Before last night’s school board meeting, a termination ‘inquest’
Among the contracts and school siting proposals on the agenda for last night’s school board meeting, one unusual item stood out — an “inquest on employee termination.”
The ominous-sounding phrase meant that before the public meeting, the board met in private to hear the case of a school employee whom the city wants to fire.
Under state education law, teachers and other pedagogical staff have 10 days after being charged with incompetence or misconduct to request a hearing. Teachers and principals who do not file a request for a hearing within that time waive their right to a hearing and the case goes before the board, known as the Panel for Educational Policy.
Department of Education officials would not comment on any details about the employee whose case was heard, nor would they confirm whether the person was a teacher, principal or other staff member.
During an inquest, a DOE attorney presents the city’s case to panel members, who come back with a final decision within a few weeks, said Claude Hersh, a lawyer with the state teachers union whose office handles
The ominous-sounding phrase meant that before the public meeting, the board met in private to hear the case of a school employee whom the city wants to fire.
Under state education law, teachers and other pedagogical staff have 10 days after being charged with incompetence or misconduct to request a hearing. Teachers and principals who do not file a request for a hearing within that time waive their right to a hearing and the case goes before the board, known as the Panel for Educational Policy.
Department of Education officials would not comment on any details about the employee whose case was heard, nor would they confirm whether the person was a teacher, principal or other staff member.
During an inquest, a DOE attorney presents the city’s case to panel members, who come back with a final decision within a few weeks, said Claude Hersh, a lawyer with the state teachers union whose office handles