Fired Teacher Can Appeal To Circuit Court

Tim Hollis
Tim Hollis

— Tim Hollis, the popular teacher and debate coach fired early Tuesday, has the option to appeal the School Board’s decision to Washington County Circuit Court, according to the state law covering teacher terminations.

“An appeal is likely,” said Bentonville attorney Bryan Vernetti, who added he likes to wait a day or two to discuss the next step with clients rather than making a decision in the immediate aftermath.

Hollis must also renew his teaching license, which expired Dec. 31 if he wants to return to the classroom as a teacher.

At A Glance

Teaching License Renewal

-The standard, five-year Arkansas Educator License starts on Jan. 1 of the year it is issued and expires Dec. 31 of the fifth year.

-Educators may begin the renewal process at any time during the fifth year.

-The required renewal fee may be paid online.

-All teachers and administrators must complete 60 hours of professional development annually regardless of employment status.

Source: Arkansas Department of Education.

“I am sure he will start that process,” Vernetti.

Phyllis Stewart, chief of staff at the Arkansas Department of Education, said the license expired and no information at the department indicates Hollis applied to renew his license.

After the 10-hour hearing, which started at 5 p.m. Monday, Hollis deferred to his attorney to talk about his case. Hollis was encircled by about 20 former students and a handful of supportive parents who offered hugs and words of comfort and encouragement after the board decision.

The group of supporters sat through the entire proceeding that started with three hours of testimony by Superintendent Vicki Thomas and testimony from Steve Jacoby,, Fayetteville High School principal, and teacher Sallie Langford. Hollis was also questioned for about three hours.

Thomas said the controversy with Hollis began over a change in the procedure dealing with swap days for teachers. She said the new procedure wasn’t a change in policy and she acted on advice of the School District attorney, Rudy Moore Jr.

Hollis saw the action as an illegal change in policy that could only be approved by the School Board. He was an elected faculty representative on the Personnel Policy Committee and his actions were the result of that representation, he said.

His behavior during April and May last school year appeared to grow more agitated and unsettled, Thomas said.

“I believe he was trying to create a hostile environment,” Thomas said.

Hollis countered he was concerned Thomas was acting illegally and he was trying to get her to stop and reassess the situation over the swap day policy.

“I am really disappointed that the School District allowed it to get to this,” Sheilah Roenfeldt said. She has been a volunteer with the debate program for eight years, during and after her child was a team member.

Beth Presley, a parent, posted on Facebook shortly after the decision, “I'm sorely disappointed and (frankly) devastated at the board's decision. Tim Hollis deserved so much better.”

“It’s sad they got rid of a teacher with such impact on students,” Vernetti said. “He was not terminated for being such a bad teacher.”

The board voted unanimously on a motion by board member Justin Eichmann to uphold Thomas’ recommendation Hollis be terminated for insubordination and making defamatory statements; for falsifying district documents; for the inappropriate use of the district e-mail system; and for allowing his teaching license to expire.

Thomas recommended Hollis’ termination in June.

A second termination letter was sent to Hollis in January adding the additional issue to the termination because Hollis was no longer eligible to teach in a Fayetteville school.

The board didn’t accept an additional termination point, cited by Thomas, that Hollis misused district money in making advance arrangements for students who qualified to attend a national competition in Indianapolis in the summer.

Hollis said his plans were to use money from a forensics activity account — not district funds — to pay for the trip for eight students and two judges. In testimony, Hollis said he only used a district credit card to pay advance fees at the insistence of Thomas.

The forensics activity fund is money raised by students and parents specifically for the forensics and debate program.

Hollis joined the high school faculty in 1988. He was suspended in May.

He was prohibited from returning to the campus until he completed an anger management course and apologized to Jacoby.

In an earlier interview and again during the hearing, Hollis said he didn’t go to the anger management or apologize to Jacoby and had no plans to do either. He said he didn’t think he needed an anger management course.

Asked if he wanted to return to the classroom, Hollis said he didn’t know. He had two hip replacement surgeries and other medical issues since his suspension.

“I don’t know if I want to return to teaching,” Hollis said. “I don’t think I could return this year.”

The hearing was the fifth one scheduled because of earlier postponements by Hollis or his attorney.

“Thanks for waiting for me,” he told School Board members at the beginning of his testimony.

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