LEGAL ASPECTS OF ADVERSE EMPLOYMENT ACTION AGAINST K-12 PUBLIC SCHOOL ...

250 Pages·2011·0.52 MB·English

LEGAL ASPECTS OF ADVERSE EMPLOYMENT ACTION AGAINST
K-12 PUBLIC SCHOOL PRINCIPALS: FACT PATTERNS,
OUTCOMES AND TRENDS

by
ELLIOTT J. HARRIS
DAVID DAGLEY, COMMITTEE CHAIR
JAMES MCLEAN
ROSE MARY NEWTON
JOHN TARTER
TYRONE YARBROUGH

A DISSERTATION

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of Doctor of Education
in the Department of Educational Leadership,
Policy and Technology Studies
in the Graduate School of
The University of Alabama

TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA

2011
Copyright Elliott J. Harris 2011
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
ABSTRACT
There has been little research regarding adverse employment actions against public
school principals. Principals are dismissed, demoted, or transferred, not only for low
accountability test scores but for a variety of reasons that may or may not affect test scores. The
legal ramifications of these adverse employment actions have resulted in various court rulings.
The purpose of this research was to examine adverse employment actions against public
school principals to determine fact patterns, outcomes, and trends. Cases studied from 1982-2009
provided the basis for the development of principles to advise district-level administrators as
they contend with the legal consequences of administering adverse employment actions against
problem principals.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I sincerely wish to express my profound appreciation to those individuals who supported,
encouraged, and assisted me during this process. I extend sincere appreciation to Dr. David
Dagley, the chairperson of my dissertation committee. He guided, pushed, and encouraged me
through this project. I am appreciative to my dissertation committee members: Dr. James
McLean, Dr. Rose Mary Newton, Dr. C. John Tater, and Dr. Tyrone Yarbrough for their
continued questions, support, and professional advice that stimulated my thought processes in
ways I never knew they could be stimulated.
I sincerely express my appreciation to my family: Pearlena Harris, my wife of many
years, who listened to all my complaints about coursework, writing, and impending doom that
would derail me. I extend sincere thanks to Elliott E. Harris and Pearlie N. Harris, my children,
who had to go without some of the things they wanted; most noticeably, from time to time, my
attention--I was in the library combing over court cases.
I express my sincere appreciation to my mother, Mary F. McKinney, a school cafeteria
cook, who only wanted the best education for her son. She always looked me in the eyes and
encouraged me with these simple words “I know you are not going to stop now.”
I am grateful to my classmates who started this process with me: Marlon Jones, Audrey
Chatman, and Scott Savage. The telephone conversations, wisdom, and encouragement carried
me through the difficult times.
Finally, I praise, honor and give all the glory to God who made this whole process
possible, for in Him we live and breathe and have our being.
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CONTENTS

ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................... ii

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................................. iii

LIST OF TABLES ...........................................................................................................................x

LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................................................... xi

1 INTRODUCTION .....................................................................................................................1

Statement of the Problem .....................................................................................................1

Purpose of the Study ............................................................................................................2

Significance of the Study .....................................................................................................2

Research Questions ..............................................................................................................3

Assumptions .........................................................................................................................3

Limitations ...........................................................................................................................3

Definitions............................................................................................................................4

Organization of the Study ....................................................................................................5

2 REVIEW OF LITERATURE ....................................................................................................6

Introduction ..........................................................................................................................6

Current Views of the Principalship ......................................................................................6

Role of the Principal ..........................................................................................................11

Legal Status of Principals ..................................................................................................14

Principals with Tenure .......................................................................................................19

Procedural Protection for Principals ..................................................................................22
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Principal Tenured as a Teacher ..........................................................................................23

Transfer and Demotion of Principals .................................................................................24

Contract Principals .............................................................................................................28

Diminishing Role of Principal Tenure .........................................................................28

Summary ............................................................................................................................31

3 METHODOLOGY ..................................................................................................................33

Research Questions ............................................................................................................34

Data Collection ..................................................................................................................35

4 DATA AND ANALYSES .......................................................................................................38

Introduction ........................................................................................................................38

Case Briefs .........................................................................................................................38

Alabama .......................................................................................................................38

Arizona .........................................................................................................................43

Arkansas .......................................................................................................................45

California .....................................................................................................................52

Connecticut ..................................................................................................................53

Delaware ......................................................................................................................55

Florida ..........................................................................................................................57

Georgia .........................................................................................................................60

Idaho ............................................................................................................................65

Illinois ..........................................................................................................................66

Indiana..........................................................................................................................73

Kansas ..........................................................................................................................76

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Kentucky ......................................................................................................................79

Louisiana ......................................................................................................................83

Maryland ......................................................................................................................85

Massachusetts ..............................................................................................................87

Michigan ......................................................................................................................89

Minnesota .....................................................................................................................92

Mississippi ...................................................................................................................97

Missouri .....................................................................................................................107

Montana .....................................................................................................................115

New Hampshire .........................................................................................................116

New Jersey .................................................................................................................117

New Mexico ...............................................................................................................118

New York ...................................................................................................................119

North Carolina ...........................................................................................................123

Ohio............................................................................................................................127

Oregon........................................................................................................................129

Pennsylvania ..............................................................................................................130

South Dakota ..............................................................................................................131

Tennessee ...................................................................................................................134

Texas ..........................................................................................................................134

Utah ............................................................................................................................139

Virginia ......................................................................................................................140

Washington ................................................................................................................141

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West Virginia .............................................................................................................143

Wisconsin ...................................................................................................................144

Wyoming....................................................................................................................147

Data Analysis ...................................................................................................................149

Number of Cases ........................................................................................................149

Causes of Adverse Employment Action ....................................................................151

Reasons for Adverse Employment Actions .....................................................................159

Deficient Job Performance .........................................................................................159

Uninformed Principals ...............................................................................................159

Retiring to Avert Termination ...................................................................................162

Transfer of Principal ..................................................................................................164

Dual Position Principals .............................................................................................166

Demoted Principals ....................................................................................................167

Probationary Principals ..............................................................................................168

Back Pay Issue ...........................................................................................................169

Ineffective Leadership ...............................................................................................170

Tenured Principals .....................................................................................................170

Principals Tenured as Classroom Teacher .................................................................172

Unprofessional Conduct.............................................................................................178

Sexual Improprieties ..................................................................................................179

Criminal Act...............................................................................................................181

Dishonesty..................................................................................................................181

Demeaning Act ..........................................................................................................182

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Assault........................................................................................................................183

Insubordination ..........................................................................................................184

Failure to Follow Directives ......................................................................................185

Reduction in Force .....................................................................................................189

Budget Adjustments ...................................................................................................189

Reorganization of Schools .........................................................................................192

Other ..........................................................................................................................193

Categories of Adverse Employment Actions ...................................................................194

Causes of Adverse Employment Actions ..................................................................194

Types of Adverse Employment Actions ....................................................................197

Cases by Federal Circuit ............................................................................................200

Claims by Principals ........................................................................................................211

Due Process ................................................................................................................212

Free Speech ................................................................................................................213

Arbitrary and Capricious ............................................................................................214

Breach of Contract .....................................................................................................214

Gender Discrimination ...............................................................................................215

Age Discrimination ....................................................................................................215

Various Claims ...........................................................................................................216

Outcomes of Court Decisions ....................................................................................217

5 SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS.........................................220

Introduction ......................................................................................................................220

Response to Research Questions .....................................................................................220

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Discussion and Conclusions ............................................................................................226

Recommendations for Further Study ...............................................................................229

REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................231
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