After about an hour of hearing arguments during a closed hearing Monday night, School Board members retired into executive session to consider the fate of teacher Teresa Nida who was contesting her termination.
Board members unanimously agreed to uphold the termination and agreed she had violated seven of the eight charges specified in her letter of termination.
Nida was represented by George M. Rozzell, attorney, from Keith, Miller, Butler, Schneider and Pawlik.
Katie Campbell, attorney with Friday, Eldridge and Clark, represented the school district.
Following the vote, Rozell noted that superintendent Rick Neal, who had presented against Nida, was in the executive session. Board chairman John Dye said Neal was briefly in the session, but not during discussion.
According to school documents gained through a Freedom of Information Act request, Nida was initially reprimanded on Nov. 16, by her supervisor, Mindy Bowlin, for asking the school behavioral psychologist for an evaluation in order to receive prescription medications no longer provided by her physician, sought advice from the school psychologist on personal matters during school hours and failed to use sound professional judgment regarding relationships with staff members. Along with the charges, Nida was directed to not contact the school behavioral psychologist for personal issues, maintain a high level of professional conduct, maintain professional educator standards in regards to the Arkansas Code of Ethics, maintain confidentiality of the personnel matter and follow all state and district policies.
Nida responded in a letter denying the charges and said her request for an evaluation was a joke. She apologized and said she did not intend to violate the code of ethics.
On Dec. 4, Nida was presented with a letter of termination claiming "credible evidence" of the charges including an incident on Dec. 3 during which she purportedly solicited negative information in an attempt to retaliate against the building administrator. The letter states Nida did not maintain confidentiality and her behavior was unprofessional.
Included in the evidence presented were letters from staff members that Nida had discussed the reprimand and had solicited "dirt or evidence" on her supervisor.
General News on 01/16/2019