Teacher's Fate Goes Before School Board

BROOKSVILLE - A local teacher's family says she is getting fired from her job because of a back injury.

However, school officials say the termination is more a case of absenteeism and job abandonment.

In a special meeting Tuesday, Hernando County School Board members will review and vote on Superintendent Wayne Alexander's recommendation to fire Jennifer Gallagher, who teaches fourth grade at Westside Elementary School in Spring Hill.

"She was sick. She didn't do anything wrong," said her father, Spring Hill resident Manus Gallagher. "It's like she's up against the wall with the school district. I don't think they have the right to look at her and judge her."

He did not elaborate on her specific health issues.

A teacher with the district for 11 years, Gallagher's grounds for termination include excessive absenteeism, gross insubordination and not following appropriate procedure.

According to district documents, Gallagher has missed more than three months of work since August, including all of October and December.

"We can't keep someone on if they're not coming to work," district professional standards director Barbara Kidder said. "We have a teacher who we'd like to have in the classroom, and she's not."

When reached by phone Friday afternoon, Gallagher declined to comment, but said she will elaborate at Tuesday's meeting. She also said she plans to hire an attorney and request a due-process hearing.

School officials say Gallagher has not returned repeated attempts to contact her regarding the absences and her employment status, including letters that were sent to her home, phone calls and visits.

"I understand she's been with us a number of years (and that) she's a good teacher, but I think we've tried," Kidder said.

While some of the days were approved by administrators, many weren't. Gallagher's sick days ran out early, and she was not getting paid for them, Kidder said.

Gallagher - whose class was transferred to a permanent substitute - met with Kidder and principal Charles Johnson at Westside on Dec. 14, in which she was told she could return to work Dec. 17 under a co-teaching situation.

She did not return to work until Jan. 8. While she worked that day, plus Jan. 11, she has been absent without authority since then, according to district documents.

"It just doesn't make sense," Kidder said.

In the event of a hearing, Alexander has recommended she be suspended without pay.

The board will meet at 1 p.m. at the district headquarters on Broad Street in Brooksville.