In Board of Education of the East Rockaway Union Free School District v. Gretes-Coyle, SED#26,297, the school district sought to have a tenured teacher terminated after it was discovered that the teacher had engaged in an ongoing pattern of verbally abusive behavior towards her fourth grade students. The teacher, who had no prior recorded disciplinary record, denied all of the allegations. Disciplinary charges were brought against the teacher, and a hearing was conducted before a hearing officer pursuant to Education Law §3020a. The hearing was completed over 22 separate hearing dates, and included testimony from 38 witnesses. Following the hearing, the hearing officer found the teacher guilty of engaging in conduct which "humiliated, frightened and embarrassed a significant number of students," and terminated the teacher's employment with the district.
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