TENURE HEARING
UNDER REVISED STATUTE 17:493, ET. SEC.
IN THE MATTER OF DELORES PETERS
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT:
BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT:
Harold Smith, President, Jimmie Corkern, John Dawsey, Jr., Susanne Jones, Bringier H. Barker, Bob D. Bateman, Richard N. Thomas, and Joe Whaley.
NONE .
Attorney for Delores Peters:
Herbert R. Alexander
Attorney for Superintendent, Earle R. Brown:
Hearing Officer: Joseph M. Bertrand, Attorney
U. Wayne Kuhn
A public hearing, rather than a private hearing, was chosen by Mrs. Peters.
Purpose of tenure hearing: Consider dismissal of Delores Peters as a tenured bus operator in the Washington Parish School System on the following charges brought against her by Superintendent Brown:
Willful neglect of duty;
2. Professional incompetency required of a school bus operator;
Immorality
Basis for charges: On or about August 24, 1991, and then August 25, 1991, cocaine was found in her residence.
Order of Hearing:
3 . 4 . 5 .
Opening statement by Superintendent's attorney; 2. Opening statement by Mrs. Peters' attorney; Presentation of evidence by Superintendent's attorney; Cross examination by Mrs. Peters' attorney; Presentation of evidence by Mrs. Peters' attorney; Cross examination by Superintendent's attorney; Presentation of evidence in Rebuttal by Superintendent's attorney; 8. Cross examination by Mrs. Peters' attorney; 9. Closing argument by Superintendent's ' attorney;
10. Closing argument by Mrs. Peters' attorney;
11. Final argument in rebutal by Superintendent's attorney.
Following executive session for deliberations, the following actions were taken by the Board:
1. Roll call vote on charge number one, whether or not Mrs. Peters was found to be willfully neglectful of her duty as
a bus driver:
District I - Jimmie Corkern No
District 2 - Harold Smith No
District 3 - Joe Whaley No
District 4 - Richard Thomas No
District 5 - John Dawsey No
District 6 - Susanne Jones No
District 7 - Bob Bateman No
District 8 - B. H. Barker No
2. Roll call vote on charge number two, whether or not Mrs. Peters was incompetent as a bus driver exercising poor professional judgment by' having cocaine in her residence:
District I - Jimmie Corkern Yes
District 2 - Harold Smith Yes
District 3 - Joe Whaley Yes
District 4 - Richard Thomas Yes
District 5 - John Dawsey Yes
District 6 - Susanne Jones Yes
District 7 - Bob Bateman Yes
District 8 - B. H. Barker Yes
3. Roll call vote on charge number three, whether or not Mrs. Peters had immorality charged against her for breaching the laws of the State of Louisiana relative to cocaine being on her property:
District I Jimmie Corkern Yes
District 2 Harold Smith Yes
District 3 Joe Whaley Yes
District 4 Richard Thomas Yes
District 5 John Dawsey Yes
District 6 Susanne Jones Yes
District 7 Bob Bateman Yes
District 8 B. H. Barker Yes
It was moved by Joe Whaley, seconded by Jimmie Corkern , that the Board accept the Superintendent's recommendation to dismiss Mrs. Delores Peters as a tenured bus driver in the Washington Parish School System. Roll call vote was as follows:
District 1 - Jimmie Corkern Yes
District 2 - Harold Smith Yes
District 3 - Joe Whaley Yes
District 4 - Richard Thomas Yes
District 5 - John Dawsey Yes
District 6 - Susanne Jones Yes
District 7 - Bob Bateman Yes
District 8 - B. H. Barker Yes
The vote was unanimous.
Hearing adjourned.
NOTE: ENTIRE TRANSCRIPT OF TENURE HEARING IS-ON FILE IN THE SCHOOL BOARD OFFICE.
HAROLD SMITH, PRESIDENT
EARLE R. BROWN, SECRETARY