Booker v. The Board of Education of the City of Chicago

Illinois Appellate Court
Civil Court
Administrative Review
Citation
Case Number: 
2016 IL App (1st) 151151
Decision Date: 
Thursday, September 29, 2016
District: 
1st Dist.
Division/County: 
Cook Co., 3d Div.
Holding: 
Confirmed.
Justice: 
PUCINSKI

Petitioner appeals from final administrative decision of Chicago Board of Education, which resulted in termination of his employment as a tenured teacher at elementary school, based on 8 "specifications" of allegations of fact. Several students and their parents testified at hearing as to teacher using physical force against students, such as slapping them, slamming them into lockers and grabbing their neck and hair. Accusing witnesses testified and were cross-examined by Petitioner's counsel, and no out-of-court nontestifying students' statements were admitted. Petitioner's use of unreasonable force resulted in corporal punishment and was the irremediable cause for dismissal. Petitioner was not faced with emergency situations that would allow for physical intervention. Board did not act arbitrarily in its decision.(FITZGERALD SMITH, concurring; MASON, specially concurring.)l