Young v. Charleston County School District

Appellant Creola Young appealed an order of the circuit court which upheld the Charleston County School Board's (Board) decision not to renew her employment contract, on the ground that the Board violated her procedural due process rights. Appellant taught fifth grade at E.B. Ellington Elementary School in Charleston County for six years. During Appellant's tenure there, she received multiple warnings and feedback about inappropriate conduct and poor judgment with students, and her failure to provide instruction in a satisfactory manner. In 2009, the Associate Superintendent of the Charleston County School District (District) recommended the Board not renew Appellant's teaching contract. Appellant made a timely request for a hearing before the Board concerning the recommendation. The Board delegated the hearing function to a three-member committee comprised of Board members. The Committee reported a quorum of the Board during a special telephone executive session. Appellant was not present at that meeting. At the end of the executive session, the Board reconvened in open session and voted to accept the committee's recommendation not to renew Appellant's contract by a vote of four to three. Upon review, the Supreme Court concluded that the review undertaken by the Board of Appellant's non-renewal hearing was insufficient to satisfy due process requirements. The Court reversed the circuit court's decision and remanded the case for further proceedings. View "Young v. Charleston County School District" on Justia Law