If you are fired, no, you can not collect unemployment. I haven't been fired yet so I suppose there's a slim chance the board will make an unprecedented decision and let me stay... but I will never teach again if I am fired bc I was arrested-- there's no way to explain that in an interview. It just seems so unfair. I am trying to do all I can to make things better for the girls and I and this last bit is just too much to take.