Teacher May Have Sold Tickets to Free Show
Wed Oct 1, 3:10 PM ET
NEW YORK - A high school teacher allegedly sold his students tickets to last week's Dave Matthews Band concert in Central Park, even though the performance was a free event.
Officials said Jason Nissen, who teaches math at Frank Sinatra (news) School of the Arts in Queens, gave the tickets to his students for $30 each to the Sept. 24 concert that was attended by more than 85,000 fans. The second-year teacher denied that he sold the tickets for a profit, insisting that a friend who works for concert sponsor America Online sold him 19 extra tickets.
Nissen recieved a letter of reprimand from Eliot Salow, principal of Frank Sinatra HS, who called the math teacher's actions "inappropriate."
Officials said that he was charged last year with scapling tickets outside the U.S. Open (news - web sites). He pleaded guilty last month to disorderly conduct and fined $100.
Education Department officials said they would investigate Nissen.