Teacher Terminated After Locking Student in Small Room
by
Joseph C. Maya on Feb. 08, 2024
Summary: In the case of Sperow v. Region 7 Board of Education, a teacher appealed the board of education’s decision to terminate her employment.
The teacher claimed that the board failed to give her sufficient notice of the reasons it was seeking termination and that the “due and sufficient cause” behind her termination was not part of the notice. In a legal procedure, the parties of a case must be notified of a legal process affecting their right. In other words, when one party takes action against another, it must give them adequate notice of the action, and describe the claims they are bringing against them.
The board of education made its decision based upon the following findings: On May 18, the teacher intentionally required a student to remain alone in a small room adjoining her classroom. The teacher refused the student’s request to be released. This conduct, combined with past suspensions due to misconduct, was due cause to terminate the teacher’s employment.
The court found that the teacher was allowed sufficient notice of the reasons for the board of education’s proposed termination. She provided no evidence to support her allegations that she was unaware of this basis, and was prejudiced by the wording of the notice. The court found the board’s findings to be neither arbitrary, irrational, unreasonable, nor irrelevant to their obligation to maintain an efficient school system. In this respect, the court saw no appropriate reason to infringe upon the rightful authority of the board.
Source: Sperow v. Region 7 Bd. of Educ., 20002 Conn. Super. LEXIS 3766 (Conn. Super. Ct. Nov. 22, 2002)
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