If you are a teacher, you know how important obtaining tenure can be. Tenure provides a significant degree of job security and provides you with rights that most at-will employees do not have. If a board of education tries to skirt the rules that are supposed to be followed to fire a tenured employee, it is completely understandable that you might be outraged.
In a recent case in Monroe County, the superintendent of the county board of education told the employee verbally that they intended to terminate her employment. The employee disagreed with the reasons for firing her and asked for a hearing. The full board of education orally told the employee that they agreed with the superintendent and voted to end her employment. The employee then appealed to the State Superintendent of Education asking for an administrative hearing.
At the administrative hearing, it became known that the board of education never gave the employee a written decision of termination. According to the Students First Act, a written decision of termination is required for a tenured teacher to be fired. However, the hearing officer still agreed with the board of education and found that the firing was justified.
The employee appealed to the Court of Civil Appeals, which found that the lack of a written termination decision was a grave error. Because the board of education never provided a written notice, the appeals court fully reversed the decision. As a result, the hearing officer was ordered to dismiss the entire termination proceedings.
If you are involved in an employment dispute, you might consider an attorney with personal education experience. Joseph. A. Ingram holds a Master of Science in Education degree and proudly values his knowledge of the teaching field.
If you need help with any aspect ofeducation law, please call Joseph A. Ingram of INGRAM LAW LLC at (205) 335-2640.