A fourth-grade teacher at Hills-Hendersonville Elementary School in the Canon-McMillan School District is suspended pending an investigation of a lesson about the election process during which she allegedly described abortion and adoption and asked students to vote on the issue.

The teacher has been suspended with pay since April 6, the day after the incident. James Stienstraw Jr., whose 9-year-old daughter is in the unidentified teacher's class, brought up the issue during the school board's meeting last night.

His daughter told him the teacher gave a detailed description of the abortion process and said she personally would give up a baby for adoption instead of having an abortion.

"My daughter's innocence has been taken away from her," Mr. Stienstraw said.

Principal Dawn Nicolaus sent parents a letter the next day informing them the topic of abortion had been discussed during class. Mr. Stienstraw asked the board to have the teacher fired immediately.

"This board has to follow a process and there's nothing they can do tonight," Solicitor Francis DiSalle said.

The board is not permitted to just fire the teacher, he said. She's in the union and any teacher accused of misconduct is entitled to a public hearing.

The district can't comment on the investigation, but there was no prior knowledge the subject matter would be discussed and action was taken immediately, said Superintendent Nick Bayat.