07-002486TTS Seminole County School Board vs. Derek E. Andrews
 Status: Closed
Recommended Order on Thursday, September 20, 2007.


View Dockets  
Summary: Respondent, a school teacher, was appropriately discharged for unauthorized absence.

1STATE OF FLORIDA

4DIVISION OF ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS

8SEMINOLE COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD , )

13)

14Petitioner , )

16)

17vs. ) Case No. 07 - 2486

24)

25DEREK E. ANDREWS , )

29)

30Respondent . )

33)

34RECOMMENDED ORDER

36Pursuant to not ice, a formal hearing was held in this case

48on August 31, 2007, in Sanford, Florida, before Jeff B. Clark, a

60duly - designated Administrative Law Judge of the Division of

70Administrative Hearings.

72APPEARANCES

73For Petitioner: Ned N. Julian, Jr., Esquire

80Seminole County School Board

84400 East Lake Mary Boulevard

89Sanford, Florida 32773 - 7127

94For Respondent: No Appearance

98STATEMENT OF THE ISSUE

102Whether Respondent, Derek E. Andrews, should be terminated

110for his absence without leave from April 12, 2007, until the end

122of the 2006 - 2007 school year.

129PRELIMINARY STATEMENT

131On or about April 27, 2007, Respondent received a letter

141from Dr. Bill Vogel, Superintendent of Seminole County Public

150Schools, advising him that he, as Superintendent of Seminole

159Cou nty Public Schools, would be recommending to the School Board

170that it terminate Respondent's employment based on Respondent's

"178repeated and continued absence from duty without approved leave

187from April 2, 2007, to date [April 27, 2007]." On May 22, 2007,

200Respondent requested an administrative hearing by directing an

208e - mail to Karen Ponder, c lerk of the Seminole County School

221Board.

222On June 4, 2007, Petitioner forwarded a Petition for

231Termination to the Division of Administrative Hearings and

239served same on Respondent. The Petition for Termination charges

248that Respondent's contractual responsibilities are controlled by

255the collective bargaining agreement between the Seminole

262Education Association, Inc., and the School Board of Seminole

271County, Florida ("the collective bargaining agreement") and that

281Respondent was absent without approved leave f r om April 2, 2007,

293through May 24, 2007. May 27, 2007, was the last duty day for

306teachers for the 2006 - 2007 school year. The collective

316bargaining agreement states that "any teacher who is willfully

325absent from duty without leave shall . . . be subject to

337termination . . . ."

342On June 4, 2007, an Initial Order was sent to both parties.

354On June 13, 2007, the case was scheduled for final hearing on

366July 16, 2007, in Sa nford, Florida. At Respondent's request,

376the case was continued and rescheduled for August 31, 2007. On

387August 28, 2007, Respondent requested another continuance , which

395was denied.

397The final hearing was conducted on August 31, 2007.

406Petitioner presented two witnesses: Dr. Shaune Storch and John

415Reichert. Petitioner's Exhibits 1 through 8 were admitted in

424evidence and marked accordingly. Official notice was taken of

433Sections 1012.33 and 1012.667, Florida Statutes (2006).

440Respondent did not appear at th e final hearing.

449Petitioner timely filed a Proposed Recommended Order.

456FINDINGS OF FACT

459Based on the oral and documentary evidence presented at the

469final hearing in this matter the following Findings of Facts are

480made:

4811. Respondent, Derek E. Andrews, i s a school teacher

491employed by the School Board of Seminole County, Florida.

5002. William Vogel is , and has been , Superintendent of

509Public Schools for the School District of Seminole County,

518Florida, for all times material to the occurrences relevant to

528thi s case .

5323. Pursuant to Section 4, Article IX, Florida

540Constitution, and Sections 1001.30, 1001.31, 1001.32, 1001.33,

5471001.41, and 1001.42, Florida Statutes (2006), the School Board

556of Seminole County, Florida, is the governing board of the

566School District of Seminole County, Florida.

5724. The relationship of the parties is controlled by

581Florida Statutes, the collective bargaining agreement, and

588School Board policies.

5915. Respondent's supervising principal for the 2006 - 2007

600school year was Dr. Shaune Storch.

6066. Respondent had been granted a leave of absence that

616expired on March 30, 2007.

6217. Respondent's leave for the period March 16, 2007,

630through March 30, 2007, was an extension of a previous leave as

642requested by Respondent.

6458. Subsequent to the expirat ion of Respondent's leave on

655March 30, 2007, Respondent's supervising principal attempted to

663contact Respondent regarding his intentions for the remainder of

672the 2006 - 2007 school year.

6789. Respondent did not meet with his supervising principal

687or otherwise respond to her letter of April 5, 2007.

