|
One of three Calhoun school employees who filed a lawsuit against the West Virginia and Calhoun County school boards because of the cancellation of Spring Break three weeks before the scheduled time, has dropped her suit.
Kelley Sampson told the Hur Herald she and a number of other school employees were upset that the board made the change just before the annual break.
Sampson said, "I was informed that WVEA would be challenging the board's vote ... being one of the teachers in the county to have already scheduled a vacation with expenses incurred, I was contacted by a WVEA representative questioning the amount of loss if the vacation was not taken."
A representative of the state teacher's union, the West Virginia Education Association, appeared at Monday's county board meeting, expressing concern that Spring Break was canceled three weeks before the holiday.
Ben Barkley told the board the change had caused great inconvenience to employees who had purchased plane tickets, hotel rooms and made family arrangements, with much of the costs not being reimbursable.
Barkley said he believed the change was illegal.
The lawsuit says, "The unplanned, abrupt, and contrary to established practice and custom cancellation of spring break caused, or will cause hardships and economic loss to the individuals.
School board president Steve Whited said, "The purpose of the calendar changes was to maximize the amount of instructional time for students earlier in the calendar, due to required state testing for students."
Whited said he could not comment on the lawsuit until he learns more about it.
Calhoun schools have canceled 19 days this year.
Sampson said "When asked if information obtained from me could be used in a suit, I agreed under the impression this was a class action law suit from the WVEA to the state BOE, using my information to support an already standing case regarding the altering of out of calendar days."
"When the report came out today stating there were three individual law suits filed, I immediately contacted WVEA questioning this. As a result, my lawsuit has been withdrawn and dismissed from court. I apologize for any inconvenience or negative publicity this may have caused Calhoun County Board of Education," Sampson said.
The WVEA filed the lawsuits Monday in Kanawha Circuit Court, also asking a judge to grant an immediate injunction to prevent school officials from changing the calendar.
See THREE CALHOUN SCHOOL EMPLOYEES SUING OVER LOSS OF SPRING BREAK
Also West Virginia school employees sue over canceled spring break - WOWKTV
| 
