An elementary school teacher in Queens had her 5th grade students draw Christmas cards for her boyfriend in prison, according to the NY Daily News. Melissa Dean organized the holiday activity at Public School 143 in Corona because she thought it was a nice thing to do.

The packages, addressed to John Coccarelli, were detained by a guard at Groveland Correctional Facility in Livingston who then notified school's principal. Dean, who neither had permission from the school nor children's parents, told her students the cards were for people without families. Some of the cards contained student names and return addresses.

Coccarelli was arrested four years ago for a felony weapons charge, thought he is eligible for release in May. Dean has been put on desk duty for the time being, but Education Department spokeswoman Barbara Morgan has said that they are seeking her termination.