

A 12-year-old girl in Lanigan's class complained to the cops that he groped her and touched her buttocks in the back room of their class. Turns out, he never did it and she was angry at him because he disciplined her for bullying her classmates...

Two weeks after her testimony, the cops arrested Lanigan without even talking to the girl further. Imagine how a dedicated teacher, soccer coach (he even has GK - for goalkeeper - tatooed on his leg) had to explain to his family (wife and 3 children) and friends how he was accused of child molestation? Why TV trucks were around his school and house? He was facing up to 40 years in jail, and we all know what they do to child molesters there...

Anyway, after spending months alone because of the shame, turns out the jury found him not guilty in a record-beating deliberation of only 47 minutes!

Lanigan thought his problems over after the ruling, but his school, despite the acquittal, decided to transfer him (a move that forced his wife to quit her job) twice. The district won't pay him his $125,000 in legal fees, which is legally required by Virginia law for employees cleared of wrongdoing on the job.

More than a year later, he still has the "child molester" stickers all over him. Which means, social and professional problems. Isn't it a high price to pay for simply disciplining a student? Just look at the first Google result for 'Sean Lanigan'...

More info can be found at http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/fairfax-teacher-sean-lanigan-still-suffering-from-false-molestation-allegations/2011/03/04/AFVwhh3G_story.html