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ADVERSE EMPLOYMENT ACTIONS AND PUBLIC SCHOOL ...

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Issues: (1) Did the board illegally employ Cowan to perform duties and uphold<br />

responsibilities outside his realm of certification and tenure? (2) Was the board bound to return<br />

Cowan to his previous elementary principal tenure position?<br />

Holding: The court held that the board wrongly deemed the functions and responsibilities<br />

of Cowan’s two positions as similar.<br />

Reasoning: The court made clear in Coates v. Ambach that if an administrator’s daily job<br />

requirements become different 50% of the time then the administrator has entered a new tenure<br />

area. Clearly, Cowan’s role as assistant special education director was a break from his previous<br />

tenure area as he was required to begin a new probationary period when he assumed the job.<br />

Moreover, because his responsibilities are now different, he is illegally performing in a different<br />

tenure area. He only possessed certification in his previous tenure area.<br />

Disposition: The court ordered Cowan restored to his position of elementary school<br />

principal upon first vacancy.<br />

Citation: Appeal of Bernard E. Cowden etc. Moon Area School District, 87 Pa. Commw.<br />

165; 486 A.2d 1014, (1984 Pa. Commw.).<br />

Key Facts: Due to a reduction in force, the Moon School District chose to close an<br />

elementary school. Due to this realignment, one of the principals had to be reassigned to a<br />

teaching position. The district chose Bernard Cowden based on his previous professional<br />

evaluation, as he scored lower than all of his administrative counterparts. Cowden requested a<br />

hearing where he referenced § 1125.1(c) of the Public School Code, which stipulated that staff<br />

realignment be based solely on seniority. Had the board applied that point of code, Cowden<br />

would not have been reassigned to a teaching position as he held seniority over at least of one of<br />

the administrators retained. Thus, the board then chose to list his change in position as a<br />

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