Non-renewal of contract

[Guest Carol Karafotis]

   I have just been voted on to local school committee.  One of reasons is because parents and staff have some concerns regarding the firing of a current director of Special Education.  Tonight the administrator wishes to begin the job search for new director.  Can I ask to table this motion in order to learn specifically what the issues have been with the current administrator.  There seems to be little evidence to support this decision other than a possible personality conflict. 

 

Thank you,

 

Carol Karafotis

[Gary Novosielski]

That would be an improper use of the motion to Lay on the Table.   See FAQ#12.

 

Without knowing the committee structure of your local school, it's not possible to answer the remaining questions.  Are you a member of the school board?  Are you a parent, or staff member?   Unless you are authorized, it is unlikely you will have access to any individual's personnel data.  But that's a question of labor law, not parliamentary procedure.

[Guest Guest]

I would like to know if there is any way to use parlimentary procedure to review the evidence of "good cause" on a specific employee prior any further action on replacement of this employee.  I am a voting member of a local School Committee.

[Guest Edgar]

I am a voting member of a local School Committee.

 

What authority does this "school committee" have? Is it similar to a school board?

 

As for "good cause", it's in the eye of the beholder (i.e. it means whatever the person using it wants it to mean).

[Josh Martin]

 I have just been voted on to local school committee.  One of reasons is because parents and staff have some concerns regarding the firing of a current director of Special Education.  Tonight the administrator wishes to begin the job search for new director.  Can I ask to table this motion in order to learn specifically what the issues have been with the current administrator.  There seems to be little evidence to support this decision other than a possible personality conflict. 

 

No, but you can move to postpone the motion. The motion to Postpone to a Certain Time is debatable, amendable and requires a majority vote for adoption.

 

I would like to know if there is any way to use parlimentary procedure to review the evidence of "good cause" on a specific employee prior any further action on replacement of this employee.  I am a voting member of a local School Committee.

 

So far as RONR is concerned, assuming that the School Committee has authority over the administrator, you can simply adopt a motion ordering the administrator to provide the committee with whatever information you want. Such a motion is a main motion and is therefore debatable, amendable, and requires a majority vote for adoption.

 

As noted, however, there are probably legal issues involved.

 

As for "good cause", it's in the eye of the beholder (i.e. it means whatever the person using it wants it to mean).

 

So far as RONR is concerned, anyway.

 

If there are serious concerns about whether the employee may have been fired for inappropriate reasons, the committee should consult a lawyer.

[Gary Novosielski]

I would like to know if there is any way to use parlimentary procedure to review the evidence of "good cause" on a specific employee prior any further action on replacement of this employee.  I am a voting member of a local School Committee.

Is this school committee in the nature of a school board?  I.e., does it have hiring/firing power, policy-making power, financial authority, and the like?