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ADVERSE EMPLOYMENT ACTIONS AND PUBLIC SCHOOL ...

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Disposition: The district court ruling was affirmed on the point of damages but reversed<br />

and remanded on each other count.<br />

Citation: Summers v. Vermilion Parish School Board, 493 So. 2d 1258, (1986 La. App.).<br />

Key Facts: Summers was a tenured principal at East Abbeville Elementary School.<br />

Summers was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana and intent to distribute on<br />

October 27, 1983. Summers was notified by Superintendent Norman Romero that he was<br />

indefinitely suspended with pay effective October 31, 1983.<br />

On November 3, the board made the move official by resolution except that it suspended<br />

Summers without pay. This resolution was conveyed in a letter to Summers on November 4 by<br />

Romero. Two weeks later, the board voted to commence termination proceedings against<br />

Summers on the grounds of dishonesty and willful neglect of duty.<br />

Summers was notified by letter, again by Romero, which included the reasons for his<br />

termination and the proper methods for recourse. On January 12, 1984, the board voted<br />

unanimously to terminate Summers as principal. Summers appealed.<br />

Issues: (1) Was Summers entitled to a removal hearing prior to his suspension without<br />

pay? (2) Was the removal hearing conducted on January 12, 1984, invalid because Summers had<br />

already been “removed?” (3) Did the hearing on January 12, 1984, violate due process<br />

requirements?<br />

Holding: The court held that the trial court’s determination was correct and vacated<br />

Summers’ back pay award.<br />

Reasoning: R.S. 17:443 established the policies for carrying out the removal or<br />

termination of a tenured employee. The board did not comply with those policies. The board’s<br />

failure to adequately provide a removal hearing--a suspension without pay--put the board at fault.<br />

96

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