diff --git a/admin/schools.php b/admin/schools.php
index a160a8da..1eac90dd 100644
--- a/admin/schools.php
+++ b/admin/schools.php
@@ -83,27 +83,37 @@
 		if($em == '' && ($first != '' || $last != '')) $em = "*$first$last".user_generate_password();
 		/* Load existing record, or create new if there's something
 		 * to insert */
-		if($i['sciencehead_uid'] > 0)
+		$sh = false;
+		if($i['sciencehead_uid'] > 0) {
 			$sh = user_load_by_uid($i['sciencehead_uid']);
-		else if($em != '')  {
+			/* It's possile for sh to be false now, happens when the user is
+			 * deleted outside the school editor, this condition needs to be
+			 * fixed.  If we let it go, the saving the teacher info will
+			 * silently fail.  So let's just create a new teacher */
+
+			if(is_array($sh) && ($em != $sh['email'] || $em=='')) {
+				/* If the emails don't match we have no way of knowing if we're creating a different
+				 * user, or doing a correction, assume it's a different user */
+				 user_purge($sh, 'teacher');
+				 $sh = false;
+			}
+		}
+
+		/* If there was no teacher loaded, or if we just purged it, create a new one
+		 * if there's an email address */
+		if($sh == false && $em != '')  {
 			$sh = user_create('teacher', $em);
 			$sciencehead_update = "sciencehead_uid='{$sh['uid']}',";
-		} else 
-			$sh = false;
+		}
 
-		/* If we have a record, either delete it or update it */
+		/* If we have a record update it */
 		if(is_array($sh)) {
-			if($em == '') {
-				user_purge($sh, 'teacher');
-				$sciencehead_update = 'sciencehead_uid=NULL,';
-			} else {
-				$sh['firstname'] = $first;
-				$sh['lastname'] = $last;
-				$sh['phonework'] = $_POST['scienceheadphone'];
-				$sh['email'] = $em; 
-				$sh['username'] = $em; 
-				user_save($sh);
-			}
+			$sh['firstname'] = $first;
+			$sh['lastname'] = $last;
+			$sh['phonework'] = $_POST['scienceheadphone'];
+			$sh['email'] = $em; 
+			$sh['username'] = $em; 
+			user_save($sh);
 		}
 
 		$exec="UPDATE schools SET ".