69710. Article XVI, Section I.2. of the collective bargaining

706agreement , provides that any teacher who is willfully absent

715from duty wit hout leave shall forfeit compensation for the time

726of the absence and be subject t o discharge and forfeiture of

738tenure and all other rights and privileges as provided by law.

74911. Respondent was absent without leave from April 2,

7582007, through the end of the school year.

766CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

76912. The Division of Administrative Hearings has

776jurisdiction of the parties and subject matter. § 120.57(1),

785Fla. Stat. (2007).

78813. The burden of proof is on Petitioner to establish by a

800preponderance of the evidence the allegations for termination

808for just cause that are alleged in the Petition for T ermination

820dated June 4, 2007. McNeill v. Pinellas County School Board ,

830678 So. 2d 476 (Fla. 2d DCA 1996).

83814. Because the statute and rules providing grounds for

847terminating Respondent's contract are penal in nature, they must

856be construed in favor of th e employee. See Rosario v. Burke ,

868605 So. 2d 523 (Fla. 2d DCA 1992); Lester v. Department of

880Professional Regulations , 348 So. 2d 923 (Fla. 1st DCA 1977).

89015. The referenced collective bargaining agreement states,

897in pertinent part, as follows:

902ARTICLE XV I - LEAVES AND TEMPORARY DUTY

91017. Caution

9122. Any teacher who is willfully absent from

920duty without leave shall Forfeit

925compensation for the time of such absence

932and be subject to discharge and forfeiture

939of tenure and all other privileges as

946provided b y law.

95016. Subsection 1012.33(1)(a), Florida Statutes (2006),

956states,

957Each person employed as a member of the

965instructional staff in any district school

971system shall be properly certified pursuant

977to s. 1012.56 or s. 1012.57 or employed

985pursuant to s. 1012.39 and shall be entitled

993to and shall receive a written contract as

1001specified in this section. All such

1007contracts, except continuing contracts as

1012specified in subsection (4), shall contain

1018provisions for dismissal during the term of

1025the contract only for just cause. Just

1032cause includes, but is not limited to, the

1040following instances, as defined by rule of

1047the State Board of Education: misconduct in

1054office, incompetency, gross insubordination,

1058willful neglect of duty, or conviction of a

1066crime involvi ng moral turpitude.

107117. "Just cause" is some substantial shortcoming

1078detrimental to the employer's interests, which the law and a

1088sound public opinion recognize as a good cause for dismissal. A

1099discharge for just cause will be upheld if it meets two

1110cri teria: (1) it is reasonable to discharge the employee

1120because of misconduct; and (2) the employee had notice, express

1130or fairly implied, that such conduct would be grounds for

1140discharge. In R e: Grievance of Towel , 6 6 5 A.2d 55 (Vt. 1995).

1154The criteria for determining just cause for

1161dismissal must be based on merit. The

1168standards must be job - related and in some

1177rational and logical manner touch upon

1183competency and ability. All that just cause

1190requires is that the cause for dismissal not

1198be religious or po litical , but concerned

1205solely with the inefficiency, delinquency,

1210or misconduct of the employee. Civil

1216Service Commission v. Poles , 573 A.2d 1169

1223(Pa. Commw. Ct. 1990).

122718. Respondent was on notice that his willful absence

1236without leave could lead to hi s dismissal.

124419. Respondent's absence from his teaching

1250responsibilities was willful, without proper authorization , and

1257is just cause for his termination.

1263RECOMMENDATION

1264Based on the foregoing Findings of Fact and Conclusions of

1274Law, it is

1277RECOMMENDED th at a final order be entered finding

1286Respondent, Derek E. Andrews, guilty of the allegations stated

1295in the Petition for Termination and that his employment be

1305terminated.

1306DONE AND ENT ERED this 20th day of September , 2007 , in

1317Tallahassee, Leon County, Florid a.

1322S

1323JEFF B. CLARK

1326Administrative Law Judge

1329Division of Administrative Hearings

1333The DeSoto Building

13361230 Apalachee Parkway

1339Tallahassee, Florida 32399 - 3060

1344(850) 488 - 9675 SUNCOM 278 - 9675

1352Fax Filing (850) 921 - 6847

1358www.do ah.state.fl.us

1360Filed with the Clerk of the

1366Division of Administrative Hearings

1370this 20th day of September , 2007 .

