On his first day in office, some are arguing a newly elected Harford County Councilman is violating the county charter.The debate has to do with Councilman Jacob Bennett's day job as a public school teacher in Harford County. Some say is a violation of the county charter, but Bennett's supporters said this all comes down to partisan politics. The new Harford County administration took the oath of office Monday, but Bennett was forced instead to get sworn in privately. "We're not going to stand up there and give him the stage to celebrate, basically violating the county charter," said Harford County Executive Bob Cassilly.Bennett is a Democrat who was elected to serve District F.Cassilly said Bennett needs to resign his teaching position, saying that a county or state employee who simultaneously serves as a council member is a conflict of interest and against the county charter."How do you both work for the superintendent who's proposing a budget, who's responsible for your pay, your promotions, your school assignments -- everything about your entire job -- and then you're going to work for the County Council who's going to say, 'Oh, superintendent, we don't like that.' You're asking someone to oversee his own boss," Cassilly said. But not everyone agrees. The teacher's union supports Bennett serving in both capacities. "There's so many levels of removal from the actual budget allocations through the County Council to HCPS, plus his salary has to be negotiated through the union through the board of education, so we do not believe there's a conflict of interest at all," said Cindy Poper, vice president of the Harford County Education Association.Bennett's lawyer sent 11 News a statement saying, in part: "As a schoolteacher, Jacob Bennett is not an employee of either the county or the state. He is an employee of the Harford County school board, a completely separate entity under the laws of the state of Maryland." The County Council itself voted at its meeting Tuesday to retain legal counsel on the issue and had a closed-door briefing. Bennett abstained from both. Many believe this issue will end up in a courtroom. "It's clear that nothing will be decided here tonight and that this issue may very well be decided in a venue other than these council chambers," Harford County Council President Patrick Vincenti said.Cassilly said if the council's lawyers don't take him to court over this, his lawyers will.