Wieging v. Jennings Local School Board of Education

379 N.E.2d 605, 55 Ohio App. 2d 110, 9 Ohio Op. 3d 265, 1977 Ohio App. LEXIS 7061
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedJune 10, 1977
Docket12-76-10
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 379 N.E.2d 605 (Wieging v. Jennings Local School Board of Education) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Wieging v. Jennings Local School Board of Education, 379 N.E.2d 605, 55 Ohio App. 2d 110, 9 Ohio Op. 3d 265, 1977 Ohio App. LEXIS 7061 (Ohio Ct. App. 1977).

Opinion

Guernsey, J.

Plaintiff, Harold Weiging, filed his complaint in the Court of Common Pleas of Putnam County against defendant board of education, the individual members and clerk thereof, and the superintendent of the “Jennings Local School System.” Plaintiff sought a writ of mandamus directed to the defendants to cause them “to immediately comply with the mandatory section of 3319.16 of the Ohio Revised Code, and to state the grounds for termination or show cause why they should not be compelled to do so,” sought to have the court find the actions of the defendants in violation of R. C. 3319.02, 3319.08, 3319.-09 and 3319.16 and to restore the plaintiff’s “job to him,” and sought compensatory and exemplary damages in the total amount of $300,000.

The action in mandamus, though not properly brought *111 on the relation of the state of Ohio (Maloney v. Ct. of Common Pleas [1962], 173 Ohio St. 226) involves the right, if any, of plaintiff to a continuing contract with the defendant board of education. An alternative writ to show cause why the plaintiff should not receive the relief sought was issued whereupon the defendants also moved to have the complaint dismissed as not stating a claim upon which relief can be granted.

Hearing was had on August 23, 1976, on both the alternative writ and on the motion to dismiss and evidence was adduced disclosing that prior to September 1, 1969, plaintiff had been employed since 1961 by defendant board by a series of limited contracts as a high school commercial subjects teacher for which he held only provisional teaching certificates until September 1, 1968, when he received a professional high school certificate for the subjects of “Bookkeeping — Basic Business, Typing.” This certificate having expired as of September 1, 1976, the plaintiff testified, “I now hold a permanent one.” The record then discloses that at some time in 1969, though plaintiff would have been qualified to receive a continuing contract had he been re-employed to teach such certified high school subjects, he was instead voluntarily re-employed under a limited contract for five years “beginning September 1, 1969” “as the Principal of the high school building, and guidance counseler [sic].” Subsequently, again voluntarily, plaintiff received at some time during 1974 another limited contract for a period of two years “beginning September 1, 1974” “as the Principal of the High School Building and as a guidance Counselor.” It appears that he has a provisional renewal certificate valid for four years from September 1, 1974, in “pupil personnel” “school counselor” but has no professional or permanent certificate as a principal or guidance counselor. He also claims a provisional “Local Superintendent’s * * * High School Principal” certificate. Although the amount of time devoted thereto and the authority therefor is in dispute it appears that since September 1, 1969, the plaintiff has also by his own assignment as principal *112 either at or without the direction of the superintendent of schools taught some typing classes, but neither of the limited contracts he has held since that date have provided for such teaching. Teacher’s record cards covering from 1968 to 1976 do not show any claim by plaintiff to teaching typing until the 1972-1973 school year.

On April 26, 1976, the board voted not to renew plaintiff’s employment and he was notified accordingly in writing by the president and by the clerk by letter dated and received by him on April 27, 1976. The record does not reflect that plaintiff has ever been recommended for a continuing contract of employment by either the local superintendent or by the county superintendent involved.

On this state of the record the trial court, rendering a well reasoned opinion, found the plaintiff not entitled to a continuing contract of employment, further found that the complaint failed to state a claim upon which relief may be granted, and dismissed same at plaintiff’s costs. Plaintiff appeals asserting error of the trial court (1) in holding that plaintiff was not entitled to a continuing contract as a teacher under R. C 3319.11 as of September, 1969, and (2) in not finding that plaintiff was a full time teacher.

The apparent essence of plaintiff's argument under the first assignment of error is that in 1969, when the matter of plaintiff’s re-employment was under consideration, plaintiff was the holder of a professional teaching certificate, had taught within the last five years for at least three years in the district (for that matter had taught some eight years in the district) and the board not giving him written notice of its action on the superintendent’s recommendation to re-employ him on a limited contract for two years, plaintiff became by operation of the following provisions of the second paragraph of R. C. 3319.11 reemployed under a continuing contract:

“Upon the recommendation of the superintendent that a teacher eligible for eontinung service status be re-employed, a continuing contract shall be entered into between the board and such teacher unless the board * * * rejects the *113 recommendation of the superintendent. The superintendent may recommend re-employment of such teacher * # # under a limited contract for not to exceed two years * * *. If the board of education does not give such teacher written notice of its action on the superintendent’s recommendation of a limited contract for not to exceed two years before the thirtieth day of April, said teacher is deemed re-employed under a continuing contract at the same salary plus any increment provided by the salary schedule. # * # ??

Obviously tie problem here is compounded by the fact that the record does not show whether in 1969 there was or was not a recommendation by the superintendent that the plaintiff be re-employed under a two year limited contract. By some negotiations, not in the record, the plaintiff was re-employed, not as a high school commercial teacher of subjects in which he held professional certification, but re-employed as high school principal and as guidance counselor, in which he held or obtained only provisional certification.

R. C. 3319.02, in its form effective in 1969, provided for the appointment by a board of education of principals for all high schools and it seems to be conceded by the parties, or at least not claimed otherwise by the plaintiff, that one employed in such administrative capacity is not entitled to tenure based only on such appointment. See also State, ex rel. Saltsman, v. Burton (1952), 156 Ohio St. 537. In its form which thereafter became effective in 1973 R. C. 3319.02 provides that in “the case of * * * principals * * * in local school districts employment shall be # * * in accordance with nominations of the superintendent of schools of the county districts of which the local district is a part.”

Plaintiff claims, in effect, that notwithstanding that he could not receive tenure as a principal, he became entitled to a continuing contract because he was professionally certified as a teacher and was teaching as guidance counselor, or, if the fact that he was only provisionally certified as a guidance counselor foreclosed his receiving a continuing contract, then he was professionally certified as *114

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Related

State ex rel. Voss v. Northwest Local Board of Education
421 N.E.2d 516 (Ohio Supreme Court, 1981)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
379 N.E.2d 605, 55 Ohio App. 2d 110, 9 Ohio Op. 3d 265, 1977 Ohio App. LEXIS 7061, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/wieging-v-jennings-local-school-board-of-education-ohioctapp-1977.