1377COPIES FURNISHED :

1380Ned N. Julian, Jr., Esquire

1385Seminole County School Board

1389400 East Lake Mary Boulevard

1394Sanford, Florida 32773 - 7127

1399Derek E. Andrews

1402Post Office Box 62

1406Tangerine, Florida 32777 - 0062

1411Dr. Bill Vogel

1414Superintendent of Schools

1417Seminole County School Board

1421400 East Lake Mary Boulevard

1426Sanford, Florida 32773 - 7127

1431Honorable Jeanine Blomberg

1434Interim Commissioner of Education

1438Depa rtment of Education

1442Turlington Building, Suite 1514

1446325 West Gaines Street

1450Tallahassee, Florida 32399 - 0400

1455Deborah K. Kearney, General Counsel

1460Department of Education

1463Turlington Building, Suite 1244

1467325 West Gaines Street

1471Tallahassee, Florida 32399 - 0400

1476NOTICE OF RIGHT TO SUBMIT EXCEPTIONS

1482All parties have the right to submit written exceptions within

149215 days from the date of this Recommended Order. Any exceptions

1503to this Recommended Order should be filed with the agency that

1514will issue the Final Ord er in this case.

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PDF
Date
Proceedings
PDF:
Date: 10/26/2007
Proceedings: Final Order filed.
PDF:
Date: 10/23/2007
Proceedings: Agency Final Order
PDF:
Date: 09/20/2007
Proceedings: Recommended Order
PDF:
Date: 09/20/2007
Proceedings: Recommended Order (hearing held August 31, 2007). CASE CLOSED.
PDF:
Date: 09/20/2007
Proceedings: Recommended Order cover letter identifying the hearing record referred to the Agency.
PDF:
Date: 09/14/2007
Proceedings: Petitioner`s Proposed Recommended Order filed.
Date: 08/31/2007
Proceedings: CASE STATUS: Hearing Held.
PDF:
Date: 08/29/2007
Proceedings: Order Denying Continuance of Final Hearing.
PDF:
Date: 08/28/2007
Proceedings: Letter to Judge Clark from D. Andrews requesting continuance filed.
PDF:
Date: 08/17/2007
Proceedings: Motion to Strike Respondent`s Ex Parte Filing filed.
PDF:
Date: 08/09/2007
Proceedings: Petitioner`s Amended Response to Pre-hearing Instructions filed.
PDF:
Date: 08/07/2007
Proceedings: Notice of Ex-parte Communication.
PDF:
Date: 07/19/2007
Proceedings: Letter to Judge Clark from D. Andrews reguarding information that the Petitioner has presented in his filings, requesting a summary motion based upon the following grounds and facts (exhibits not available for viewing) filed.
PDF:
Date: 07/17/2007
Proceedings: Notice of Hearing (hearing set for August 31, 2007; 9:00 a.m.; Sanford, FL).
PDF:
Date: 07/10/2007
Proceedings: Letter to Mr. Andrews from N. Julian, Jr. regarding availability for hearing filed.
PDF:
Date: 07/06/2007
Proceedings: Order Granting Continuance (parties to advise status by July 16, 2007).
PDF:
Date: 07/02/2007
Proceedings: Letter to Judge Clark from N. Julian regarding re-scheduling hearing (revised) filed.
PDF:
Date: 06/28/2007
Proceedings: Letter to Judge Clark from D. Andrews requesting a continuance filed.
PDF:
Date: 06/28/2007
Proceedings: Letter to Judge Clark from N. Julian regarding re-scheduled hearing filed.
PDF:
Date: 06/26/2007
Proceedings: Petitioner`s Response to Pre-hearing Instructions filed.
PDF:
Date: 06/26/2007
Proceedings: Petitioner`s Response to Pre-hearing Instructions filed.
PDF:
Date: 06/20/2007
Proceedings: Amended Notice of Hearing (hearing set for July 17, 2007; 9:00 a.m.; Sanford, FL; amended as to date of hearing).
PDF:
Date: 06/13/2007
Proceedings: Order of Pre-hearing Instructions.
PDF:
Date: 06/13/2007
Proceedings: Notice of Hearing (hearing set for July 16, 2007; 9:00 a.m.; Sanford, FL).
PDF:
Date: 06/11/2007
Proceedings: Response to Initial Order filed.
PDF:
Date: 06/06/2007
Proceedings: Notice of Service of Interrogatories filed.
PDF:
Date: 06/04/2007
Proceedings: Initial Order.
PDF:
Date: 06/04/2007
Proceedings: Request for Administrative Hearing filed.
PDF:
Date: 06/04/2007
Proceedings: Recommendation for Termination filed.
PDF:
Date: 06/04/2007
Proceedings: Petition for Termination filed.

Case Information

Judge:
JEFF B. CLARK
Date Filed:
06/04/2007
Date Assignment:
06/04/2007
Last Docket Entry:
10/26/2007
Location:
Sanford, Florida
District:
Middle
Agency:
ADOPTED IN TOTO
Suffix:
TTS
 

Counsels

Related Florida Statute(s) (9):