ADVERSE EMPLOYMENT ACTIONS AND PUBLIC SCHOOL ...

Holding: The court held that Taylor’s non-renewal was legal.
Reasoning: Education Law, § 2573 provides the superintendent with final authority in
granting of tenure rights to administrators. The board did hold final decision authority in non-
renewal and termination proceedings, but that did not supersede the superintendent’s authority in
the bestowal of tenure.
1984
Disposition: The order was affirmed.
Citation: Philadelphia Association of School Administrators v. School District, 80 Pa.
Commw. 242; 471 A.2d 581, (1984 Pa. Commw.).
Key Facts: In September 1981, the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT) initiated a
teachers’ strike. Philadelphia School District Superintendent, Michael P. Marcase, reassigned
over 300 school administrators to report to teaching positions per their certification field for the
duration of the PFT strike. Administrators who chose not to report did so under threat of
suspension, demotion, and/or termination. Many of those who did report claimed that the
reassignments were demotions that violated the due process protections established in 24 P.S. §
11-1151. The reassigned administrators sought relief in the local court but were denied and then
appealed.
demotion?
Issues: (1) Was the reassignment of licensed school administrators to teaching positions a
Holding: The appellate court held that the public interests of continued schooling
outweighed the private interests of the administrators.
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