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Man teaches classroom full of children. (Credit: Neonbrand Unsplash) Dozens of teachers were accidentally overpaid. Now, Charlotte County Public Schools is making them give the money back. Most Charlotte County teachers return to their classrooms in two weeks. But for 91 instructors, opening their paychecks will not be as sweet as the last school year. Some parents, including Dusty King, believe they deserve every penny. “All teachers should be paid at their maximum potential at whatever county it is,” King said. Charlotte Florida Education Association, which is the union representing nearly 1,000 teachers in the county, told WINK News some educators hired from outside the district since 2016 were overpaid. They were compensated more than employees who have worked in the district longer. It’s policy in Charlotte County Public Schools for no teacher newly hired outside the district to make more than a teacher who has worked the same number or more years as an employee in Charlotte County. So Charlotte County teacher’s contracts requires overpaid instructors to pay back the money or enroll in payroll deductions. One woman, who was hired in 2017 with more than five years of experience, received a letter that she was overpaid $2,300 and needed to pay back the district. The union understands teacher salaries will be restored to appropriate contract policy moving forward. But it filed a grievance request, asking the school district not to require the impacted teachers to have to pay back previous salary earnings, since the error in overpayment was not their fault. But the union said the district denied its request for a formal meeting to discuss the issue and is filing an appeal. Parents we spoke with question if the district’s demands are fair or unethical. “If they were aware that there was a mistake and they never addressed it and brought it up,” Stephanie Yingling said, “Then, they should have to pay that money back.” “I don’t think they should have to pay back because of someone else’s error,” Jim Courtney said.