15.08.2013 Views

ADVERSE EMPLOYMENT ACTIONS AND PUBLIC SCHOOL ...

ADVERSE EMPLOYMENT ACTIONS AND PUBLIC SCHOOL ...

ADVERSE EMPLOYMENT ACTIONS AND PUBLIC SCHOOL ...

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

Disposition: The court affirmed the trial court’s denial of judgment notwithstanding the<br />

verdict, the courted vacated the damages award and remanded to district court for a new trial to<br />

determine compensatory damages.<br />

Pa. Commw.).<br />

Citation: Walsh v. Sto-Rox School District, 110 Pa. Commw. 421; 532 A.2d 547, (1987<br />

Key Facts: Walsh had served as principal of the 8th and 9th grades for the Sto-Rox<br />

School District for 9 years. He was notified on October 16, 1985, that he was being reassigned to<br />

the position of assistant high school principal. Walsh appealed to the Secretary of Education<br />

claiming that he had not given consent to the reassignment nor had he been notified of his right<br />

to have a hearing. Walsh argued that he had been demoted and requested reinstatement and a<br />

remand to the school board for a proper hearing. The appeal was quashed by the Secretary for<br />

failure to have first had a hearing with the local board. This appeal followed.<br />

Issues: (1) Was Walsh required to request a hearing prior to appealing to the Secretary?<br />

(2) Was Walsh’s reassignment a demotion?<br />

Holding: The court held that the Secretary’s order quashing the appeal was just.<br />

Reasoning: The court has made clear numerous times that it is of the utmost importance<br />

that the employee create a record with the board of education in regard to a dispute that allows<br />

the Secretary to consummately weigh each side of the argument. This point was exemplified in<br />

Department of Education v. Charleroi Area School District (1975). Walsh claimed that he was<br />

not notified that he had to request a hearing. He asserted that § 1151 of The Education Code<br />

required the board to exercise a hearing. This assertion was insignificant. Section 1151 requires<br />

that a hearing be made available. Nowhere in the statutory language did the legislature burden<br />

the school system with initiating the hearing; that responsibility fell to the employee.<br />

107

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!