Iowa Teacher Fired After Allegedly Offering Extra Credit for GoFundMe Donations
An Iowa high school teacher was fired after school officials said she offered students extra credit in exchange for donating money to her personal GoFundMe account.
Teacher Had Worked in Clinton Schools Since 2022
Stephanie Mullaley began working for the Clinton Community School District in 2022.
According to state records, Mullaley was fired on May 29, 2026, after the district determined she had violated its ethics policy.
Students Were Allegedly Offered Extra Credit
In the spring of 2026, she allegedly told students that she had created a GoFundMe account to help pay for her education. She then told students they could receive extra credit in her class if they donated money to the fundraiser.
Some students did donate.
The school district later learned about the arrangement and determined that Mullaley had used her position as a teacher to pressure students into giving money to her personal fundraiser. She was then fired.
Judge Says Teacher Was Not Eligible for Unemployment
A Judge ruled that Mullaley's actions were serious enough to be considered job-related misconduct. He said her actions showed a “willful or wanton disregard” for the interests of the school district.
Because of that ruling, Mullaley was denied unemployment benefits.
Online records also show that a Stephanie Mullaley from Clinton created a GoFundMe earlier this year to help pay for a July 2026 trip to Ecuador with her husband. She said she planned to interpret for a medical mission team and help with language barriers while her husband assisted the team.
The fundraiser had a goal of $1,800 and received $140 from six donations ranging from $5 to $50 before activity on the account was paused.
