A substitute teacher in Iowa was dismissed after offering students extra credit if they donated to her personal GoFundMe. An administrative law judge found that the offer put students under pressure and breached the school district’s ethics policy; he also denied her application for unemployment benefits.

Stephanie Mullaley had promoted a fundraiser to help pay for a July 2026 trip to Ecuador, where she said she planned to interpret for a medical mission team. The fundraiser sought $1,800 but received $140 from six donors before activity was paused, according to the Iowa Capital Dispatch. It is unclear whether Mullaley and her husband made the trip.