Tenured teacher was dismissed for cause. Hearing officer heard 4 days of testimony and issued recommendation that Board's decision to dismiss teacher be reversed. Board then entered its decision to dismiss teacher, notwithstanding hearing officer's recommendation. Teacher filed for administrative review. Teacher made last-minute call to principal that she would be late to school, and did not have lesson plan available for substitute teacher. Downstate tenured teacher dismissal procedure, as amended, now gives deference to final decision-making authority of school board. Appellate court considered Board's findings contrary to hearing officer's findings, and found that Board's steps in dismissal were not supported by evidence at hearing; and Board's findings were arbitrary, unreasonable, and unrelated to service.(SCHWARM and STEWART, concurring.)
Illinois Appellate Court
Civil Court
Administrative Review