Iowa Teacher Fired For Selling Extra Credit Through Her GoFundMe

An Iowa high school teacher has lost her job after offering students extra credit in exchange for donations to her personal GoFundMe fundraiser.

The Clinton, Iowa Community School District fired Stephanie Mullaley after she told students during the 2025-26 school year that contributing to her fundraiser could count toward their grades.

Some students reportedly made donations and later said they felt pressured to contribute.

Mullaley’s GoFundMe campaign had a goal of $1,800. The fundraiser was intended to help pay for a planned trip to Ecuador, where Mullaley said she would serve as an interpreter for a medical mission team. In total, she received $140 through six donations.

The school district determined that offering academic credit in exchange for personal financial contributions violated its ethics policy.

Mullaley challenged the decision when she sought unemployment benefits following her termination.

A judge ultimately denied her request for unemployment benefits, ruling that her actions constituted job-related misconduct.

The case raises questions about the boundaries between teachers, students and personal fundraising.

While educators may participate in charitable efforts or community service, linking a student's grade to a personal financial contribution can create concerns about fairness and pressure, particularly when students may feel that their academic performance could be affected.